“Late nights spent in the barn, the early mornings — that is where memories have been made.”
Making memories with her family and friends in the barn and at pig shows has been key to Oliva Shike’s playbook as a young agriculturist. Her experiences in the swine industry have motivated her to pursue a career in agriculture and make a positive difference in the future of the pork industry.
The oldest daughter of Dan and Jennifer Shike, Olivia’s passion for agriculture, and specifically livestock, comes to her naturally. Her journey showing livestock, participating in FFA and conducting research have shaped her into a passionate advocate for the agricultural industry.
As Olivia returns to college, she joins her mom on The Pork Podcast. Taking the hot seat, she reflects on her final summer with her siblings in the barn and attending pig shows and the importance of those experiences as she prepares for a career in the agriculture industry.
It Started in the Barn
Olivia’s competitive spirit started at a young age. She began showing horses when she was little and quickly transitioned to showing pigs and later sheep.
Throughout her show career, she learned valuable life lessons about perseverance, mentorship and personal growth. Her participation went beyond the show ring. She shares fond memories of practicing speeches, preparing for skillathon competitions and livestock judging with her siblings Hunter and Harper. These contests helped her develop valuable life skills that she will use far beyond her time as a pig showman.
Winning the Illinois State Fair with her Chester barrow, Billy, was a moment she’ll always treasure in the show ring. It also meant staying at the state fair for an extra week in the Hall of Champions.
“It’s an awesome opportunity for the average person to be able to get to experience livestock,” she says. “I would sit with my pig and little kids would come up to see him. I’d let them rub his belly – he loved it. But the best part was I got to answer their questions. That was a rewarding part of the process, knowing we were helping educate people about agriculture.”
While winning banners and buckles is one of the big goals, she says you don’t realize how special each moment is until it might be over.
“Live in the moment because it goes by incredibly fast,” she says. “People always say that. But when it’s 100 degrees and you’re 13 years old, you’re probably not thinking about how it’s going to all come to an end someday, so you might take things for granted or not truly appreciate those moments. Take advantage of every moment when you’re at a show.”
Whether it’s talking to friends, meeting people in the industry or soaking in advice from mentors, she encourages people to take advantage of the time they get to spend at shows.
Outside of the Show Ring
“I’ve always known that I wanted to have a career in the ag industry, but truly finding where I feel I fit in, I definitely owe a lot of it to FFA,” Olivia explains.
Her involvement in FFA and agricultural science fairs became a significant part of her personal and academic growth. During high school, Olivia conducted three research projects. Her first project was a cattle project using cows from her grandpa and uncle’s farm. It sparked her interest in research and a curiosity and desire to understand and improve the industry.
“My dad walked me through the process and taught me how to do stats on it,” she says. “I loved every part of it, whether it was doing the background research, running the stats, or being able to talk about my conclusions.”
In her second project, she set out to study Generation Z meat preferences. With so many stereotypes surrounding her generation, born between the mid-1990s and 2012, she wanted to see if the stereotypes were valid.
“I wanted to learn what was going through their mind when they’re at the grocery store or when they’re at a restaurant making a meat selection,” she explains. “I know that the purchases a consumer makes have a direct impact on the livestock industry as a whole.”
She plans to continue this study as part of a Black Hawk honors class this year, focusing on meat preferences in Generation Z students who are now in high school and college.
Her third project focused on understanding leadership capacity in agricultural careers. One of her key findings was that the agriculture industry needs to create more opportunities for youth to have mentoring relationships.
“I discovered that being able to identify a mentor and then being able to mentor someone else were both highly correlated with greater leadership capacity,” Olivia says. “That made so much sense to me. The people that I’ve learned the most from are my mentors. And, when I’ve had the opportunity to mentor other people, I feel like that’s given me an even greater sense of leadership ability.”
One of Olivia’s most significant observations through her research projects and time in the show ring is the disconnect between agricultural producers and consumers, particularly among her generation. She says social media is both a challenge and a solution, emphasizing the need for accurate, positive messaging about agriculture.
“Social media doesn’t have to be the problem,” she says. “It was created as a tool, and I think that’s what it should be. How can we figure out how to use social media in a healthier way so that we can still be able to form important relationships?”
Coming Full Circle
Now a sophomore at Black Hawk and a member of the livestock judging team, her next step is choosing a four-year university where she will finish her degree in agricultural economics with a focus on policy while continuing her judging career.
Olivia says her future goal is to advocate for the agricultural industry, potentially through political engagement or policymaking. She sees herself working to bridge gaps and promote understanding of agricultural practices.
“I want to actively work to make changes that will help create a better future in our industry,” she says. “Being able to grow up in the swine industry, I have a greater appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes and what kind of support is needed. I want to be able to use this knowledge and skills I’ve gained to fight for them.”
Learn more about how Olivia relies on her faith and humor to keep a positive outlook on life, and how her experiences in the pork industry have helped her develop critical life skills such as time management, resilience and leadership on The PORK Podcast. You can watch it here on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are found.
