Scott Hays says he never imagined a Missouri farm boy raised “back in the hills” would get an opportunity to lead the National Pork Producers Council. On March 10, Hays began doing exactly that as he took over the reins of NPPC, following in the footsteps of Terry Wolters of Pipestone, Minn. Wolters is now serving as NPPC’s immediate past president.
“To describe Scott in a few words, I would have to say he’s truly genuine. There’s no fake around Scott,” says his wife, Riss Hays. “He really has that knack to listen and hear what people are trying to say.”
For Hays, a fifth-generation pork producer and owner of Two Mile Pork in Monroe City, Mo., he’s grateful for the opportunity to be a servant leader in an industry that has been so near and dear to his family for generations.
“Even as a boy, I wanted to farm,” Hays says. “I enjoyed being on the farm with the family and that’s what I wanted to do.”
He grew up learning an important concept that still guides his decisions.
“If the pigs do well, we’ll do well,” he explains. “The concept is just as true today as it was back then.”
Hays believes there are a lot of different ways to raise pigs. As a leader in NPPC, he wants to help maintain that diversity because he thinks it’s the strength of the U.S. pork industry.
“The American dream is to have that freedom to operate. I think that’s important not only for producers, but also for consumers,” he says. “Consumers want a choice in this country. If producers have a choice, then consumers have a choice. And both of those are good things. NPPC is proudly the advocate of all pig farmers in the U.S.”
From work on the Farm Bill to advocating for visa reform, Hays will be looking out for U.S. pork producers to represent their best interests.
“Proposition 12 has been a priority ever since its passage. Raising pigs in Minnesota is much different than raising pigs in Tennessee. So we need to be able to take care of the pigs the way they need to be taken care of on our farm, our way,” he explains.
At the end of the day, he says it’s all about improving the life of the pig -- the way generations have before.
In addition to his role with NPPC, Hays also represents producers on various state and national committees. He is a member of the Missouri Pork Association Board, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Agri-leaders of Tomorrow president, Missouri Farm Bureau, Monroe City FFA Alumni and Missouri Institute of Cooperatives.
The 2023-24 NPPC Team
Hays will serve the organization as president. Lori Stevermer became NPPC president-elect. Stevermer is co-owner of Trail’s End Farm in Easton, Minn., where she served on the executive board of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association. The NPPC board of directors elected Duane Stateler, a fourth-generation pork producer and owner/operator of Stateler Family Farms, as vice president. Duane is a member of the Ohio Pork Council Board and is active in numerous Ohio Pork Council Committees.
Francis Forst of Missouri and Todd Marotz of Minnesota were elected as new members of the board. Bob Ivey of North Carolina and Jeremy Pittman, DVM, of Virginia were each reelected to another three-year term. Jason Brester with Tyson Foods was elected to a two-year term as the allied industry representative.
They will join current directors Craig Andersen of South Dakota, Rob Brenneman of Iowa, Steve Malakowsky of Minnesota, Pat Hord of Ohio, Dwight Mogler of Iowa, Jeb Stevens of Indiana and Russ Vering of Nebraska. For NPPC’s nominating committee, Adam Dohrman of Missouri and Adam Krause of South Dakota were elected to the panel. Both will serve two-year terms.
Front row: Lori Stevermer, Jeb Stevens, Dr. Jeremy Pittman, Jason Brester, Bob Ivey, Todd Marotz, Dwight Mogler; Back row: Terry Wolters, Scott Hays, Craig Andersen, Duane Stateler, Steve Malakowsky, Rob Brenneman, Francis Forst. Photo provided by NPPC.
“The NPPC Board of Directors is a critical part of NPPC’s success,” NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys said in a release. “All of the easy problems have been solved, and it is the outstanding leaders on our board that guide this industry through the mountain of challenges we face.”
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