Screens, Masks & ASF Threats: Don’t Underestimate What Youth Can Overcome
They’ve grown up with screens and masks and the threat of African swine fever. Although some may question this next generation, they point out their ‘connectivity’ is a strength and a tool that the pork industry needs. Here’s a look at what these five youth pig enthusiasts from across the country have to say about topics ranging from the biggest misconception about their generation to what they wish people understood about the pork industry.
Hailee Dannenberg
Hailee Dannenberg, 18, is currently a sophomore at Joliet Junior College majoring in agricultural business. She’s from Newark, Ill.
Q. How has the pork industry impacted your life?
A. The pork industry has impacted my life in many different ways for many good reasons, too. It has shaped me into the person I am today and helped me develop my love for agriculture and swine. I have met many of my longtime friends through this industry. It has helped me develop my career path. It has given me the opportunity to be a part of the Team Purebred junior board, where I have gained another family and many friendships so far.
Q. What’s the biggest misconception your friends have about the pork industry?
A. How many safety protocols that we have to follow to ensure our swine are happy and healthy.
Q. What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your generation?
A. A lot of us kids, especially in the ag industry, have a strong work ethic and want to do the best we can for ourselves and others around us all while going to school.
Q. What do you think is your generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production?
A. Our use of technology and media in general. I have made a lot of friends in the pork industry just through social media. It has helped us spread awareness for diseases that we face and even show others the hard work and effort we put into our projects.
Isabelle Doherty
Isabelle Doherty, 18, will be a sophomore in early childhood education and special education at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. She’s from Johnson Creek, Wis.
Q. How has the pork industry impacted your life?
A. The pork industry has impacted my life in so many ways whether it be my family, friends, the lessons I have learned, or the experiences I have had. The pork industry consumes just about every aspect of my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Since I was a child there has been an aspect of the pork industry that has shaped me, showing pigs, raising and selling pigs, volunteering for our state pork association, traveling throughout the country, and even scholarship opportunities. Other opportunities like the Team Purebred junior board have taught me leadership, communication skills, patience and kindness. Above all, it has given me a family. There are opportunities like that throughout the pork industry and that is why it is so incredibly special.
Q. What’s the biggest misconception your friends have about the pork industry?
A. Bacon. That is all they think the minute you say “pork.” They view it as feeding pigs to make meat. They don’t see the vast variety of their everyday life that is impacted by the pork industry. They are unaware of the careers and character it builds for the youth of the next generation.
Q. What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your generation?
A. I wish people understood our generation is not all the same. There are plenty of stigmas against our generation's work ethic, community involvement and overall ability. However, I feel like that is what makes us want to work harder. Especially in the pork industry, our generation is driven to be leaders, trendsetters and entrepreneurs, and continue the industry in the right direction. Growing up, our generation has specialized in adaptability and problem solving. We have been flexible through our education with the pandemic struggles and I believe that same flexibility will be an asset in the workforce.
Q. What do you think is your generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production?
A. Our generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production is our passion to find effective and efficient new ways of thinking. Whether that is through technology, awareness, marketing or physical production. Our generation offers a fresh look at pork production, and I believe that could be a powerful tool as we begin entering the work field.
Brody Nemecek
Brody Nemecek, 21, is a senior in animal science with a focus in business at Kansas State University where he competes on the livestock judging team and the live animal meat evaluation team. He previously attended Butler Community College. He’s from Iola, Kan.
Q. How has the pork industry impacted your life?
A. I like to say that pork production is in my blood because even back in 1905, my great-great-great grandfather was known as being the largest Berkshire breeder in the world at that time. And today, I too raise Berkshires along with other breeds. For me, the pork industry has given me so many connections, with my time serving as the president of the Junior Board of Directors of the National Junior Swine Association and my connections that I have made at the National Pork Board. I don’t know how life would look without the pork industry. It is who I am.
Q. What is the biggest misconception your friends have about the pork industry?
A. Most of my friends that are not involved in agriculture believe that hog production is very similar to how it is depicted in movies like Charlette’s Web. They believe that pigs are fed slop, or leftover food from my dinner plate. They think they are housed in mud and drink whatever dirty stale water is left around. It isn’t until they come to the county/state fair where they realize that they are cared for in clean and safe environments and are fed specific diets designed for them much like an athlete.
Q. What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your generation?
A. Most people think my generation is addicted to a screen, and while that may be true for some, I think it is important to realize the value that can come out of said “screens.” My generation is more connected now than any generation before us. I am proud to have close friends that I talk to regularly that live across the country. That is why if other generations could find and use that as a tool, I think it would be incredibly valuable.
Q. What do you think is your generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production?
A. I think my generation will be as tough and as resilient as they come. My generation has had to graduate high school through a computer or while wearing a mask. We have been stuck at home for months, gone to a new college and tried to make friends while wearing a mask and only going to some classes because others would be online. And we are learning how to approach a potential threat to our entire pork industry in African swine fever. I hope that it will get easier for our generation as we get older, but there is no doubt that we will be equipped to handle anything that faces us in the future!
Julia Scarborough
Julia Scarborough, 20, is a senior majoring in animal science at California State University, Chico. She previously attended Modesto Junior College. She is from Modesto, Calif.
Q. How has the pork industry impacted your life?
A. The pork industry has had a huge impact on my life. It first kicked off when I was 8 getting my first York gilt. I started my breeding herd from there. This industry has shown me many different highs and lows, and what to do when having to overcome those lows. My whole life, my friends would always joke asking if I was raised in a barn. It turns out, I really was and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Q. What’s the biggest misconception your friends have about the pork industry?
A. My friends’ biggest misconception about the pork industry is how pigs are being raised. Unfortunately, they have been only informed by the videos or articles shared online, and when they talk to me about these situations, I have had the opportunity to better inform them of what truly happens in these environments.
Q. What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your generation?
A. Technology has definitely changed the way this generation behaves. We have access to anything we want at the tip of our fingers, along with social media that shapes who we are. We are overloaded by information. Although that can lead us to being overconfident and misinformed, it also gives us the opportunity to learn and have everything whenever we want.
Q. What do you think is your generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production?
A. This generation's strongest asset to offer pork production is the ability to reach more people through social media, allowing us to be more progressive as well as willing to learn to better serve and educate the public.
Jackie Wible
Jackie Wible, 21, started her college career at Lake Land College and that led her to Iowa State University where she will be a senior this fall majoring in agriculture communication with a focus in animal science. She is from Sullivan, Ind.
Q. How has the pork industry impacted your life?
A. The pork industry has left a huge positive impact on me socially and helped me learn important life skills. In particular, showing livestock has taught me accountability and provided me with a better understanding of life. Spending every weekend together showing and working every day in the barn as a family has taught me so much about family values. I have learned responsibility, confidence, sportsmanship and how to deal with loss. Confidence was instilled in me because I had to take care of an animal. Sportsmanship developed because it is a competitive event. Exposure to loss at an early age helped prepare me for similar situations that will happen in life. It’s also taught me knowledge and care of animals. I feel that this has been helpful in trying to decide on a future career in the industry.
Q. What’s the biggest misconception your friends have about the pork industry?
A. The biggest misconception my friends have had about the pork industry is that biosecurity is not a real thing and they can come and go from different farms without taking the precautions seriously. They do not realize what types of diseases can be carried from farm to farm.
Q. What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your generation?
A. One thing I wish people understood about my generation is that we are very self-reliant. We have a hard time asking for help when needed and it will take some time for us to open up about ourselves.
Q. What do you think is your generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production?
A. I believe my generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production is that we have been observing for years and we do the research to improve efficiency. We are not only wanting to better this industry for the producers, but the consumers as well.
We will be uniting together June 5-11 for PORK Week across all of our Farm Journal platforms to elevate the important role the pork industry plays in feeding the world. Share your stories and post photos on social media using #PORKWeek23 to help us honor the pork industry. From “AgDay TV” to “AgriTalk” to “U.S. Farm Report” to PorkBusiness.com and everything in between, tune in and join us as we acknowledge the most noble profession there is: feeding people.
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