We’ve rounded up some of the most memorable features of PorkBusiness.com in 2023, just in case you missed them the first time around. These stories reflect the hard work and passion of people in the pork industry who continually strive to make it better one day at a time.
Super Bowl Commercial Puts Spotlight on Illinois Farming Family
An Illinois pig farmer and his family will be starring in a Super Bowl commercial in select Illinois markets on Sunday. Chad Bell, his wife Brittany, and children Amelia and Charlie, will appear in the commercial, titled “The Corporation.” In addition to finishing 4,800 pigs per year as a production partner with a local farm family, the Bell family grows 1,200 acres of corn, soybeans, hay, wheat and cover crops in Viola.
Why These Two Unconventional Farmers are Turning Heads in Iowa
Wild, unconventional, early adopters. It’s not uncommon for Nate Huntley or Josh Nelson to turn a few heads in Wright County, Iowa. The two young men who farm on opposite sides of the county met five years ago when they were elected to the Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District. They quickly realized they had a lot in common — not only did their daughters attend the same dance studio, but they both raise pigs for Smithfield Foods and are passionate about sustainable farming. Although their journeys to become farmers are quite different, both are rising as leaders in sustainable farming practices.
Sol the Agriculture Detection Dog: A U.S. Hero
Although he’s motivated by treats and can charm just about anyone, don’t let this dog fool you. Sol is a highly driven beagle who plays a critical role in protecting U.S. agriculture. He is part of the Beagle Brigade and works alongside Martin Schultz, an agriculture specialist for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Rural Revival: Why 3 Pig Farmers’ Wives Quit Teaching and Bought a Coffee Truck
“If you’re going to rise, you might as well shine.” There’s no question it took a leap of faith for three Iowa elementary school teachers to quit their jobs to open up a coffee truck in southeast Iowa in the spring of 2022. Undeniably Naomi Gretter, Kari Berg and Sky Hahn had a lot in common. They were teachers, and good ones at that. Their husbands raised pigs and farmed in Washington and Keokuk counties. They were busy moms caught up in the “crazy life.” But baristas? Not really. They couldn’t even make a latte.
How Two Pig Farmers Are Winning People Over to Pork Now
Phillip Hord, a fifth-generation farmer born and raised on his family’s farm in Bucyrus, Ohio, wasn’t always sure if farming was his true calling. However, it didn’t take too many years being away from the commercial swine operation in north-central Ohio for Hord to determine he wanted to follow in his family’s footsteps. What brought him back to the farm? Hord credits his time away with giving him the clarity of what tremendous opportunities truly exist in today’s pork industry. Whether it is making incremental improvements in on-farm live production statistics, working on integrating new ways to improve sustainability, or focusing on how to improve consumer pork demand, Hord says this was where he was meant to be.
