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Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines, is colourful as ever, surrounded by green grass and colourful flowers.
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Green is not a colour that can be found everywhere in Iowa and the Mid-West of the USA. Large parts are suffering from drought - or perhaps as worse - floodings. Both have an impact on crops and feed supplies.
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Michael Formica, National Pork Producers Council, therefore mentioned in the NPPC press conference that the adverse weather has its implications - and stressed that a good crop is needed next year.
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Dr Steve Meyer, Paragon Economics, said that the weather effects will contribute to higher feed prices and losses for pig producers up to $12 per head within one year from now.
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Anyway - drought and a heatwave, not exactly the conditions to stay in, in the middle of the day so many of the visitors escaped walking in the sun and stayed inside of the Fairgrounds buildings and exhibition halls.
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They could hear NPPC president Doug Wolf say that this year 20,000 visitors are expected from at least 33 different countries and 39 states throughout the USA. In addition, 150 exhibitors from 11 countries are present.
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Nick Giordano, NPPC, explained about the status of three US Free Trade Agreements - with South Korea, Panama and Columbia - and expressed the hope and necessity that these will be approved soon by US Congress.
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Hospitality tents offered refuge from the heat. In one of them, Minnesota-based company Feedlogic presented its FeedMeter.
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The Varied Industries Building contained the majority of exhibitors - this is Munters, showing some of its fans.
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Mexican company Baja Agro International is present with its approach to control odour and ammonia by a natural feed additive based on the Yucca schidigera plant - a type of cactus.
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Many international animal health and animal feed companies are present - this is the booth of Purina and Land O Lakes feed...
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...as well as larger American meat processing companies as Hormel Foods.
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Feed additives company Kemin Industries, headquartered in Des Moines, celebrates its 50th birthday in the hospitality tent.
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And of course there were more presentations to listen to - e.g. that of Rob Aukerman, president, US operations at Elanco Animal Health. He emphasised the role of technologies in agriculture's long road towards meeting the demand of more than 9 billion people in 2050.
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But World Pork Expo is not all seriousness... It's also fun - let's shoot some game for a change!
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The Junior National swine contest attracted a record of 1,820 entries.
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Pig races could count on steady visitor numbers too!
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In short - temporarily, the pork industry may face some drawbacks. After a slight slow down it is to be hoped by the end of 2012 it will be full speed ahead once more.
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Was the first day one full of heat and sunshine, the second started off with hailstones, only followed by heavy thunderstorms and rain until noon.
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With raindrops falling on the roof of the hospitality tent, Randy Anderson, Novus explained about his company's new 'Accelerating Finishing Profitability' programme, designed to help pork producers get good returns from their nutritional inputs.
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Running from tent to Media Center, just in time to hear Iowa Select Farms' Dr Howard Hill speak about the use of antibiotics: When prudently used, there is hardly any risk at all, warning for unnecessary regulation. He mentioned vets in Denmark, whom he called 'paper pushers' instead of doing veterinary work.
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A forum by the US Meat Export Federation gave a unique insight in the federation's pork marketing strategies in foreign markets: try to educate the local market with new cuts. The audience were treated with Central-American, Mexican and Japanese pork cuts.
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Baumgartner Environics allowed visitors in its tent to experience how a rain of ions feels - the technology is key in the company's approach to reduce odours and dust inside pig barns.
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Major guest this second day was Dr Han, Duck-soo, South Korean Ambassador to the United States, who emphasised the importance of ratification by US Congress of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. He got a massive applause from the pork producers present.
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Later this day, the sun came out and the familiar pictures of families strolling at the WPX Avenue could be made.
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And what would World Pork Expo be without a good barbecue!
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Spanish livestock equipment company Rotecna presented its new TR2 full plastic dry feeder.
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After two days of show it's nice to have some relaxing music at the MusicFest.