First Female Takes on Presidency of Iowa Pork Producers Association

Although Trish Cook didn’t set out to be a pig farmer, she’s spent the last 27 years doing just that with her family in Winthrop, Iowa. At the 2023 Iowa Pork Congress, she was named the first female president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

“I feel really honored to be selected by my peers for this,” Cook says. “There's been female leadership at the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council. I've seen some great role models do that ahead of me.”

She’s also excited to help lead the organization because it’s a team effort, she adds. 

“Just because I'm a female president doesn't mean I don't have the same interests as what a male president would have. I'm pretty sure we have the same concerns,” Cook explains. “Just like on our farm, my husband and I run it as a team. The state association is also run as a team with the board, staff and input from producers.”

Cook, who had served as president-elect in 2022, replaces Kevin Rasmussen of Goldfield. Rasmussen now holds the past president position on the IPPA Board of Directors. Both Cook and Rasmussen will serve one-year terms in their new roles. Cook, a 27-year member of the Buchanan County Pork Producers, has served on the IPPA board since 2019, when she joined as the Northeast Region Director. She has served on several IPPA committees, and participated in the Iowa Pork Leadership Academy and the National Pork Producers Council‘s Pork Leadership Institute. She also has an accounting degree from Iowa State University and an MBA from the University of Iowa.

“If I decide to be in an organization, I find myself always getting very involved because I don't just want to be someone that is a member in name only,” she says. “I want to make a difference. I want to share my story and help put a face on agriculture. I’m just a normal person doing what I love to do every day.”

Farm Journal’s PORK sat down with Cook at the Iowa Pork Congress. Here’s an inside look on the new president of the largest state pork organization in the country. 

Q. How did you become a pig farmer?
A. I’m a farmer by accident. I did grow up on a diversified farm with turkeys, cattle and hogs. I studied accounting in college and didn’t plan to be on the farm. My husband and I dated since I was 16 years old. His goal was always to be a farmer. I loved numbers and I was going to do accounting, which I did for 11 years for a large corporation in Cedar Rapids. But as our family grew and our farm grew, I found an opportunity to do what I like to do on our farm. I work with the financial part of the farm and our production records. My husband and I sort and sell pigs together. I spend more time in our finishing barn. I am kind of like the jack of all trades on my farm. 

Q. How would you describe yourself in a few words?
A. I am proud of what I do for a living. I’m proud to be a pig farmer – I do this because I love to do this. 

Q. Tell us about your family and farming operation.
A. We own and operate our family farm near Winthrop, which includes a farrow-to-finish operation, as well as corn and soybeans. My husband and I are empty nesters. We have three children who have all gone on to Iowa State University and are interested in agriculture. We've definitely instilled in them a love for the farm. 

Q. What’s one thing people may not know about you?
A. I have seven brothers and sisters. 

Q. How do those degrees and our educational background impact you on the farm today? 
A. On our farm, relationship with lenders has been important. What we do is very capital intensive. It takes a lot of money to have the buildings, the land to raise crops, and just to buy inputs to feed the animals. I have always enjoyed the relationship with working on the numbers for our farm. Most people are not independent of a lending institution when they are on the farm. I feel fortunate it's something that I enjoy doing.

Q. If you could only accomplish one thing this year, what would it be and why?
A. One of my goals is to get Iowa producers participating in the programs that we're using for surveillance for animal disease, specifically, the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Program (US-SHIP). I think the reason that's so important is because if we have a foreign animal disease, this will enable us to move animals sooner than if they weren't tracking the movements in the state.

Q. There have been a lot of pork victories lately, what stands out as the biggest one in your mind?
A. Iowa Pork is a good partner to a lot of other organizations. We’ve partnered with Iowa State University and donated funds to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to help get that going. That was a couple years ago, but it’s exciting now as they talk about a move-in date. To me, the ability of the state organization to help county levels using state funds, the counties are able to maximize to do more promotion and education in their own local areas. They know their area best and how to get most bang for the buck. There have been a lot of nice programs where Iowa Pork has donated fresh meat to food pantries. I’ve been able to help with some of those deliveries of product and talk to directors of the food pantries and understand how hard it is for them to get fresh meat to give to people using the pantries. I think Iowa Pork has done a really good job of donating to those organizations. 

Q. What do you like to do for fun?
A. We like to go boating on the Mississippi River. It’s about an hour from our house, but it’s a great getaway. We’ve boated since our kids were little, it’s been a nice family activity for us.

Q. This is not an easy job for a busy person – how will you fit it all in?
A. This is our first year as empty nesters. Our youngest was very involved in athletics, fine arts and band, so we were on the go all the time. With him at Iowa State now, I’ve had some time open up and this is perfect timing for me to take this on. 

Q. Why are you optimistic about future of swine industry in Iowa?
A. I’m optimistic about the future of the swine industry, partially because the world is growing, and the world is improving itself economically. So, some people who maybe haven't been able to purchase fresh meat before are able to purchase fresh pork products now. The global consumption of pork in the world is great. As an Iowa pig farmer, I really look forward to contributing to making nutritious, delicious products for people. The world is going to grow to 9 billion people by 2040 and Iowa pig farmers want to be able to help feed everybody.

Q. What kind of leader are Iowa pork producers getting in you?
A. They are getting a leader who is willing to listen to opinions that may not be the same as my own. They are getting someone who will think before acting. I hope to be someone who is easy to reach out to and communicate with.

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