Wisconsin Pork Association

What Wisconsin Pork Association does

Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) is a non-profit industry association founded in 1998 and headquartered in Lancaster, Wisconsin, that represents pork producers operating in the state. Its core activities fall into four areas: certification and standards (administering Wisconsin Raised, US SHIP, PQA Plus, and TQA programs), producer and youth development (scholarships, internships, the Youth Pig Project, and the Young Leaders program), education and consumer outreach (FCS Mini-Grants, Virtual Farm Tours, and the Pork Schoppe at the Wisconsin State Fair), and regulatory advocacy (engaging with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and USDA on issues such as the PRRS/PEDv rule and disease traceability).

WPA's business model is a non-profit trade association revenue stack rather than a commercial product model. Funding is drawn from producer membership dues, corporate sponsorships spanning animal health (Zoetis, Merck, Elanco), protein processing (Tyson), and agricultural finance (Compeer Financial), event and State Fair registrations, and allocations from the national Pork Checkoff program. The Wisconsin Raised certification is the closest analog to a proprietary product: a state-anchored label that enrolled producers can use to differentiate at retail and consumer-facing venues.

The association's recent strategic posture has centered on regulatory engagement — most notably the multi-year push that resulted in a 2026 PRRS/PEDv rule waiver through DATCP — and on broadening its coalition footprint through a 2026 partnership with Ducks Unlimited that extends WPA into conservation-oriented sustainability work. Programs and partnerships are deliberately designed to retain producers across generational stages, from youth participants through adult membership.

Name

Wisconsin Pork Association

Legal name

Wisconsin Pork Association

Website

https://wppa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Pork Association is a non-profit trade association founded in 1998 that represents Wisconsin pork producers through certification programs, youth development, consumer outreach, and regulatory advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Association

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare Certification Services (AFALAMAE)

Keywords

• Pork industry association
• Swine certification programs
• Agricultural youth development
• Producer advocacy services
• Wisconsin raised pork

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WPA offers membership with benefits including legislative representation, educational opportunities, and pork industry networking.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support WPA events and programs including the Corn Soy Expo, Pork Classic Golf Outing, Young Leaders Program, and Youth Pig Project.
3. Event Registrations: Revenue from workshops, seminars, certification trainings (CSSC), and educational events.
4. Pork Checkoff Programs: National Pork Board and Pork Checkoff funded programs for promotion, research, and producer education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Wisconsin Pork Association is a nonprofit membership-based industry association that represents Wisconsin pork producers through legislative advocacy, industry certification administration, and producer education. It delivers the Wisconsin Raised certification and marketing program for locally raised and processed pork, an online Pork Producer Directory and Shop Wisconsin Raised e-commerce platform connecting consumers to enrolled producers and processors, and a portfolio of swine health certifications (US SHIP, PQA Plus, TQA, Secure Pork Supply plans). The association also runs youth development programs (internships, scholarships, Youth Pig Project, Young Leaders Program), consumer education, and educator grants.

Product overview

Wisconsin Pork Association is a membership-based industry association that serves the Wisconsin pork industry. Its offerings include the Wisconsin Raised certification program for locally raised pork products, an online Pork Producer Directory and Shop Wisconsin Raised e-commerce platform connecting consumers with local producers, youth development programs (internship, Youth Pig Project, Young Leaders Program, scholarships), educational resources (FCS Mini-Grants, Virtual Farm Tours, Pork Foodservice Guide), and community outreach programs. The association also operates the Pork Schoppe at Wisconsin State Fair and provides certification programs including US SHIP, PQA Plus, and TQA for swine health and quality assurance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wisconsin Raised: A program that features pork products that have been raised and/or processed in Wisconsin
• Pork Schoppe
• We Care

Products and services

• Wisconsin Raised Program A certification program for pork products that have been raised and/or processed in Wisconsin, connecting consumers to local farmers and processors through the WPA directory and Shop Wisconsin Raised platform.
• Shop Wisconsin Raised / Pork Producer Directory An online directory and e-commerce platform listing Wisconsin pork producers and meat processors enrolled in the Wisconsin Raised program, enabling consumers to find and purchase local Wisconsin pork.
• PQA Plus & TQA Certification Certification programs providing Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA) credentials for pig farmers and livestock transporters, supporting food safety and animal handling standards.
• U.S. Swine Health Improvement Program (US SHIP) Certification program providing ASF-CSF (African Swine Fever / Classical Swine Fever) Monitored status for pork production operations, supporting swine health and trade continuity.
• WPA Internship Program A 10-week paid summer internship program providing youth representative opportunities and industry exposure within the Wisconsin pork industry.
• Pork Schoppe WPA-operated food booth at the Wisconsin State Fair offering pork chop sandwiches, pork burgers, and pork chop on a stick to fair attendees.
• WPA Membership Paid membership in the Wisconsin Pork Association providing pork producers and supporters legislative representation, educational opportunities, networking events, and access to certification programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Support provided to 50+ youth pig project participants annually through scholarships
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026WPA and Ducks Unlimited partnership to benefit Wisconsin farmers, likely focused on environmental sustainability and land management practices that support both pork production and waterfowl habitat.
• National Pork BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing pork promotion, research, and producer education resources. WPA aligns with national We Care initiative and Pork Checkoff programs.
• Wisconsin Soybean AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Corn Soy Expo along with Wisconsin Corn Association and Wisconsin Pork Association.
• Wisconsin Corn AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Corn Soy Expo along with Wisconsin Soybean Association and Wisconsin Pork Association.
• Vondra Ag Service LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Young Leaders Program at Corn Soy Expo.
• UW-PlattevilleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Young Leaders Program at Corn Soy Expo.
• Minitube USAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for Swine Reproduction Seminar and Board of Directors Meeting. Pork Classic Golf Outing sponsor.
• Kalahari ResortminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue host for National Pork Industry Conference and Corn Soy Expo.
• ZoetisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed on WPA website.
• TysonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed on WPA website.
• Merck Animal HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed on WPA website.
• Elanco Animal HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed on WPA website.
• Compeer FinancialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed on WPA website. Agricultural financial services provider.
• UW-ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on swine outreach, Secure Pork Supply plans, and producer education programs through Jeff Morris, UW-Extension Swine Outreach Specialist.
• USDA Veterinary ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA sponsored initiative with state and industry partners for US SHIP (U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Illinois Pork Producers Association: State-level pork association for Illinois, another leading pork-producing state. Runs a near-identical model of membership dues, youth programs (including state fair presence), and producer advocacy.
• Iowa Pork Producers Association: State-level pork industry association serving Iowa producers — by far the largest U.S. pork-producing state. Operates the same model: membership dues, youth programs, advocacy, producer education, and consumer marketing, making it the most directly comparable peer to WPA.
• Indiana Pork: Indiana's state pork industry association with comparable membership, advocacy, and youth development programs; serves a similar commercial-production producer base in the Eastern Corn Belt.
• Minnesota Pork Producers Association: State pork industry association for Minnesota, a major Upper Midwest pork-producing state neighboring Wisconsin. Operates comparable programs in advocacy, producer education, youth engagement, and consumer outreach.
• Nebraska Pork Producers Association: Nebraska's pork industry association with parallel functions in producer representation, youth programs, and consumer education in another major pork-producing Corn Belt state.
• Missouri Pork Association: Missouri's state pork industry association offering membership, advocacy, youth (including state fair programming), and producer services comparable to WPA's offerings.
• Ohio Pork Council: Ohio's pork industry association delivering producer advocacy, consumer outreach, and youth programming; structurally and operationally similar to WPA despite Ohio's different production mix.

Broad incumbents

• National Pork Board: National checkoff-funded organization conducting pork promotion, research, and consumer education (We Care, pork.org). WPA explicitly aligns with and partners with the National Pork Board; functionally a national umbrella of which WPA is a state-level affiliate.
• National Pork Producers Council (NPPC): National trade association focused on federal-level advocacy for U.S. pork producers, including trade, regulatory, and animal health policy. Operates as the federal advocacy counterpart to state associations like WPA.

Others

• U.S. Pork Center of Excellence: National organization providing pork industry research, education, and human resources programming (including Destination Pork Curriculum, which WPA promotes). Not a direct peer but an ecosystem partner that delivers services WPA leverages for its educator and youth programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wi_pork
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIPork
• Instagraminstagram.com/wipork
• Pinterestpinterest.com/nationalporkboard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Pork Association