What’s the Greatest Challenge in the Swine Industry Facing Your Generation?

From consumer preferences to labor, the challenges are stacked for the next generation of swine enthusiasts entering the pork industry. Despite the obstacles ahead, these five Ph.D. students are excited to tackle the challenges and share their viewpoints on what’s coming. 

“I believe the greatest challenge for our generation is facing stricter regulatory compliance and environmental regulations. Individuals who plan to enter the swine industry will need to be adaptable, well informed and open to alternative ideas when it comes to local, state and federal regulations like Proposition 12. Consumers are pushing for more sustainable practices and production systems are adapting to this by implementing and tracking nutrient lifecycle assessments, but livestock production is still portrayed negatively for sustainable practices and greenhouse gas emissions.” – Caitlyn Wileman, Ph.D. student at Iowa State University

“When I think about the future of the swine industry and the challenges my generation of swine scientists/producers will face down the road, the first one that comes to mine every time is labor. We spend a lot of time as scientists focusing on improving the animal, what it eats, and how it’s being taken care of. The advancements on paper we’ve made are nothing short of impressive, but time and time again we see maximum productivity way out of the realm of ‘the standard’ we set for ourselves due solely to the lack of stockmen and stockwomen in our barns. I’m confident we can overcome this issue, mostly because I think we will have to in order to stay afloat.” – Dalton Obermier, Ph.D. student at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

“In my opinion, the greatest challenge and opportunity will be keeping up with ever-changing consumer expectations and maintaining a high level of transparency with the public. We are faced with the difficulty of feeding the ever-growing population while maintaining a nutritious, yet cost-effective, protein source all while adhering to consistently more rigid environmental and animal welfare expectations. Therefore, it is increasingly important for producers to educate both the public and our lawmakers on our practices and demonstrate our commitment to produce pork ethically, sustainably, and responsibly for our nation and the world.” – Rafe Royall, Ph.D. student at Kansas State University 

“I think the greatest challenge for my generation will be getting the next generation involved in agriculture. Urban areas are continuing to grow and rural populations are shrinking. As young agriculturists, we need to figure out how to stimulate the general populations’ interest in agriculture and keep them interested by incorporating and teaching them agricultural practices in school and how it impacts their everyday life.” – Taw Scaff, Ph.D. student at Purdue University

“Finding ways to meet consumers preferences on how pigs are raised. Today’s consumers are more curious about where their food comes from and how it was produced. It is the job of the swine industry to find new and innovative ways to meet consumer demands, while still maintaining a high quality, safely produced pork product and keeping animal welfare at the forefront of everything we do. This is a challenge that I am excited to take on!” -Mikayla Spinler, Ph.D. student at Kansas State University