The Phil and Karen Borgic family of Raymond, Ill., received the Ilinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) Family of the Year award on Feb. 11 at the Illinois Pork Expo. Each year a pork-producing family who has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion on the local, state and national levels is honored with this prestigious recognition.
“The legacy of Phil and Karen Borgic is strong and continues to grow throughout their family and community,” IPPA said in a release. “Their passion for community is evident by their active involvement with their local churches, food pantries, Central Illinois Food Bank and countless other organizations. The pride they instill in their team is palpable and inspires the Borgic Farms organization to continue to grow and evolve with an eye toward the future.”
Since their wedding day (42 years ago), Phil and Karen have been active in the pork industry. He serves as president/CEO of Borgic Farms, Inc., and she is the office and finance manager. The farm has been around since 1952 when Phil’s parents (Betty and Erval Borgic) started a diversified farm of crops, dairy, beef, chickens and pigs in Montgomery County.
Both Phil and Karen attended Lincoln Land Community College where they attained associate’s degrees. He continued to the University of Illinois and earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics. After graduating from the U of I, Phil moved back to Montgomery County and began working at the farm full-time, primarily running the crop operation.
When Erval and Betty retired in 1991, Phil became the farm manager and has continued to grow and evolve the farm in many ways. In 1994, he made the decision to reduce the focus on crops and expand the hog operation. In 1999, Borgic Farms shifted from farrow-to-finish to a farrow-to-wean farm and continued to expand, meeting the market need for weaned pigs. Since the early 2000s, the farm has grown to include two sow farms, two wean-to-market farms and over 50 grower partners across Illinois, marketing 450,000 pigs annually along with a 1,200-acre grain operation.
During this time, Phil and Karen raised three children: Mike, Kevin and Michelle. Mike served as the IPPA Ambassador/Intern in 2002. After college and two years with the Illinois Farm Bureau, Mike joined the staff at the IPPA. After serving IPPA for 17 years as IPPA director of membership, he is now returning to work full-time with his family at Borgic Farms.
Kevin is the director of catering operations at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He also serves as a leadership and development coach. In 2020, Kevin started coaching in Leadership and Development and recently began a learning series with the Borgic Farms leadership team. He also served as the Illinois State Pork Ambassador/Intern in 2004.
Michelle continued the family tradition by serving as the state ambassador/intern in 2010. She and her husband Jerrad Bockewitz have two children, Grayson (6) and Ava (4). She is a registered nurse for the State of Illinois, working with the Department of Human Services. She has also taught emergency training and provided CPR certification for both sow farm locations.
Passionate About Pork
In addition to the farm, Phil and Karen have been heavily involved in the global pork industry. Phil was a member of the IPPA Board from 1998 to 2014 and served two terms as president in 2008 and 2009. He was also a two-term member of the National Pork Producers Council Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020. Additionally, Phil has served on multiple committees for the National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board, USDA and multiple legislators. Karen has been involved in both county and state pork producer groups, helping with fundraisers, pork stands, Illinois Pork Expo hospitality rooms and is a previous recipient of Elanco’s Bell Ringer award. They were recently honored to serve as a featured family for the U.S. export standards video that is shared with foreign countries as a model for the health and wellness standards for US Pork.
Phil and his team have hosted over 40 farm tours to help educate the public about the pork industry.
“We have been hosting individuals and groups at our farms for decades,” he says. “I am proud of the pork industry and the production family we have built. If we don’t show others the great things we do every day, our detractors will tell their stories without knowing what really is happening on our farms.”
Phil and Karen have always had a core set of values and focused on the “family” in family farms. As third-generation farmers, the Borgics strive to maintain the tradition of quality and family focus of the Illinois farmer.
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