Welcome to the American Pasture Pig Society
Founded in 2022, we're dedicated to promoting quality breeding of Registered American Pasture Pigs (APPs)—The Practical Pasture Pig.
Our mission includes unlocking genetic potential, enhancing value, providing education and support, fostering community, empowering youth, and offering opportunities for improvement.
Join us on our mission to make a difference in the pasture pig community!
Integrity
Integrity is a core value for the APPS, guiding its members, leadership, and operations in all aspects of their work. Within APPS, integrity is demonstrated through:
1. Ethical Breeding Practices: Members of the APPS uphold ethical standards in breeding, ensuring the health, welfare, and genetic diversity of APPs.
2. Transparency: APPS promotes transparency in its operations, communication, and decision-making processes. Members and leadership are open and honest in their interactions with each other and the broader community, fostering trust and accountability.
3. Honesty in Representation: APPS members and leadership accurately represent the characteristics, qualities, and origins of APPs in their marketing, advertising, and communications. They do not engage in deceptive practices or misrepresentations that could compromise the integrity of the APP breed or the APPS.
4. Commitment to Education: APPS is committed to educating its members and the public about the history, characteristics, and benefits of APPs. This includes providing accurate information, resources, and guidance on breeding, management, and stewardship practices that align with the values of integrity and responsible pig husbandry.
5. Accountability: APPS holds its members and leadership accountable for upholding the principles of integrity in their actions and decisions. Members are encouraged to report any concerns or violations of ethical standards, and appropriate measures are taken to address and rectify issues in accordance with the APPS bylaws.
Overall, integrity is fundamental to the mission and reputation of the APPS, ensuring that its members contribute to the preservation, promotion, and improvement of the APP breed with honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct.
Innovation is a driving force within the APPS, fueling the continuous improvement, adaptation, and advancement of breeding, management, and stewardship practices related to APPs. Within APPS, innovation manifests through:
1. Genetic Improvement: APPS members embrace innovative breeding techniques and genetic selection strategies to enhance the health, resilience, and productivity of APPs. They explore new avenues for improving breed traits while preserving the unique characteristics of the breed.
2. Sustainable Husbandry Practices: APPS promotes innovative approaches to sustainable husbandry that prioritize environmental stewardship, animal welfare, and resource efficiency. Encouraging members to adopt creative solutions for pasture-based management, rotational grazing, and regenerative agriculture practices to optimize the health of their APPs, their communities and their land.
3. Technology Adoption: APPS leverages technology and modern tools to streamline breeding, management, and data collection processes. Members explore innovative applications of genetic testing, digital record-keeping systems, and precision agriculture techniques to enhance breeding decisions and farm management practices.
4. Collaborative Research: APPS fosters collaboration with researchers, universities, and agricultural institutions to advance scientific knowledge and understanding of APP genetics and APP pork quality. Members participate in research initiatives and field trials to explore innovative solutions to common challenges faced by APP breeders.
5. Value-Added Products: APPS encourages innovation in product development and marketing to expand market opportunities for APP-derived products. Members explore innovative value-added products such as pasture-raised pork, specialty charcuterie, and lard-based products, tapping into consumer demand for high-quality, ethically produced food and products.
6. Education and Outreach: APPS promotes innovation through education and outreach efforts that inspire creativity, experimentation, and continuous learning among its members and the broader APP community. Workshops, conferences, and online resources provide platforms for sharing innovative ideas, best practices, and success stories.
7. Adaptation to Changing Conditions: APPS embraces innovation as a means of adapting to evolving environmental, economic, and societal challenges facing APP producers. Members explore innovative solutions for climate resilience, disease management, market volatility, and regulatory compliance to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of APP farming operations.
Overall, innovation is woven into the fabric of APPS, driving progress, resilience, and sustainability within the APP breed and its community of breeders and enthusiasts. By embracing creativity, experimentation, and forward-thinking approaches, APPS members contribute to the ongoing evolution and success of the APP breed in a dynamic agricultural landscape.
Innovation
Community
Community is at the heart of the APPS, fostering a network of passionate breeders, enthusiasts, and advocates dedicated to the preservation, promotion, improvement, and enjoyment of APPs. Within APPS, community manifests through:
1. Collaboration and Support: APPS members come together to share knowledge, resources, and experiences, providing mutual support and encouragement to fellow breeders and enthusiasts. Through online forums, social media groups, and APPS events, members collaborate on breeding projects, troubleshoot challenges and celebrate successes.
2. Education and Outreach: APPS is committed to educating its members and the public about the history, characteristics, and benefits of APPs. Through workshops, webinars, publications, and events, members engage with diverse audiences to promote awareness and appreciation for the breed and its contributions to sustainable agriculture.
3. Mentorship and Guidance: APPS fosters mentorship relationships between experienced breeders and newcomers, facilitating knowledge transfer and skill development within the community. Mentors provide guidance on breeding techniques, husbandry practices, and breeder/feeder selection, empowering new members to succeed in raising healthy and productive APPs.
4. Breed Preservation: APPS members share a common goal of preserving the unique heritage and genetic diversity of APPs for future generations. Through responsible breeding practices, conservation efforts, and advocacy, the community works together to safeguard the breed's legacy and promote its long-term viability.
5. Networking and Events: APPS organizes networking events, conferences, and exhibitions that bring together members from across the US and Canada to exchange ideas, and celebrate their shared passion for APPs. These gatherings provide opportunities for recognition, networking, learning, and camaraderie among breeders, enthusiasts, and industry stakeholders.
6. Community Engagement: APPS actively engages with agricultural organizations, and educational institutions to raise awareness about APPs and their role in sustainable farming systems. Members participate in outreach activities such as farm tours, educational demonstrations, and community events to promote APPs and their positive impact on rural economies and food systems.
7. Shared Values and Ethics: APPS members uphold shared values of integrity, stewardship, and respect for animals and the environment. These values unite the community in a common mission to promote responsible husbandry, ethical breeding practices, and sustainable agriculture.
Overall, the community aspect of APPS is a vibrant and inclusive network that fosters connections, empowers individuals, and promotes the collective well-being of APPs and the people who care for them. Through collaboration, education, and shared values, the APPS community continues to grow and thrive, enriching the lives of its members and contributing to the preservation of a treasured agricultural heritage.