Columbia, Mo.,— The 2015 University of Missouri Youth Pork Institute, sponsored by the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the Missouri Pork Association, was held June 8 through June 10 in Columbia. The Institute was a three day educational event for high school students interested in the pork industry.

Students enjoyed a tour of Triumph Foods, a processing plant in St. Joseph, Missouri and attended many educational sessions. They were also introduced to a variety of opportunities within the pork industry. At the end of their trip, students took a written exam covering all of the information learned. The students with the top two scores were each awarded a scholarship.

On June 10, Ben Luebbering and Baileigh Horstmeier were each awarded a $500 scholarship to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia upon completion of high school. Luebbering resids in St. Thomas, MO and will graduate from Fatima High School in 2017. Horstmeier resides in Fulton, MO, and will graduate from Fulton High School in 2016.

Other students attending the event include Madeline Althoff of Hillsboro, Kyle Deeken of Loose Creek, Ryan Deeken of Linn, Wyatt Ellis of Bethany, Sara Gammon of Drexel, Emma Kessel of Perryville, Caitlin Niendick of Wellington and Peyton Reynolds of Adrian.

Also attending were 2015 Missouri Pork Youth Ambassadors Laine Hays of Monroe City, Tony Morgan of Lamar, and Emily Montgomery of Auxvasse, as well as the Missouri Pork Association Summer 2015 Intern Rachel Groves.

The Missouri Pork Association represents the state’s pork producers in the areas of promotion, research, education and legislation. For more information about this or any other programs of the Missouri Pork Association, go to www.mopork.com, or call the Missouri Pork Association office at (573) 445-8375.