Students with an interest in swine science attended 2025’s North Carolina Pork Conference this spring, one of the latest professional development forums presented to students in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences through a partnership with the North Carolina Pork Council.
N.C. A&T’s Swine Group, including M.S. and Ph.D. students and undergraduates that work in the college’s Swine Unit on the University Farm, traveled to Raleigh to participate in the statewide conference in February.
Derrick Coble, Ph.D., graduate program coordinator in the Department of Animal Sciences, said this year’s conference, as well as the partnership with NCPC, allows the college to “help develop the next generation of swine industry professionals”.
“We’re very thrilled with the opportunities that this partnership and the North Carolina Pork Conference has provided to our students and where they go in their future careers,” said Coble.
Karla Branch (left), a senior in the Department of Animal Science, is presented a $400 cash prize by Seth Mitchell (right) of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, for winning 1st place in the conference’s Issues Meet competition.
During this year’s conference, Karla Branch, a senior Animal Science major, won first place in the Issues Meet competition, which allows 18–22-year-old students to discuss topics important to the swine industry. Branch will now travel to Des Moines, Iowa in June to represent North Carolina in a similar competition at the World Pork Expo.
“Winning first place was an exciting and rewarding experience that allowed me to reflect on my journey at North Carolina A&T State University,” said Branch. “Over the past four years, I have grown tremendously, and advancing to a national-level competition feels like the perfect culmination of my undergraduate career. I look forward to working hard to represent my institution and the state well at the national level.”
Junior Brandon Miller and senior Aniyah Jeter won third and fourth place honors in the same competition, and sophomore Haleigh Pettress, who is currently interning with the National Pork Board, presented her work as part of the pork board’s sustainability team.
