2016 Pork Power Program

Guidelines for Processing Hogs Donated by Producers and Directed to Food Banks

  1. All participating meat processors must be members of the IL Meat Processors Association.
  2. All hogs are to be processed during the months of Maythrough July. The program will begin on May1st and ends on July 31, 2016.
  3. Hogs are to be brought to the processor and noted for donation to the food banks by the producer or marketing locations and follow plant’s procedures for receiving (ex. Slaughter appointment).
  4. All hogs are to be received and processed under inspection.
  5. Eligible hogs include lightweight market hogs (minimum of 160 lbs.), market weight hogs and sows. No boars will be accepted into the program. All hogs must be able to walk and in good health. Hogs with abscesses will NOT be accepted. Hogs with ruptures are acceptable unless they are causing a reason to make the hog unable to pass ante-mortem inspection. Plants have the right to refuse hogs in poor health.
  6. Boars: If a boar is slaughtered under the program, the producer will be notified day of slaughter and to be liable for its processing and associated costs.
  7. Paperwork: Producer to complete, sign and receive a copy. Processor to complete the processor information and final amounts of pounds to be donated to food bank. Food bank is to complete their portion of the sheet and receive a copy already completed by the producer and processor. Processor to send in original copy of paperwork to IPPA within two weeks of processing.
  8. Upon notice, processors must contact IPPA first to determine available funds before accepting and processing donated hogs for this program. Hogs processed after this time that do not receive prior approval will not be eligible for reimbursement from IPPA.
  9. All hogs are to be slaughtered, chilled, deboned, ground, packaged into 2 lb. packages and frozen. Ground pork must be 80-85% lean and be double ground. All packages must have be labeled with Ground Pork, safe handling statement, inspection legend and/or any other label requirements for product for the end user.
  10. All 2 pound packages of pork to be placed in boxes that will hold approximately 30-50 pounds/box. Reusable meat boxes are acceptable.
  11. All processors must contact the regional foodbank within their area (see contact info below) when they have processed the donated pork and it is ready to be picked up.
  1. Participating processors agree to waive the cost of slaughtering of the donated hogs and/or sows.
  2. Processors will be reimbursed $0.65 per pound of the carcass weight of the donated hogs and/or sows.
  3. Participating processors who do not do their own harvesting but work with another processor will be reimbursed at the $0.60 per pound rate and will be expected to share $0.13 per pound with the processor providing the harvesting service.
  4. Processor will receive their processing costs within two weeks of paperwork received at the IPPA office.
  5. Plants are encouraged to schedule at least one day dedicated for processing Pork Power pigs and to promote that date to area farmers.

Feeding Illinois Regional Foodbanks

Central Illinois Foodbank

East Cook, Springfield, IL 62702(217) 522-4022

Service area: Adams, Bond, Brown, Cass, Christian, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, and Shelby counties

Eastern Illinois Foodbank


2405 North Shore Drive, Urbana, IL 61802-7221

(217) 328-3663

Service area: Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Moultrie, Piatt, and Vermilion counties

Greater Chicago Food Depository


4100 W. Ann Lurie Place, Chicago, IL 60632

(773) 247-3663

Service area: Chicago and Cook County

Northern Illinois Food Bank


600 Industrial Drive, St. Charles, IL 60174
(630) 443-6910

Service area: Boone, Dekalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Will, and Winnebago counties

Peoria Area Food Bank


721 W. McBean St., Peoria IL 61605
(309) 671-3906

Service area: DeWitt, Fulton, Livingston, Mason, McLean, Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodward counties

River Bend Foodbank


4010 Kimmel Drive, Davenport, Iowa 52802– NOTE: NEW LOCATION

(563) 345-6490

Service area: Bureau, Carroll, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jo Davies, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, McDonough, Mercer, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Warren, and Whiteside counties

St. Louis Area Foodbank


70 Corporate Woods Drive, St. Louis, MO 63044
(314) 292-6262

Service area: Calhoun, Clinton, Franklin, Jackson, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington, and Williamson counties

Tri-State Foodbank


801 E. Michigan St., Evansville, IN 47711
(812) 425-0775

Service area: Alexander, Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Johnson, Lawrence, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, and White counties