South Dakota Pork Producers Council Announces 2020 Award Recipients

South Dakota Pork Producers Council Announces 2020 Award Recipients

The South Dakota Pork Producers Council (SDPPC) has announced the winners of its 2020 Industry Awards. The recipients were honored at the Master Pork Producers banquet on January 13 during its 52nd annual Pork Congress in Sioux Falls, according to a release from the group.

This year’s recipients are:

  • Dedicated and Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Monte Fuhrman of Sioux Falls
  • Pork All-American Award – Shane Odegaard of Lake Preston
  • Pork Promoter of the Year Award – Robert Rasumssen of Hurley
  • Family of the Year Award – The Ferlyn and Karen Hofer Family of Canistota
  • Friends of the Industry Award – Dr. Dustin Oedekoven of Pierre
Fuhrman
Fuhrman

The Dedicated and Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who provides outstanding and dedicated service to South Dakota’s pork industry, the release says. This year’s award was given to Monte Fuhrman, DVM, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dr. Fuhrman completed his undergraduate degree at South Dakota State University in 1981 and his DVM degree in 1985 at Iowa State University.

Fuhrman is thankful for his veterinary practice time and colleagues/associates at Canistota Vet Clinic, Canistota/Freeman Veterinary Hospitals, Sioux Nation Ag Center, Fermentation Experts, and Pipestone Veterinary Clinic. He is now practicing independently on a limited basis, the release says. He’s licensed in South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and Colorado and has served on the SDPPC Swine Health Committee, AASV Praise Breakfast Planning Committee and is currently District 8 Representative (which includes South Dakota and Nebraska) to the AASV Board of Directors. Fuhrman regularly lectures to pre-veterinary science students at South Dakota State University, and recently provided a lecture to the pathology team at the newly renovated SDSU Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, the release says.

His research has involved influenza virus in swine, turkeys and humans with Dr. Jane Christopher Hennings, controlled fermented liquid feeding technologies with Dr. Rob Fischer and food associated disease micro-organisms in offal bound for overseas markets with the National Pork Board and Dr. Alan Erickson at SDSU. He has consulted in Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico and China. 

Odegaard
Odegaard

Through the Pork All-American Award, the South Dakota Pork Producers Council acknowledges pork producers or industry members who have established themselves as dedicated, involved businesspeople and leaders in their communities, the release says.

Shane Odegaard is part of Odegaard Family Farms in Lake Preston, which is made up of himself, Justin & Jenna Odegaard, Randy & Glenda Odegaard, Michelle Malone, Shaun & Kristi Odegaard and his mother Sharon Odegaard. They also have essential team member Ashley Pederson who is a key employee and part of their family farm, the release says. Odegaard Family Farms is a diversified farm that consists of a 700-sow farrow to finish operation, 4,000 head contract nursery, cow/calf and feedlot operation. They also grow corn and soybeans.

Odegaard is active on the local level as he attends zoning hearings in support of legislation. He is serves on the Lake Preston Development Board. He is a past board member of Prairie Ag Partners and past president of the SD Custom Harvesters Association. He is a member of the Lake Preston UCC/UMC church, the release says. Odegaard is a part of the South Dakota and Kingsbury Cattlemen’s Association, SD Corn Growers and SD Soybean Association. He also represents SDPPC on the Ag United for South Dakota board of directors. Odegaard was a part of Class VI for SDARL and went through NPB’s PLI program. Shane also participates with legislative events such as Ag Fest in Pierre and Washington D.C. LAC. He and his family are active the Kingsbury County 4-H, which includes grilling of pork loins for the program fundraising.

He is currently serving on the South Dakota Pork Producers Council Executive Board as 1st Vice President and will take Presidency in January 2021. He also sits on Executive Committee, Annual Meeting & Trade Show Committee, Producer Education and Outreach, Budget Committee, Personnel Committee and Chairman of Public Policy & Regulatory Committee.

Rasmussen
Rasmussen

Robert Rasmussen of Hurley, South Dakota, has been awarded the 7th Annual Pork Promoter of the Year Award. “This is the seventh year for this award that South Dakota Pork Producers Council is offering to recognize their peers. The award was designed to recognize an individual or family, organization, company or county group who has done an outstanding job promoting pork and/or the pork industry on a local, state or regional level. We are proud to honor Robert with this award, he is willing to go above and beyond to help promote pork!” says SDPPC executive board member and association services and membership committee chairman, Greg Feenstra.

Rasmussen runs a family farm near Hurley with his two brothers. They have a diversified farm consisting of row crops, feeder cattle and hogs. He currently has three sow farms and a finishing site. He raises Berkshires and Duroc pigs and they go through the Heritage pork system, the release says.

Rasmussen is very active in the Viborg community and Turner County area. He does a lot of grilling of pork loins, ribs, wings and pulled pork for area events, and has helped with the 4th grade program in Sioux Falls, Hot Harley Nights, Blood Drive store promotions and Taste of Elegance, the release says. He serves with the Turner County Pork Producers and helps with the pork food booth in Parker for the Turner County Fair. They cook up 2,400 pounds of pork loin to serve fair goers, and give away hams, pork certificates and loins at the holiday season to the area food banks.

He is also a part of the Swine Breeders Association and have helped make big improvements to the South Dakota State Fair Swine Barn.

Rasmussen is currently serving on the South Dakota Pork Producers Council Executive Board, Chairman of the DE Committee and sits on the Budget Committee, Production and Profitability Committee and Swine Health Advisory Committee. He has also served on several committees at National Pork Board. 

Hofer
Hofer Family

The 7th Annual Family of the Year Award was created to honor a pork-producing family who has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion on the local, state or /and national level. This year’s recipients is the Ferlyn and Karen Hofer family, according to the release.

Ferlyn Hofer grew up on the family farm East of Canistota where his parents had a Farrow to Feeder pig, and eventually a Farrow to Finish farm. After graduation from Canistota High School in 1978, he started his own 75 sow Farrow to Finish operation using outside finishing lots 1-mile North of his parents’ farm. In the early 1980's, even with high interest rates, he expanded his hog operation to 150 sows, built a new Farrowing, Nursery, and Finishing barns.

Ferlyn and Karen were married in 1987 and over the years working together grew their sow herd to approx. 350 sows. In 1991 they purchased the original family farm where Ferlyn grew up and now the Gestation and Farrowing is located at the home farm and the Nursey and Finishers are at the farm Ferlyn started. They also raise corn and soybeans where they grind their own corn in their feed mill for feed for the sows and pigs, the release says.

They were blessed with three sons, who are all married now, and all three boys grew up working on the farm and are still involved today. Ryan not only is the family's electrician but also crop farms with his parents and owns Great Plains Electric. Amber teaches 2nd grade at Terry Redlin in Sioux Falls. Tyler and DiAnn own and operate TH Custom Mfg. together where they make freestanding panels, garbage dumpsters and roll-off containers. That business was started on the home farm and has since moved into a larger facility at Wall Lake. Tyler is also the family's welder. After working as a Lineman in North Dakota for a few years, Nolan returned to work full time on the family farm. He not only is involved in the day-to-day operations, but also manages the family's feed mill and crop farms. Krystal works at the Ortman Clinic in Canistota and occasionally helps out in the Gestation Barn breeding sows.

Both Ferlyn and Karen are active with SD Pork Producers Council with Ferlyn serving on the Executive Board and committees and as Past President. Karen is also active on the Trade Show Committee and helps out with pork promotions. Ferlyn is currently a Supervisor for Greenland Township, past Cenex Board Member and they are members of United Church of Canistota where they have both served on Church Council, the release says.

Oedekoven
Oedekoven

The Friends of the Industry Award recognizes state individuals, leaders or businesses for their continued support of the pork industry. The recipient will be given a plaque for their outstanding involvement and service to the pork industry, the release says.

Dustin Odekeoven was raised on a diversified livestock and grain farm east of Sturgis. The family raised cattle, pigs, sheep, rabbits, and chickens. He learned swine husbandry from his mother, who managed a small farrow to finish operation, selling finished pigs weekly at Philip Livestock Auction. Active involvement in 4-H and FFA also helped to foster his interest in animal agriculture.

Odekeoven studied at South Dakota State University before attending Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, logging nearly seven years of student employment in the veterinary diagnostic laboratories. While working with the veterinary diagnosticians and researchers, he gained experience with PRRS virus, Porcine Circovirus, Swine Influenza virus, and many other diseases of swine, the release says.

Oedekoven completed an equine internship in Sheridan, WY, before returning to South Dakota to work as a staff veterinarian for the SD Animal Industry Board in 2003. In 2009 he was appointed by the Board as its Executive Secretary and State Veterinarian. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in 2015. Twice he has served in an interim capacity as South Dakota’s Secretary of Agriculture. He is fortunate to work with a dedicated staff of veterinarians and other animal health and food safety professionals, as well as an extensive network of animal health and livestock industry partners. He currently serves as President Elect and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United States Animal Health Association.

Among the many notable challenges of his tenure with the AIB have been the response to Winter Storm Atlas, the emergence of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, the reemergence of Bovine tuberculosis, and continual planning for foreign animal disease preparedness and response. Among his greatest accomplishments has been guiding and participating in the cooperative effort of government, industry, and academia to build the expansion of the SDSU Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory.

Dusty and his wife Jenn live in Pierre with their 5 children, ages 7-18. They enjoy ministry with Community Bible Church, boating on the Missouri River and visiting family in the Black Hills, the release says. 

 

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