Immeasurable passion for pigs, significant career opportunities and impactful mentors are just a few of the reasons why these young people say the pork industry is their future and they can’t wait to find a meaningful career in an industry that has done so much for them in their lives. Here’s what five youth pig enthusiasts from across the country have to say about their generation and more.
- Remington Curry, 20, junior at Murray State University in animal science
- Klara Leach, 19, sophomore at Black Hawk College – East Campus in Agriculture Education and Ag Business
- Kaley Pieper, 21, senior at Texas A&M University in agriculture communications
- Grayson Tedrow, 20, junior at Oklahoma State University in animal science
- Paige Vierra, 20, junior at Oklahoma State University in agricultural education and animal science
Q. How has the pork industry impacted your life?
RC: “The pork industry started impacting my life as soon I got started. I still go to the same breeder year after year and have built a network from him. I also have made more connections through the show ring and being on the Team Purebred Junior Board of Directors. I can guarantee you the connections I have made will help me grow in my career as I go looking for work once I graduate. Word of mouth in our industry is probably the most important thing and with these connections, I know I can count on someone to help get me to where I need to be.”
KL: “The impact the pork industry has had on my life is immeasurable and hard to articulate into words. This industry has seen me when I have been at my worst and at my best. Through those challenging times, I found my peace and passion in the barn. It has taught me to lead by a positive example, be fiercely and unapologetically myself, and to put all my faith and fear into God. I found my passion in the pork industry which has allowed me to flourish into who I am now and who I hope to become as a first-generation agriculturist.”
KP: “The pork industry has impacted my life, school and career greatly. It has given me some of my greatest friendships and mentors. It has led me to be more confident, outgoing and ready to take on my future career.“
GT: “I grew up in the ag industry and started showing pigs when I was 8 years old. I have loved every second of the show industry and have tried to take in every bit I can get of it. I have been given numerous opportunities to meet amazing people from across the nation. Beyond the show world, the pork industry has provided me with a pathway to educate people about where their food comes from. I love having those conversations with people – just giving little pieces of information that may shine a brighter light on ag. The pork industry has given me a gateway to do so.”
PV: “The pork industry has significantly impacted my life in multiple ways. The opportunities it has provided have completely transformed my life, influencing my academic interests and career aspirations as I aim to pursue a profession within the pork industry.“
Q. What’s the biggest misconception your friends have about the pork industry?
RC: “The biggest misconception my peers have is that pigs are housed too close together and need more room. Although most of the people I hear this from are not from a swine background, they can sometimes tell that pictures they see are zoomed in or taken very closely. They also may not realize hogs are very social animals and for one to be off by itself, it could mean something is wrong with the animal.”
KL: “The biggest misconception my friends have about the pork industry is that our livestock’s only purpose is for human consumption. As much as we prioritize fueling what is on America’s plates, raising livestock isn’t something any agriculturist takes lightly. I believe we learn more from raising our pigs and livestock than we do with some human interactions. Additionally, we put every ounce of passion, drive and dedication we can into our livestock.”
KP: “The biggest misconception my friends have about the pork industry is that it is only for people who grew up around pigs. The pork industry is vastly diverse and employs people from across the country. Anyone willing to work hard and learn has a place in the pork industry.”
GT: “I believe a lot of misconceptions that people have who are not directly involved in our industry have to do with food safety. I think a lot of what they see on social media and television is what they believe is true. A lot of our food is marketed as ‘antibiotic free,’ which is true because all antibiotics for livestock have withdrawal periods. However, this may lead people to believe some of our food contains antibiotics. So much of what people see on their device is what they know to be the complete truth and as agriculturalists we need to educate people about truly what goes into getting their food from the farm to the fork.”
PV: “I believe the biggest misconception my peers have about the pork industry lies in its commercial aspects. Many are unaware of the steps involved in the farm-to-fork process which can encompass a variety of different things from breeding sows and raising the piglets, to processing and distributing pork products.”
Q. What’s one thing you wish people understood better about your generation?
RC: “One thing I wish other generations knew is that we aren’t exactly like any other generation. We seem to be a mixing pot of the older generations. We have a lot of old souls, but at the same time, still have wild children, too. We tend to push the boundaries just a little bit to see how far we can take things. But once we test the boundaries, we know the limit. We are very hardworking and not scared of a challenge. In fact, challenges give most of us a fire that helps complete the task at hand.”
KL: “One thing I wish people better understood about my generation is that even though growing up in this day and age has its positives, it definitely has its negatives. We still share the same vision. I think my generation challenges ideas to make change, but at the core of that, we share the same goals. This generation of agriculturists have grit, passion, work ethic and integrity. We have these attributes instilled within us to confidently be the leaders of our respected industries and careers one day.”
KP: “I wish older generations understood my generation’s search for contentment. Whether through politics, business or personal life, I think our generation is tired of the fighting, griping and anger of past generations.”
GT: “I wish people better understood that our generation truly cares about this industry. A lot of people my age get a bad rap for not being super-efficient in their time management and being lazy at times. But I think you cannot say that about the generation as a whole just because some of those people do exist. The industry that ag kids have been raised in has taught us unlimited life lessons that keep us going. Our generation knows the value of hard work and what it means to keep this essential industry going for many generations beyond us.”
PV: “One thing I wish people understood about my generation is that it isn’t completely full of people who want to sit behind a desk and work all day. There is still a good number of us who want to be hands-on and have the drive to work hard. Don’t overlook and assume our generation is solely made up of individuals who don’t want to work.”
Q. What do you think is your generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production?
RC: “My generation’s greatest asset to the swine industry would probably be our ability to use social media. I see all of these influencers taking content of ‘what they eat in a day’ or ‘spending the day with me at school.’ We also see the trends that they set and how popular they become. Imagine if one of those influencers spent a week or even a day at a hog farm just to see what every day is like for the farmers and the animals. This could open a lot of doors for people to see our industry and educate them as well to really show the hard work and care that goes into producing and raising pork.”
KL: “I believe my generation’s strongest asset to offer the future of pork production is that because we have learned from some of the best in past generations, we offer the potential to continue to grow our industry. With the right outlook, mindset and community, we can continue to advocate for the industry our country is built around. By spreading knowledge and education about the pork industry, we will be able to better communicate the purpose we serve to the public.”
KP: “I think my generation’s strongest asset to the future of pork is our willingness to cooperate with other industries and entities to find solutions that help all parties involved. Sometimes compromising to choose contentment and cooperation is the best option.”¬¬¬
GT: “I think our generation has a great ability to adapt to many situations. We do great with technology and have found various ways to implement it in daily activities in the pork industry. A lot of what the ag industry has accomplished over many years is being able to produce more food with less resources. With the use of technology, we have the opportunity to be as efficient in our pork production as we have ever been. With the adaptability our generation has, we can skyrocket production and make it easier on the producer and better for the consumer.”
PV: “I believe our generation has people who want to be involved and have the drive to make a big impact on the pork industry. We have individuals with the experience and knowledge to do great things in the future and truly change the pork industry.”
We will be uniting together June 3-8 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 #PORKWeek 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.
