JoBeth Matli Named 2024 Illinois Pork Ambassador

Each year the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) awards a summer internship. JoBeth Matli has been selected as the 2024 IL Pork Ambassador.

JoBeth Matli is from Raymond, Ill., and is a freshman at Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) pursuing a degree in Agribusiness. She has worked for Borgic sow farm in Nokomis, Ill., since she was 14 years old. During that time, she has learned to work as a midwife, administer day-one shots, and provide daily care to the sows and piglets. She has participated in some of the IPPA annual meetings and attended the Illinois Livestock Leadership Institute.

Matli is currently volunteering with the Nokomis-Witt ambulance EMS, where she works as an emergency medical responder, and is a member of the LLCC Ag Club. She says the activities sponsored by the LLCC Ag Club enable her to spend more time building relationships with her peers, where she continues to learn and plan for her future in agriculture.

“I can't wait to start my new journey with the Illinois Pork Producers as your 2024 Illinois State Pork Ambassador,” Matli says. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I look forward to meeting many of our members while continuing to promote safe and healthy pork.”

Matli will hold the title of ambassador through the 2025 Illinois Pork Expo and will intern in the IPPA office this coming summer. She will travel throughout the state presenting at Summer Agriculture Institutes and will manage the Birthing Center at the Illinois State Fair.

“IPPA is excited about the experience and enthusiasm JoBeth brings to this position,” says Lana Shovlin, Communications Director for IPPA. “We look forward to welcoming her to #TeamPork and sharing experiences in the pork industry.”