COLUMN: 'Pulled Pork Madness' begins

OUTSTANDING IN THEIR FIELD COLUMN
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Compiled by Pete Temple
Express Sports/Ag Editor

   • Pulled Pork Madness, a competition among restaurants to see which makes the best pulled pork sandwich, is under way, sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA).

   Drawn from the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, the competition follows a bracket-style narrowing process, according to an IPPA press release.

   It started with 16, restaurants, including Moski’s BBQ of Cascade, which was narrowed down to eight through voting that ended March 17. Other voting deadlines are March 22 to decide the “final four,” and March 27 to choose the championship bracket. The title round ends March 30, with the winner announced March 31.

   The public can cast votes through the IPPA’s Facebook page, or online at www.iowapork.org/all-about-pork/pulled-pork-madness/.

   Last year’s winner was Starbeck’s Smokehouse in Cedar Falls.

   • In other pork news, the IPPA has named Kevin Hall of Ankeny as its communications director, according to a press release. He began work with the organization March 13.

   Hall will be responsible for developing and implementing the association’s strategic communications plan, including issues management and public relations projects and campaigns. He will also oversee IPPA publications and its website.

   Previously, he was communications director in the Iowa Secretary of State’s office. A North Carolina native, Hall has worked in Iowa for 23 years.

   • Several Eastern Iowa entities were among the 28 to receive Choose Iowa cost-share grants awarded by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

   The grants, totaling $463,000, were announced March 7 by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

   Among the recipients were Echollective Farm of Mechanicsville for expanding its cold storage and adding fruit and vegetable processing, $16,000; Over the Moon Farm & Flowers of Coggon, to increase storage and distribution space for pasture-raised duck meat, $10,000; and Andrew Pesek Farms of Coggon, to incorporate tree transplanting equipment, $20,000.

 

 

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