West Central Reporter

More than 30 international buyers from Asia, Central America and South America visited Farmweld in Teutopolis to learn about the company’s wean-to-finish technology as part of this year’s Illinois Pork Tour, according to a press release from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

The tour is an annual event sponsored by the department to connect Illinois agribusinesses like Farmweld with international markets. Over the past 20 years, the Illinois Pork Tour has led to $12 million in sales for local businesses.

In Teutopolis, this year's 31 tour participants learned about Farmweld’s innovative technology, which was developed with the help of veterinarians, builders and distributors. Through its industry-leading wean-to-finish technology, Farmweld allows pork producers to reduce waste, increase labor savings and promote pig comfort. The business will gain more exposure later this year through a dedicated episode of American Farmer on RFD-TV.

“The Illinois pork industry is a vital component of Illinois agriculture," Raymond Poe, director the agriculture department, said in the press release. "The industry contributes billions of dollars to our economy and creates thousands of jobs. Through the Illinois Pork Tour we can build relationships between foreign buyers and Illinois agri-businesses in the hopes of growing our industry and improving our export sales.”