Farmscape for October 17, 2006  (Episode 2275)

The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board plans to expand the role of the Pork Interpretive Gallery in promoting job opportunities within the swine industry.

The Pork Interpretive Gallery, located in the attic space of the Prairie Swine Centre's Elstow research barn, allows visitors to view a modern hog operation in a biosecure environment.

Last month Sask Pork assumed the responsibility for managing the facility.

Sask Pork Education Coordinator Jessica Podhordeski says, in addition to its existing role, the gallery will now expand its agricultural outreach.

Clip-Jessica Podhordeski-Saskatchewan Pork Development Board 

The pork interpretive gallery was initially managed by Prairie Swine Centre and it was primarily a touring facility for class groups, general public, industry members producers who wanted to have a tour.

Now that it's being managed under Sask Pork, we want to enhance the agriculture education sector of Sask Pork, which includes trying to get into schools and matching up with school curriculum as well, different resource material that we have to promote the pork industry, make people more aware that there's opportunity within the industry as well as other agricultural industries for future careers and job positions.

Many people maybe don't think of that as an idea or an option when looking for a job.

There are a lot of job opportunities and I think a lot of people may think that jobs in the pig barn are not rewarding or not something that they'd want and they may be right but there's a lot rewarding positions working with pigs and a lot of people really enjoy it.

Podhordeski notes a new "careers in animal agriculture display," which examines ten careers in the pork industry both inside and outside the barn, is now being developed and is expected to be in place in the gallery early next month.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council