National Pork Board names Sherrie Niekamp Director of Animal Welfare

October 12, 2005 — National Pork Board

Sherrie Niekamp has joined the National Pork Board as director of animal welfare. Niekamp holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in animal science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her graduate degree program's emphasis was on stress physiology. Her academic interests include the effects of stress on animal welfare. Under the advisement of Dr. Janeen Salak-Johnson, Niekamp focused her research primarily on swine.

Niekamp will be responsible for the development and implementation of animal welfare programs and coordinating Checkoff-sponsored animal welfare research. The position reports to the vice president of science and technology and in coordination with the Pork Checkoff's Animal Welfare Committee. She joined the staff on Sept. 26.

"Animal welfare is a personal issue and a market-driven issue," Niekamp said. "Consumers will usually perceive it in an emotional way." She described her position as a liaison between the consumer, researchers and producers. "There are no easy answers to the emotionally driven animal welfare questions. There is limited information available and both consumers and producers tend to look for credible and science-based answers from the National Pork Board."

Niekamp is originally from Payson, Ill., a farming community near the Illinois-Missouri state line. Niekamp works out of the National Pork Board's office in Des Moines, Iowa.