As pork prices dramatically dipped this year because of an oversupply of hogs, farmers have been left clamoring for ways to profit on their hogs.

The Third Annual Swine System Options Conference, held today in the Scheman Building, will try to help producers climb out of the glut.

Jerry DeWitt, member of the conference planning committee and representative of the Extension Sustainable Agriculture program, said the goal of the conference is to provide pork producers with hope for the future of swine production and marketing.

“This conference is one of the few opportunities by any university or extension providing awareness and information on alternatives to current production strategies,” DeWitt said.

In the past two years, the conference has drawn about 240 people, most of those being pork producers, he said. This year, 240 people also have registered for the conference.

DeWitt said he did not expect to receive such a great response.

“Those who attended [in previous years] wanted this to be a regular conference,” he said.

DeWitt said this conference gives producers ideas and the opportunity to see what others are doing in production options.

Richard Pirog, conference chairman and education coordinator with the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, said speakers will share information on production and management of low-cost swine systems such as hoop buildings used for finishing swine.

“We need to share what we’ve learned with these systems over the past three years,” Pirog said. “We also will share stories on how swine producers can possibly get more of the consumer dollar for pork through alternative marketing and value-added strategies.”

At the conference, producers will also be given the chance to look at different production options.

“This conference is very timely because the focus is on low-cost production systems for swine and because we will focus on alternative marketing and value-added strategies,” he said. “The point is that we want to help producers add more value to their farm products.”

Today’s conference will begin at 8 a.m. and will last until 4 p.m. It will start with several general sessions, including a quick overview of the state of the Iowa Pork Industry and an overview of alternative production systems, Pirog said.

“There will be 10 different topics offered through three sets on concurrent sessions that participants can choose from,” he said.

Pirog said lunch will feature Iowa-grown and processed foods.

“The conference lunch and breaks will include food items from nine different Iowa producers, including the pork for the lunch entree,” Pirog said.

After the sessions, conference-goers will be able to visit with the presenters.

The registration fee is $15 with lunch and $10 without the lunch option.

The conference is sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and ISU Extension, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, ISU Pork Industry Center, ISU Beginning Farmer Center Practical Farmers of Iowa, ISU Extension Sustainable Agriculture Program, the ISU College of Agriculture and ISU Research and Demonstration Farms.