HUMAN INTEREST

The Best Ordinary Tuesday: Finding Glimmers in the Grind

Tue, 12 May 2026 18:50:26 GMT

We are the people of the next. On a farm, the clock and the calendar are our masters, but they are also our greatest distractions. We wait all day for the end of the day so we can finally pull off our boots. We wait all year for the next year to come, hoping for better margins, better weather or a better balance of the markets. We spend entire lifetimes working for the prize 2-year-old, the record milk production or the bin-busting crop that finally justifies the sweat.

But if we are honest, when those records finally arrive, they often feel like a destination we reached while we were looking out the window at something else. Because the truth of the farm life — the goodness we praise God for — isn’t found in the record books; it’s found on an ordinary Tuesday.

The Success of the Seconds

Success on our 750-cow dairy is usually measured in pounds, percentages and bushels harvested. We track data points with precision, seeking logic in the chaos, but the real successes of a farming life don’t always happen in the margins. Sometimes they are the glimmering moments that we too often take for granted because they don’t come with a trophy or a line on a balance sheet.

Think about the last time you worked cattle together as a family. It’s a task that can easily descend into shouted directions and frayed nerves. But then, there’s that moment where it all just works. No one has to say a word; you move in a silent, practiced choreography passed down through generations. Your father knows exactly where you’re going to move the gate; your children anticipate the next cow in the chute. In that fleeting minute, the legacy isn’t a legal document or a transition plan — it’s a heartbeat.

It’s the five-minute window in between filling the planter when a football appears from the back of the truck. The dust is still settling, the sun is high and, for 60 seconds, you aren’t a manager or an operator; you’re a dad. You’re a kid again yourself. Those spirals thrown over the tongue of the planter are the things we actually long for, yet we often treat them as interruptions to the “real work.”

Community Covered in Plastic

We saw it last fall during the long stretch of chopping. The silage pile was growing, the weather was turning and the exhaustion was setting in. Then, the high school varsity football team showed up — a dozen young men with more energy than sense, ready to help pull the plastic and toss the tires.

In the grand scheme of the year’s production, that couple of hours of help was a small fraction of the labor. But in the grand scheme of life, it was everything. It was the community showing up when the always-on nature of the dairy felt like too much to carry alone. It was the realization that the farm doesn’t just produce milk; it produces the character of the town. If you didn’t stop to see the goodness in those dusty, laughing teenagers, you might have thought it was just another chore finished. But it was the best Tuesday of the month.

The Prize of the Return

Then there is the greatest glimmer of all: the conversation you didn’t dare to script. It happens in the cab of the truck or while walking back from the parlor. Your oldest son, the one you’ve watched grow up in the shadow of this barn, looks at the horizon and says he wants to do what Dad does for a living. After graduating from college this spring, he is planning to come back to the family farm.

In that moment, the low margin and crummy weather lose their power. The audacity and faith required to keep a 750-cow and 1,800-acre operation running are suddenly rewarded. Not with a record milk check, but with the knowledge that the soil you’ve tended and the cows you’ve bred have a future beyond your own hands.

Searching for the Glimmer

The thing about these moments is that they don’t happen for 24 consecutive hours. They don’t last for weeks or months. They are seconds. They are glimmers of hope that we have to actively search for.

If we aren’t careful, we can finish the day thinking it was just another grind — another ordinary Tuesday where the equipment broke or the labor was short. But if we adjust our sails and shift our gaze, we realize that the days we’ve been longing for are happening right in front of our eyes.

The prize isn’t the 2-year-old in the show ring; it’s the 2-year-old grandchild sitting on your lap in the tractor. The record crop isn’t just the bushels per acre; it’s the harvest of memories with family by your side being made while the work was being done.

Praise God for the goodness that being a farmer is — not because it is easy and not because it is always profitable, but because it gives us the eyes to see that an ordinary Tuesday can be the best day we have ever asked for. We just have to be brave enough to stop waiting for the “next” long enough to see the “now.”

The Tenderloin King: How Jeff Buckler Achieved the American Dream

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:59:58 GMT

Hard work never bothered Jeff Buckler. But after selling commercial tires for 28 years in central Illinois, his body began to wear down. After several rotator cuff surgeries and a hernia surgery, he knew he couldn’t take it much longer. The tire business was shifting, and he found himself getting more buried in paperwork than working with customers.

“I thought I’d die selling tires,” he says. “But it just wasn’t fun anymore. One of my friends owned a chain of local bars and grills. He told me, ‘If you work half as hard for yourself as you do for other people, you’ll be successful.’”

Buckler decided to take his friend’s advice. In 2017, he purchased one of his friend’s bars. Despite never having cooked professionally, he learned the basics and eventually started experimenting with his own recipes.

Not long after, his motorcycle club was looking for a clubhouse. They found a building in Sadorus and the owner told them if they fixed it up, he’d cut them the first six months of rent cheap. The plan for every member of the club to come in and help run it. Buckler says that lasted about three months before they had to hire people to help run it.

“I was doing all the work scheduling people and ordering food,” he says. “Finally, the club president said it was only fair to sell it to me if I wanted it.”

He opened Buford’s Pub on Dec. 16, 2018.

Precision Engineering: The Two-Pound Tenderloin

During a trip to the grocery store one day, Buckler ran across some fresh breaded tenderloins. He decided to take one home and try it out.

“It was good,” he says. “I went back and asked the managers for 10 more of them. Then, I went back in for 10 more, then 20, 30 and when I asked for 40, the butcher told me he didn’t have the manpower to make that many. So, he took me back into his kitchen and showed me how to cut them and tenderize them.”

The butcher also shared his special seasoning recipe that Buckler has modified over time.

“People started going crazy over them,” Buckler says. “The next thing I knew, we were posted on the Pursuing Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches page on Facebook, it has nearly 175,000 members who talk about tenderloins and where to find the best ones.”

One of the things he learned from the page was that the bigger the tenderloin, the better the lure to customers. He started making the tenderloins a little bigger each time until he landed on a 2-lb. tenderloin. But he says there are some 3-lb. tenderloins in the mix, too. They weigh each tenderloin and serve it with a trademark flag that notes the tenderloin’s weight.

Sales continued to grow until the pandemic struck in 2020. Buckler pivoted to serve the massive tenderloins in tin pans because none of their Styrofoam containers were big enough for these to-go orders. This became the brand’s signature.

“If you see a tenderloin in a tin pan on social media, there’s a 9 out of 10 chance it’s ours,” Buckler says.

Outperforming the Competition

The Pursuing Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches page has helped turn Buford’s into a destination. People drive from across the state and even from other states like Florida and Minnesota or just to try one. That’s how the Illinois Pork Producers Association discovered this tasty tenderloin in a town of 400 people.

“When Mikayla Schaefer called to tell me we won the 2026 Best Pork Tenderloin Sandwich in Illinois, it was mind-boggling,” Buckler says. “I still tear up. It’s hard to talk about because I never consider my stuff to be the best. That’s not who I am. I dream to be the best, but I also know everyone has different taste buds, so I don’t put too much weight in trying to chase favor. ”

Wible says this first-ever Breaded Pork Tenderloin Draft competition was designed to spotlight hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches served at restaurants across Illinois. After multiple rounds of voting and a final panel sorting out the top five tenderloins, Buford’s Pub was named the champion .

That came as no surprise to Buford’s customers. Laura Smith, a long-time fan of Buford’s Pub, says she loves how Buford’s brings in people from all over to the small town of Sadorus.

“The tenderloin at Buford’s is delicious and the size is amazing,” Smith says. “I love that they use fresh ingredients and it is always coked just right. Also, everyone is always so friendly and helpful when you go in there to eat.”

How Do You Make the “Perfect” Tenderloin?

In the past year alone, Buford’s has sold nearly 10,000 pork tenderloins. He says they’ve sold up to 96 tenderloins in one day. Because of this demand, he went from buying pork by the case to buying it by the pallet. He also needed more space to make the tenderloins and built a USDA-certified kitchen in nearby Arthur.

Buckler’s process has been perfected over time and starts with a loin that’s approximately 7 to 8 lb. He says the smaller ones are also fine. The challenge is when the loins get too big.

“I prefer the medium size ones, where they’re short and fat, so I can cut a nice, 6”x8” piece of meat,” he says. “We use all of it. We are going to make a smaller pub cut now for bars looking to cook one in a pizza oven. We also offer a mini tenderloin at Buford’s in addition to our traditional big tenderloin.”

Once he trims the fat off the loin, he tenderizes it using a Hobart 403 machine and seasons it. He says the “secret” to his tenderloin is that he marinades them in a buttermilk-egg mixture for 24 hours. Then, he breads them with a seasoned cracker meal so it gets double-seasoned.

Juan Molina has worked at Buford’s Pub for two years. He points out that most restaurants just cut the tenderloins, pound them out by hand, bread them and throw them in a deep fryer.

“The way Jeff tenderizes them allows that marinade to really soak into the meat, so you’re not losing moisture when you pound them out,” Molina says.

He also says the thickness of Buford’s tenderloins also makes them better because they have more meat. Getting the tenderloin cooked just right is also key. Every tenderloin is timed and temperature-checked on three different sides before it leaves the kitchen, Buckler says.

Hitting the Road in the Name of Pork

One of the reasons Buckler chose to make his kitchen USDA-certified is because he plans to sell his popular breaded tenderloins to other bars and possibly even larger companies like Sysco.

“There’s nothing like our 2-lb. tenderloins on the market,” he says. “I think this would be a great product for someone looking for something different to feature. Some people have even expressed interest in using them as a pizza crust.”

Molina will be hitting the road soon promoting these tenderloins. He is optimistic about this opportunity to grow the business.

“I’ll come to Buford’s and help whenever they need help,” says Molina who has also served as one of the cooks. “But my focus is getting this tenderloin pushed out. As long as Jeff wants to go after the big fish, I’m ready to go fishing.”

An American Dream Fulfilled

Early mornings, late nights and continually striving for excellence have been key to the growing success of Buford’s Pub. And, of course, a good menu with delicious offerings is important, too. Although his tenderloins get a lot of attention, Buckler’s pulled pork nachos are very popular.

He serves a lot of pork on the menu because it’s tasty and versatile. By using one pork product for multiple things, it also takes up less space in the freezer and allows them to use it all up.

“Pork is so good,” Buckler says. “I feel like it’s underrated for how good it is, but that may be because people don’t know how to cook it very well.”

Buckler sees the tenderloin distribution business as his “retirement.” He’s excited to focus on innovating and supplying high-quality, USDA-approved tenderloins to other establishments.

“Being successful is about doing stuff other people don’t do,” he says. “I never dreamt years ago when I was just starting to make them that we’d be here today selling hundreds a week. I can’t try again for the Illinois tenderloin title for another five years, but goals for the future, right?”

Buckler may have thought he’d die selling tires, but in the quiet town of Sadorus, he’s proving the American Dream is still possible.

Editor’s Note: As a Sadorus resident, Farm Journal’s PORK brand leader Jennifer Shike can testify to the incredible pork tenderloins and pulled pork nachos at Buford’s Pub. Try it out for yourself 109 E. Market Street in Sadorus.

Can’t make the drive but want to try a tenderloin? Visit https://bufordstenderloin.com/ .

Don’t Push Pause: How a Near-Fatal Accident Made Our Farm Succession Plan Crystal Clear

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:57:37 GMT

The last Friday in February was supposed to be a victory lap for a winter well-spent. It was a rare 65°F gift from the Illinois sky. The kind of afternoon where the sun feels like a promise of the spring to come.

My husband, Scott, and our youngest son, Jacob, spent the afternoon moving cattle between sites. It’s a project that usually takes three or four hours, and as any farmer knows, the cattle rarely cooperate. But Jacob did. He was right there, shoulder-to-shoulder with his dad. Our oldest son, Tyler, was home from college for the weekend, helping on the dairy with cattle work. It was one of those perfect, productive days where everyone was basking in the sunshine, the rhythm of the farm moving in a steady, beautiful cadence.

When the clock hit 5:00 p.m., Scott was ready to call it a day. Our local high school boys’ basketball team had made it to regionals, and we wanted to be there to cheer them on. We climbed into our SUV, chatting about the chores we’d finished and enjoying the lingering warmth of the day.

We were only a mile from our farm when the world shattered.

It happened in a blink. A truck made a mad dash across the four-lane highway, blindsiding us. There was no time to swerve, no time to brake. The police report would later confirm what we already knew: there was nothing we could have done.

Everyone tells you that life can change in a split second, but until you are sitting in the wreckage of mangled steel, surrounded by a dozen deployed airbags and the smell of gunpowder and dust, you don’t truly understand it. As we hit, I felt the impact vibrate through my very bones. I immediately started to pray. “We will be okay. God, make us okay.”

Through the haze of smoke and shock, Scott’s voice was the only thing I could hear. He was a trooper, his own safety forgotten.

“Karen, are you okay?” he asked, over and over.

I wanted to scream that I was fine. I wanted to tell him I was right there. But the shock was a physical weight. My mouth opened, a moan escaped, but the words were trapped behind a wall of trauma. I couldn’t speak.

The rest of the evening was a blur of sirens, flashing lights and the sterile white walls of the ER. The ambulance took me away; the tow truck took what was left of our vehicle. We spent the night under fluorescent lights, but we walked away. We got to go home.

In the days that followed, a deep, heavy appreciation for life settled over our house. I am thankful to be writing this story, though I would give anything to have never lived it. But the most emotional moment didn’t happen at the crash site; it happened at our farm.

(Karen Bohnert)

Our children asked the question every farm kid fears: “What would happen if both of you had passed?”

I cried. But for the first time, I could answer them with certainty. I told them about the will. I told them it was all outlined, all documented. It took me losing both of my parents and my brother — and writing about other families’ succession plans gone wrong for years — before we finally sat down and finalized our own a decade ago.

I think back to my own parents. It took them losing their own son — my brother — in an automobile accident to finally lean forward and be brave enough to talk about their own will. They put a plan together soon after and revised it a few times over the years. When the time came that we eventually lost our parents, my sisters and I were so incredibly thankful we did not have to worry about the logistics during our grief. My parents had it all documented. They gave us that peace of mind.

Farmers, I am pleading with you: Don’t push pause.

Don’t wait for a sunny day to have the conversation. Or a rain day. The highway doesn’t care about your schedule. Don’t wait because it’s an uncomfortable conversation; it will never get easier. Don’t wait because you aren’t sure what is “fair” or what is “best.”

Start the conversation today. Meet with a lawyer. Get it documented. You can always change and revise it — we already have once since we started.

I am so incredibly thankful that today, my kids are out in the dirt helping on the farm instead of sitting in a lawyer’s office reading a will. I am thankful they didn’t lose their parents on an Illinois highway. But mostly, I am thankful that if the worst had happened, they wouldn’t have been left in the dark.

Don’t wait. Your legacy is too important to leave to chance.

Love on the Farm Means Managing Stress Together

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:10:30 GMT

On today’s farms and ranches, the toughest conversations don’t always happen in the farm office. They happen with your spouse at the kitchen table or in the last few minutes before turning in for the night. That stress of farm life is constant, and it can easily spill over into your relationship.

To help couples navigate these everyday pressures, Sean Brotherson, family science specialist with North Dakota State University, and Kale Monk, associate professor of human development and family science at the University of Missouri share practical strategies couples can use to manage that stress together so they can stay connected, handle the pressures of the season and keep both their farm and their partnership running smoothly.

Where Does Stress Show Up?

Stress can show up in all sorts of everyday situations on the farm, often in ways that feel routine but can add pressure to a relationship. Here are some common areas where couples on farms and ranches may feel that tension:

Planting, harvest and busy seasons often mean long days, leaving little time for meals together, errands or family activities.
Taking an off-farm job can shift responsibilities at home, creating different role expectations than maybe what was expected.
Weekend work or caring for children can make it hard to find time for meaningful moments to connect together like date nights or family meals.

As many know, these kinds of situations are a normal part of life on a farm. But catching stress early gives couples a chance to talk it out and deal with issues before they turn into bigger problems.

Tips for Staying Connected When Farm Life Gets Busy

When life on the farm gets hectic, it’s easy for stress to take over and for couples to drift apart without even realizing it. However, small everyday habits can help keep you connected even when life feels nonstop. Brotherson and Monk list 12 tips couples can use to stay connected and support each other while managing the demands of farm and family life.

Plan Together

“Set measurable goals together for a year from now, five years from now and your lifetime together,” Brotherson says. “Make decisions about time together in farming/ranching, other jobs or retirement. Then, focus on enjoying what you have decided to do.”

Planning together is a good first step, but keeping your connection strong takes daily check-ins and small ways of looking out for each other.
Check In Daily

“Look for and give attention to early indications of stress, such as a furrowed brow or a tense voice,” Brotherson says. “Respond with love and attention as needed.”
Express Appreciation

“Take time daily to state one item you appreciate about your partner,” Brotherson says.

Showing gratitude isn’t just about being polite. Taking the time to notice and acknowledge the little things your partner does can make both of you feel more connected, appreciated and supported.

“When your partner does something you appreciate, it’s vital to express gratitude,” Monk adds. “This makes partners feel valued and helps us see how we can keep pleasing each other.”
Use Clear Communication

“In talking, use ‘I’ statements more than ‘you’ statements,” Brotherson says. “Your partner will likely not change if you argue, ‘You’re always wanting to buy something else!’ Instead, try using an ‘I’ statement, like ‘I get worried and angry when I hear you wanting to buy a new piece of equipment. What I’d like is for the two of us to sit down and decide together which major purchases we can afford.’”
Listen Carefully

“Especially on serious matters, it is important to listen well and help your partner feel they have been heard and understood,” Brotherson notes. “Listen so that you can repeat back to your partner’s satisfaction what she or he says and feels. Focus on listening without being upset or defensive.”
Be Flexible With Roles

“Letting others do things you usually do and adjusting your expectations when necessary can reduce pressures,” Brotherson adds. “Share the responsibility of things such as family chores, cooking or kid care.”
Schedule Time to Talk

“When problems arise, schedule time for the two of you to brainstorm and discuss ideas,” Brotherson says. “Weigh the costs and benefits of each solution. Arrive at a plan that enables both of you to get something you want.”
Set Aside Time as a Couple

“To keep your marriage or partnership growing, take a break from the work, the children or other distractions. If it helps, make it a rule to talk about only yourselves as a couple and not about the farm or ranch operation.”

Taking that time together doesn’t have to be serious. Making it fun can make it even more meaningful.

“The more ridiculous or fun the activity, the better, in my opinion,” Monk adds. “Do something that makes both of you laugh and enjoy each other’s company.”
Use Social Media Sparingly
Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family or share pride and appreciation for your partner. But it can also create stress, spark jealousy or make us compare our lives to the polished versions others post online.

“If we try to ‘keep up’, these artificially positive glimpses into other people’s lives can leave us feeling discouraged and resentful. Becoming consumed by social media and posting excessively can indicate growing insecurity in ourselves or our relationships.”
Laugh Together
On a farm, the days are long and there’s always something demanding your attention. Brotherson suggests taking a few minutes to laugh at a small mistake or a silly moment to lighten the mood and get through the day.

“Remember, always being serious is stressful while laughter reduces stress,” Brotherson says. “Watch a funny movie, share funny stories or find other ways to laugh.”
Celebrate Milestones

“Celebrate your anniversary, birthday, the arrival of a new foal or calf, getting the field planted before the rain and other milestones. Take joy in your lives together,” Brotherson says.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask for Help
Every relationship is unique, Monk says, and what works for one couple may not work for another. Partners have different needs and respond differently depending on their background, culture or experiences. If you ever feel unsure about handling challenges on your own, consider seeking therapy or counseling.

“Remember that therapy is not only for troubled relationships,” Monk adds. “Therapy can help preserve relationship happiness and prevent problems before significant conflicts arise.”

Build a Strong Partnership Over Time

Stress is a normal part of farm life. However, couples who practice daily communication, show appreciation and remain flexible often find they are better equipped to handle the pressures that come with farming or ranching.

By being intentional about their relationship, farm couples are better able to handle the busy seasons, the hard days and the everyday demands of agriculture while keeping their relationship just as much of a priority as the work.

Be There or Be Square: Meet Your 2025 Best Beards in the Pork Industry Winners

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:44:19 GMT

Beards are cool, and they always have been, says Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk and one of the judges in the 2025 Farm Journal’s PORK’s Best Beards in the Pork Industry Contest.

“From the Amish style to the goatee and from the full-and-closely trimmed to the rough and ragged, they all have a place,” Flory says. “To me, the beards that draw the most admiration are full, feature a distinguishable mustache, and have some age on them to show the wearer’s commitment to the facial hair. And if a beard has a unique feature, well... that’s a tough beard to beat.”

Although Flory believes having “hair on his face for 35 years” qualifies him to judge this contest, he did consult Google to see what makes an award-winning beard. To sum it up, it’s a blend of prize-winning genetics, dedicated care, artistic styling and confident presentation to create something truly memorable for the judges and audience.

Fellow judge Mike King, director of communications for the Ohio Pork Council, has only sported a beard for just over five years himself, but he understands the “surprising ins and outs” of growing, maintaining and styling a beard. Because of this, he looked for overall aesthetic of a beard, regardless of type. Does the beard look intentional in its style or appearance? Is it groomed and trimmed for its type? Does the owner wear it with a sense of confidence?

“In a serious competition such as this, people often win by only a chin!” points out Wendy Brannen, vice president of communications and marketing for the National Pork Producers Council. “So, it’s important to have key attributes in mind when judging: Proportion, uniqueness and plain old visual appeal were tops on my list. It was a razor-thin margin in some cases, but I am glad the judges could unite and select a strong winner’s circle for 2025.”

The judges loved the diverse array of entries this year — from color to texture to grooming choices. In the end, however, there were a couple of entries that were a cut above the stiff competition.

“Interestingly, we heard one of the contestants made the jolly man in red turn green with envy – or at least that’s what was coming down the swine vine,” Brannen laughs. “I understand there was a special category created this year just to get St. Nick to stop hawing and start ho, ho, ho’ing again! Who knew a beard contest could jeopardize Christmas!”

Here’s a look at your 2025 winners.

1^st Place: Jared Jacobs

The entries this year were impressive, and Flory admits it wasn’t easy as they all have unique characteristics that made them stand out in different ways. But all three judges fell for the squareness of Jared Jacobs’ beard.

“This squared-off beauty was easy to pick out of a crowded room and went to the top of a quality class in the beard contest,” Flory explains. “As in any class, showmanship and how the entry is fit for presentation matters, and the groom on this one makes all the difference.”

Brannen says she’s never seen facial hair “so square.” For King, the wow factor was in its natural flow and length that looks effortless — even though he knows it wasn’t.

“In a humorous way, I’m also getting a ‘reverse-mullet’ overall feel as the nice, naturally long beard is having a party in the front, but the short haircut brings it all back to business otherwise,” King says.

Jacobs, a program manager for the Bayer Carbon Program, has a small pork operation where they raise butcher hogs and show pigs for their kids in Drexel, Mo.

“My family has been raising hogs on our farm in west central Missouri for over 70 years,” Jacobs says. “While we’re not at the same level of production we used to be, it’s been a great way to keep our kids involved in agriculture, gain responsibility through caring for and showing livestock and learn what it takes to produce the bacon they love to eat.”

Jacobs points out he has had facial hair since his junior year of high school, and he started dating his wife during their senior year. After 14 years of being together, she still hasn’t seen him clean shaven — and probably won’t.

So how does the 2025 winner maintain such a captivating beard? Jacobs says he uses a round brush and hair dryer every day to keep his beard in check and straight. But that’s not all, he points out.

“If you’re going to have a beard in hog barns, a good smelling oil is essential to combat the smell that sticks to your beard long after you’ve left the barn,” Jacobs says.

2^nd Place: Adam Brecht

Adam Brecht’s second-place beard brought the personality, Brannen says. She appreciates that it’s clean-shaven at the top and bushy at the bottom.

“For me, this super thick and dark goatee-style beard offers up a magician-type vibe,” King says. “It balances nicely with the rest of the face but offers a different, upfront style that’s impossible to ignore.”

Brecht has been a part of the swine industry his entire life. A fourth-generation purebred swine producer, he grew up watching his father raise purebred Hampshires and went on to work for Ledger Swine Farm in Williamsburg, Iowa.

He later began raising show pigs and recently helped his daughter, Mia, start MB Genetics in Belle Plaine, Iowa. He focuses most of his time on day-to-day management, herd health and breeding decisions. In addition to Mia, his wife and son help when and where they can on the operation.

When it comes to managing beards, his advice is to have patience and brush it every night.

3^rd Place: Daniel Tubbs

Daniel Tubbs was out in the barn working away when his nominator asked him to send a picture of his beard. This “natural approach” won over Brannen.

“The piglet, and the beard, are giving cute,” she says. “Like Ben & Jerry’s Wavy Gravy ice cream, this beard is a classic flavor with its own unique waves. Neat, well proportioned, yet hip.”

King also appreciates the wavy texture of this entry and adds that this bi-colored beard demands attention and respect for its impressive length and symmetry.

Tubbs is the owner of Tubbs Livestock Company in Oakman, Ala. One fun fact about Tubbs is that although he lives in the south, he prefers the cold. He also likes honey on his pizza.

To keep up his beard’s appearance, Tubbs believes in a good conditioner and oil regimen.

4^th Place: Cody McKinley

When Cody McKinley’s daughter was born in 2017, he stopped shaving. The results speak for themselves.

“That is about 12 lb. of ‘beard excellence’ hanging off his face,” Flory says. “Steer jocks spend top dollar on nutrition, hair product and environmental controls to get hair that thick – and this guy does it walking around and living his life.”

Flory adds McKinley’s beard is “well-groomed with just enough feral in the mustache to show this is the natural state of a top-notch entry.”

McKinley lives in Ankeny, Iowa, and serves as vice president of operations and state and national relations for the National Pork Producers Council. His tip for growing a beard that makes people stop and look is simple.

“Throw away the razor – have you ever done the math?” McKinley laughs.

5^th Place: John Csukker

The fifth-place beard of John Csukker, environmental senior services manager for The Maschhoffs in Shelby, Neb., impressed judges for its versatility.

“A great example of a traditional goatee-style beard that works well in everyday business context, yet retains a sense of intrigue with its full-grown state that seems to suit the owner’s sense of style and personality,” King says.

Csukker says he has been rocking a mustache since 1985 when Alabama released “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” and added a goatee of varying lengths in 2007.

“It takes superior genetics (no false modesty here), a dab of beard conditioner to prevent full-scale chin rebellion, and above all, unbreakable commitment,” Csukker says. “That’s what turns an ordinary chin into a full-blown Declaration of Independence from the men stuck in the clean-shaven life. The kind of goatee that storms into boardrooms, ends debates with one raised eyebrow and a thoughtful stroke, and quietly announces: ‘I’ve been at this longer than most of you have been using email.’”

Santa’s Choice

As Brannen notes, the judges had to create a whole new category for this beard. Jason Pooley, health programs manager for PIC, dominated the entries in 2024, and his Santa-like beard was a stand-out again this year.

Pooley hails from Hendersonville, Tenn., where he enjoys spending time with his dogs.

“The complementary background and the undeniable resemblance to maybe the most decorated beard of all time, makes this beard deserving of our Santa’s Choice Award,” Flory says.

Start Grooming for 2026

Now’s the time to start thinking about next year’s contest and take the advice of our top five winners from this year.

“Let’s keep those whiskers growing,” King says.

Check out the line-up of past winners:
Beards Say a Lot About a Man: Meet Your 2024 Best Beards in the Pork Industry Winners

If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It: Meet the Winners of the Best Beards in the Pork Industry

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10 Quotable Moments from The PORK Podcast

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:41:31 GMT

The conversations that take place on The PORK Podcast are some of the highlights of my year. I don’t take the honesty, vulnerability and wisdom shared for granted. Here are some of my favorites (there were too many to list) in case you missed them.

“If my dad was in a crowded room, he would look around for the person nobody was talking to, the person sitting by themselves. And that’s where he would go sit. He always said, ‘Everybody’s got a story, and most of them are pretty darn good.’” — Scott Hays in Episode 20, “ If the Pigs Do Well, We Do Well ”

“I don’t want my child to go through the same sort of struggles that that I went through. I want to be sure that when he grows up, he is in a world where he can have the freedom to eat whatever he wants to eat, have the freedom to go to a grocery store and have those products available when needed.” — Maria Zieba in Episode 19, “ Fighting for Certainty in Uncertain Times ”

“We don’t give up very easily, and that can cause us to have a blind spot at times. Don’t let the passion and pride that are our biggest strengths turn into a potential weakness by causing that blind spot. We’ve got to know and anticipate that a slight deviation in course is necessary at times to continue to make us sustainable. Fighting that course correction could be somebody’s downfall or take you down a path that that you weren’t expecting or intending.” — Josh Maschhoff in Episode 21, “The Next Generation of the Pork Industry”

“I remember a friend sending me this reminder: If not, he is still good. Sometimes things don’t go how we want, and even if that’s the case, I believe God works all things for his good.” — Maddie Hokanson in Episode 32, “ Focus on Your Why ”

“Don’t be afraid to be the only person like yourself in the room.” — Lori Stevermer in Episode 16, “ Don’t Be Afraid to Be You ”

“If you’ve ever watched Yellowstone, that show creeped me out,” Wiley says. “When I saw the family dynamic portrayed, it made me uncomfortable. We can have our disagreements. But, as a family, you better have each other’s backs out in the community, especially in the business we’re in.” — Todd Wiley in Episode 34, “ Avoid Yellowstone Drama When Transferring the Family Farm ”

“Live in the moment because it goes by incredibly fast. People always say that. But when it’s 100 degrees and you’re 13 years old, you’re probably not thinking about how it’s going to all come to an end someday, so you might take things for granted or not truly appreciate those moments. Take advantage of every moment when you’re at a show.” — Olivia Shike in Episode 27, “ Livestock, Leadership and the Next Generation ”

“I always felt like I had to take calculated risks in judging. I was willing to give up a point here or there to try to score big. I think that it’s probably the entrepreneurial R&D piece of me. I think in life, when you’re chasing greatness, you’ve got to take some calculated risks.” — Doug Hankes in Episode 14, “ Weighing the Odds ”

“Without her, it would have not worked at all.” — Rob Brenneman in Episode 26, “ The Gas Pedal and the Brakes ”

“What are your big things? What is most important for you as a family? Is it winning a banner? Is it developing character? Is it enjoying what you’re doing? I think it looks different for every family, but taking that time to decide what means the most for your family is key to not letting all the other stuff get in the way.” — Emily Spray in Episode 24, “ The Truth About Stock Show Moms ”

You can also subscribe to The PORK Podcast on YouTube or anywhere podcasts are found so you don’t miss an episode!

The Top 10 PORK Stories of 2025

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:34:44 GMT

Which stories caught the most attention in 2025? From pork’s new tagline to China exports and from Prop 12 to fires, here’s a look back at the top 10 stories on PorkBusiness.com in 2025.

1. Panic Slowly: China’s Cancellation of 12,000 Tons of U.S. Pork Sends Loud Message

It’s a mad scramble to find a new home for 12,300 metric tons of U.S. pork produced for China that was cancelled last week in the latest trade war casualty, says U.S. Meat Export Federation vice president for economic analysis Erin Borror.

The impact of this cancellation is being felt throughout the entire red meat industry, she adds. These high duties have effectively halted trade and could result in billions of lost dollars for U.S. livestock producers.

USDA says this is the largest cancellation since May 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Trump administration officials suggested last week that a de-escalation of trade tensions between the U.S. and China could be coming soon, USMEF says neither side has adjusted recently heightened tariff rates. Read the full story.

2. Tragic Turn: Trailer of Show Pigs Bursts Into Flames on I-80

With the windows rolled down and the sun on his face, Chad Rieck admits he was having a pretty good day driving down Interstate 80. He was pulling a trailer with four gilts, and one of those gilts was bringing home the title of Third Overall Purebred Breeding Gilt from the Aksarben Stock Show.

For Chad and his wife, Amy, spending precious time with their 17-year-old daughter Hollynn at a stock show is something they don’t take for granted. Their busy daughter, now a senior, was juggling the show weekend with homecoming, volleyball and dance team. Because of this, she drove separately to the show with her mom to squeeze in more of her school activities.

Separated by a couple minutes on the interstate, they were chatting on the phone keeping each other awake on the drive from Grand Island, Neb., back to their farm in Creston, Iowa. Suddenly, the traffic slowed down and their day took a tragic turn. Read the full story.

3. Iowa Man Reveals Best Tenderloin from 99-County Tour

After a ‘whirlwind of a sandwich odyssey’ in Iowa, JayJay Goodvin, chief explorer of the Iowa Gallivant, revealed his favorite tenderloin from his 99-county tour.

Just over 10 months ago, Goodvin started a quest to eat a tenderloin in all 99 counties in Iowa. With more than 28 million views of his videos across his social media platforms, the response to his journey left him speechless.

After thoughtful analysis and some soul-searching, Goodvin announced the winner to a live WHO 13 News audience on Feb. 13. The winning tenderloin was served by The Landmark Bistro of Grundy Center, Iowa. What set this tasty tenderloin apart from the other 98? Read the full story.

4. California Doesn’t Get to Tell Iowa How to Raise Hogs in Iowa, Attorney Bird Says

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led 23 states in a brief supporting Iowa pork producers against California’s strict-hog-housing regulations — Proposition 12, the Office of the Attorney General reported in an article on Jan. 29. As the nation’s top pork-consuming state, California has major influence over the whole market.

“Proposition 12 sets harsh regulations that will spike pork prices, dictate to other states how they should raise their hogs, and force some pork producers to close up shop if they cannot afford to keep up with the strict new mandate,” the article said. Read the full story .

5. Viral Videos Fuel Interest in Pig Shows

Red shirt, hair in a bun, the stare. You don’t even have to be in the stock show industry, and you’ll likely remember seeing Karis Dadson, 14, showing her pigs in iconic tiktoks, shorts, videos and reels. Not only are these videos reaching youth exhibitors in the livestock industry, but the impact goes even further. The Pat McAfee Show recently discussed showing livestock because of this family’s social media outreach. They’ve been featured on ESPN and BarStool Sports, and Will Smith has even shared their posts.

For the Dadson family of Paso Robles, Calif., the attention their videos have sparked was unexpected. Kara Dadson, mother of the 14-year-old twins Karis and Krew, said she started it to help build their show pig business, Dadson Farms. She posted their first video on TikTok in 2019.

“I did a lot of social media with my small business prior to that and thought I’d try to do the same thing with our show pig business,” Kara says. “It was frustrating in the beginning, because I’m like, ‘Why can’t my small business videos go as big as the pig videos?’ It took off, and I just continually kept doing it. I never expected this to happen.” Read the full story.

6. National Pork Board Says New Tagline is About You, But It’s Not For You

The National Pork Board announced the tagline of its new pork campaign, “Taste what pork can do,” before a crowd of pork producers at the National Pork Industry Forum on March 13.

One message stood out to marketing advisory committee members Jennifer Tirey, Rob Brenneman and Gordon Spronk as they discussed the new tagline: I’m not the target. Likely, neither are you.

Here’s why that’s good news. Read the full story .

7. China’s Tipping Point: What Looming Crisis Means for U.S. Pork in 2025

There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.” This quote from Vladimir Lenin is particularly relevant as globalism, the dominant economic system of the past several decades, faces radical transformation entering 2025.

At the forefront of this transformation is China, the “workshop of the world” and a major destination for agricultural exports. However, China is now grappling with a host of existential threats. The question is not if but when we will witness a total system collapse, and this year appears to mark the beginning of the end, as recession looms overhead.

The challenges facing China could fill volumes, but three key factors make its problems insurmountable. Read the full story.

8. Josh Maschhoff Opens Up About Building on the Family Legacy in Pork Production

When you think about Josh Maschhoff, many things come to mind. He’s a husband, father, president, son, nephew, firefighter, friend, church elder, coach, sixth-generation hog farmer and director of production and flow for The Maschhoffs to name a few. What he is not is an overly emotional person, says his wife Angela, until you get him talking about the family business.

“Josh respects what the generations before him have accomplished,” she says. “He strives every day to work hard to continue building on what they started. He feels a responsibility to continue the family legacy. He cares not only about his family farm, but also the success of the pork industry in the state of Illinois and across the country.”

Growing up as the sixth generation on the Maschhoff’s family farm in Carlyle, Ill., his earliest memories were riding in the combine with his dad singing Randy Travis’ song, “Digging Up Bones.” When he was in grade school, he remembers the business taking off and adding its first production partners. Read the full story .

9. Is the Swine Industry Ready for H5N1? Texas Veterinarian Says “No”

Nearly one year ago, USDA made a shocking announcement. Highly pathogenic avian influenza type A H5N1 (H5N1) was identified in milk and in cows on two dairy farms in Texas and two dairy farms in Kansas. A disease no veterinarian had previously feared in cattle had jumped from wild birds to domestic cows.

Scanlon Daniels, a large animal veterinarian with Circle H Headquarters in Dalhart, Texas, received a call 10 days prior to that announcement that he will never forget from one of his dairy clients that something wasn’t right with some of the cows.

“My client sent me a text: ‘I think I might have it,’” Daniels says. Read the full story .

10. FDA Grants PIC Approval for PRRS-Resistant Pig Gene-Editing Technology

The gene edit used in PIC’s PRRS-resistant pig has been determined safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA granted approval to PIC on April 30, putting PIC among the first companies to gain approval for gene editing in commercial livestock in the U.S.

“We have spent years conducting extensive research, validating our findings and working with the FDA to gain approval,” Matt Culbertson, PIC’s chief operating officer, says in a release. “Today marks a major milestone for consumers, farmers and the entire pork industry who have desperately hoped for a solution to PRRS.”

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) costs the U.S. pork industry more than $1.2 billion per year. This FDA-approved gene edit will be used to breed PIC’s PRRS-resistant pigs, which are resistant to this devastating, global swine disease. Read the full story .

A Daughter’s Devotion: Chelsea Schminke Grieder’s Unconventional Path Back Home

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:46:11 GMT

Chelsea Schminke Grieder takes pride in being the ‘black sheep’ of the family. As the daughter of livestock legends Al and Kandy Schminke, she always wanted to return to their grain and show livestock operation in Van Horne, Iowa , consisting of about 375 wether dam ewes and 25 purebred Chester white sows.

Unlike her brother Cody who took a more traditional path back to their family’s farm, this fourth-generation farmer took a rather unique path into fashion design at Iowa State University first.

“I wanted to create my own way,” Grieder says. “I love design. I love art. I wanted to dip my toes into that passion, but that didn’t change my love for agriculture. I was still showing livestock very competitively and helping on the farm.”

Although she entered the fashion world with a black-and-white mindset, she quickly realized fashion was very subjective.

“After college, I went to work for a really cool company that designs Harley Davidson saddle bags. Never in my life did I think I would work with leather or motorcycles,” she says. “I worked with many brands while I was there from Adidas to Ryka. With each product, I found ways to make it more successful. I discovered ways to save money and hit our target market more. I took a lot of that back to the farm.”

Something Isn’t Right

Newly engaged to Paul, 2016 started off on a high note for Grieder who was in the thick of wedding planning. Her family’s show livestock operation was booming.

But in February, Kandy’s health “got a little funky,” Grieder explains. Sinus infection after sinus infection, something wasn’t right. She even remembers her mom’s nose changing color a little.

“It was so crazy,” she says. “I was trying to balance my job, the wedding and help on the farm. I also wanted to be there for my mom. She was up and down health-wise. She started having random nose bleeds and began seeing all these specialists.”

No one could tell them what was going on with her mom. Grieder vividly remembers going to the hospital for her own appointment in June.

“My mom met me there and I remember she sat down beside me and I said, ‘You smell weird. Did you shower?’” Grieder recalls. “She said ‘Yes, thanks Chelsea.’”

But she couldn’t let it go.

“She’s my mom – you just know how your mom smells, and something wasn’t right,” she says.

A few weeks later, Grieder lost her job.

“I had designed this full line and was ready to go to production with it,” she says. “I had no heads up, nothing. Not to mention I had a wedding in November. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, what do we do?’”

But she never lost faith that God had a plan.

A week later, Grieder was back at the doctor’s office with her mom who had received a GI scope the day before. The doctors wanted to make sure she didn’t have anything going on internally with her gastrointestinal system.

“One of the GI nurses recommended my mom go back to her family doctor for a full blood panel,” Grieder says. “Between that January to July 2016, nobody had pulled blood on her, which was shocking.”

They discovered her hemoglobin was really low – like “go get a blood transfusion now” low.

“My cousin, who worked at the doctor’s office, called us and said, ‘You need to take her to the ER. This is not good.’ At that point, you hear ‘not good’ and want to know exactly how not good,” Grieder says. “She said on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being bad, my mom was a 12.”

Answers at Last

When they arrived at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, they rushed her mom upstairs.

“I remember hitting that kidney floor, and the smell hit me,” she says. “I said, ‘Mom, this is what you smelled like.’”

Her mom’s kidneys were failing.

“We found out she was in renal failure. They said mom should not have walked in – she should have been crawling in,” Grieder says. “But if you know her, she is as tough as nails and stubborn, too. She’s never going to tell you she hurts. She actually judged a livestock show the weekend before her diagnosis in Missouri. Hindsight is 20/20 – she should not have been doing any of those things, but she just had the mentality that you keep going.”

Doctors confirmed two autoimmune diseases were attacking her mom’s kidneys – Wegener’s disease and ANCA .

“ANCA is a very aggressive autoimmune disease,” Grieder explains. “They call it the silent killer for a reason. They gave her three more days if we hadn’t went in there.”

Within 24 hours, she had a stint placed into her heart and was put on dialysis. She needed a kidney transplant.

“The thing people don’t talk about is that you have to be sick enough to go on the kidney transplant list, but you have to be healthy enough to get one,” Grieder says. “We had an uphill battle from there.”

Al and Kandy Schminke

(Schminke Genetics)

No One is Invincible

Their new reality was hard on everyone, especially her dad who was trying to figure out how to manage the day-to-day activities without her by his side.

“She’s his person – he thought she was invincible,” Grieder says. “We all had to realize, ‘Okay, no, she’s not invincible.’”

From July until October, Grieder did not find another job. Instead, she stayed home to help her mom get to the dialysis center every Tuesday and Thursday and pick up her work on the farm.

“There was a reason why I was not supposed to be working at that point,” Grieder adds. “But it was so hard to watch my mom suffer. It was hard to watch her battle this. We eventually were able to do dialysis at home, but it wasn’t easy. She had to be hooked up for 12 hours a day and stay away from dust, fungus, hay, straw, dirt – all the things that are part of farm life.”

She also couldn’t be around her new grandchild as doctors didn’t want her exposed to any extra germs. All of this made planning a November wedding especially challenging. Grieder says she is so grateful for the village of people who supported her family during this time.

“Our wedding was truly a celebration – and not just for us getting married – but for all of the people who helped us.”

Her mom finally got her kidney in January of 2018, about 1.5 years after she went on dialysis. Grieder says her already close relationship with her mom grew so much during this time when their roles switched.

“I remember brushing her hair one day after she had her shower,” Grieder says. “It hit her like a rock. I told her, ‘We’re going to get through this no matter what, that’s what we’re here for.’”

( l to r): Kandy Schminke; Taylor and Cody Schminke; grandkids Evie, Beau, Wade and Savannah; Paul and Chelsea Schminke Grieder; and Al Schminke.

(Provided by Chelsea Schminke Grieder)

How Resiliency Grows

There’s no doubt Grieder has experienced a lot in the past 10 years. She and her husband now have two kids, Savannah, 6, and Beau, 4. She is also serving as the director of junior activities and events for Team Purebred, a national junior livestock organization for kids in the swine industry.

“She’s always looking out for others,” her mom says. “She works hard to make Team Purebred as strong as she can. She really digs in. We all go through ups and downs in life. Everybody has different things going on. I think that’s one strong thing that she does, is that she can handle it.”

Resiliency is important for everyone, but Grieder believes it’s essential for a livestock farming family.

“I think it’s built into you a little bit,” she adds. “You learn a lot from the circle of life on the farm and the ups and downs of showing livestock. I learned that my path isn’t going to be straight in life and no matter what, you have to get out of bed and keep going for the people around you.”

Grieder shares more about their family’s journey as well as her vision for Team Purebred and passion for connecting young people to agriculture on The PORK Podcast. You can watch it here on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are found.

Watch more episodes here.

Adam Sanders Brings Hog-Wild Energy on Stage in CBS Series “The Road”

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:11:05 GMT

What does pig farming have to do with the new CBS series featuring Keith Urban and Blake Shelton? More than you might think.

The Road is an exciting new show that features 12 emerging artists who are competing for a $250,000 prize package and recording opportunities. Each participant also earns the opportunity to open for Urban during his national tour.

Six artists remain, and one of the featured artists is Adam Sanders, a Nashville singer and songwriter originally from Florida. He’s also a good friend of Missouri pig farmer Jesse Heimer. Not only has he performed at Heimer’s farm multiple times, but the pair has also written two songs together, including “Do What We Do.”

The tour bus rolls into Tulsa for a concert at the iconic Cain’s Ballroom. In place of Blake Shelton, award-winning country artist Dustin Lynch sits in with Keith Urban. For the first time, the seven musicians are divided up to perform two group covers before performing their originals, on THE ROAD, Sunday, Nov. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). Pictured: Adam Sanders. Photo: ©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Highest quality screengrab.

(CBS/CBS )

“I think what folks see on the screen is someone who’s had just enough experience on stage in front of a crowd, and the feelings of all of it, to know that he really wants it,” Heimer says. “This isn’t Adam’s first time to town – he opened for Carrie Underwood at a sold-out Iowa State Fair. He understands the stage, the audience, and the emotions people have as they listen to an entertainer.”

It’s been an incredible experience to watch Sanders shine on The Road, Heimer adds.

“He really took this opportunity to heart – to be on screen in front of millions to tell his story and put his talent on display,” Heimer says. “Adam is a high energy guy all the time and that’s what you see on stage. But he’s also one of the most genuine, down-to-earth friends I’ve ever had. The Adam you see on screen is the Adam you’ll see on the street.”

That’s Why We Do What We Do

Heimer first met Sanders in 2019. They were introduced by a mutual friend after Heimer created a series of videos to highlight the benefits of showing livestock. His goal was to help people outside of agriculture see that showing livestock was about more than just the animal and the ribbon. Their mutual friend encouraged Heimer to produce a music video which eventually led him to meet Sanders, a talented songwriter.

Adam Sanders (l) and Jesse Heimer (r) on the farm in Taylor, Mo.

(Legacy Livestock Images/Heidi Anderson)

“I had to learn more about his industry, so I could have enough knowledge about his side of the fence,” Sanders says. “I think we spent months really talking about the idea of this. One day, it really just registered with me and it clicked. I remember writing down in my phone: ‘that’s why we do what we do.’”

Sanders called on his friend Brice Long, a fellow songwriter to help write “Do What We Do.”

“I wanted the song to be broad enough that it could appeal across facets of agriculture,” Heimer says. “I knew if we made it just about the show ring, we were only going to attract those that already believe the same things as me.”

The project started as an anthem for stock show kids and although that goal never changed, the video went down a different path than Heimer first expected. He wanted to create a music video that everybody in agriculture could see themselves in. Regardless of what your role in agriculture is, Heimer believes this song speaks to the feelings of many about why they do what they do.

“I couldn’t be prouder of how the song turned out, and how it all came together,” Sanders says. “It was just a natural fit. It took some time to make it happen, but God had a plan in all of this and how it shaped out.”

Sanders adds that the stats show the song resonates with people. Through organic promotion only, the song has now been streamed nearly 600,000 times and appears on 39 playlists. It’s received 873,000 views on TikTok, too. Beyond traditional streams, the song has been very popular with TikTok users who are increasingly using it in their content.

But You’d Get It If You Did It

Three years after Sanders released this song, Heimer had an “epiphany” at the 2024 Missouri State Fair.

“I realized I was watching my kids doing, saying and loving all of the same things I did at the state fair when I was a kid,” Heimer says. “It felt like déjà vu. I talked to Adam during the fair and told him we should write a song about it – to piggyback off ‘Do What We Do.’”

Not long after, the song ‘ Get It If You Did It ’ was born.

“From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why we raise pigs, why we go to shows, why we commit so many resources for our kids to find success in the show ring,” Heimer

But you’d get it if you did it
I bet you wouldn’t knock it
If you dug your boots down in it
You’d know why we can’t stop it
You can’t replace the dreams we chase
Naw ain’t no way we can quit it
Might not love it like we love it
Or live it like we live it
But you’d get it if you did it.

- Get It If You Did It

points out. “This song is a continuation of the original story. The writing is broad enough, though, that it fits anyone’s hobby or passion from hunting to sports to rodeo. I hope it gets a spot on The Road.”

The chorus is easy for people in agriculture to relate to, Heimer says.

“The show pig community has been incredibly supportive of me as an artist for several years, going back to the introduction of ‘Do What We Do’ – and even before,” Sanders says. “It seems like no matter where I’m playing, people from this industry are in the crowd.”

Live from Oklahoma Ranch

Show pig industry leader Blake Kennedy, owner of Kennedy Ventures, was fortunate to be in the audience during the taping of The Road in Oklahoma City.

“It was a really cool experience to be selected as a cast member,” Kennedy says. “When we got there, they checked us in and took our phones and belongings. Because no one had the distraction of a phone, everyone was very present and engaged.”

The atmosphere inside Oklahoma Ranch was very exciting, he adds. Sanders performed his original, “Burning Roses” and Jo Dee Messina’s hit song “Heads Carolina, Tails California.”

Although the contestants only get a few minutes of time in the TV show, Kennedy says their live performances were about 10 minutes and allowed the audience the opportunity to get to know each performer a little more.

“It was awesome to see someone like Adam be successful in his world who also enjoys seeing us achieve success in our world, too,” Kennedy says.

Tune in Sunday

Don’t miss the next episode performed at The Hall in Little Rock, Ark., airing on CBS on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. CT. https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-road/

Read the ‘Do What We Do’ story here:
Nashville Singer and Pig Farmer Release Anthem for Ag

This Thanksgiving Be Grateful for The Strength of Our Mothers

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 13:08:35 GMT

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the figures who have profoundly shaped our lives. This year, I find myself thinking about a striking statement from the legendary Coach Mike Krzyzewski, former Duke University and USA Basketball coach. He once advised, “Be as tough as your mothers.” This powerful message resonates deeply, especially with those of us who grew up as farm kids, where our mothers proved to be the unsung heroes of our upbringing.

The Unwavering Spirit of Farm Mothers
Mothers, if they are anything like mine, have faced the demanding realities of farm life with unyielding strength. These are women who fed calves in the sweltering heat of summer, irrigated pastures with children on their hips, and resolved marital differences amidst sorting cows. They managed household finances creatively, making ends meet even when the milk check was sparse, and they ensured that a family of eight was nourished from garden and freezer bounty.

My mother, in particular, embodies this strength. The oldest daughter of a U.S. Admiral, she once lived a life of luxury, familiar with Italian leather gloves, silk blouses, and fur coats. Yet, she embraced a new calling when she married my father, a devoted Oregon dairy farmer, and exchanged her glamorous wardrobe for rubber boots and ragged jeans. Despite this dramatic transformation, she never complained.

My late mother, Michelle getting ready to attend a formal event.

(Karen Bohnert)

Homemaker and More
After coming home from school to head to the barn to do farm chores, my sisters and I would race inside to a home-cooked meal prepared from scratch. Growing up with servants in a high-class setting, my mother learned to cook only after marrying my father, who humorously recalled losing 30 pounds in their first year of marriage. Yet she would remind him that he was doing ‘just fine now.’

Even when burdened by physical exhaustion or illness, my mom remained unwavering. She still managed to assist us with homework, ensuring that we not only comprehended the assignment but excelled at it, even if it meant staying up past midnight to solve complex algebra problems. She did this while nursing a sick newborn calf in the mudroom and baking pies for a 4-H banquet, lending yet another testament to a mother’s multitasking ability. Her ingenuity was a product of from being self-taught, reading the Merck Manual, learning from our veterinarian and her years of working in a hospital. Mom seemed to be able to do anything and everything.

My late mother feeding a flock of sheep in her Italian leather gloves and fur coat.

(Karen Bohnert)

Resilience in Adversity
My mother’s resilience manifested most profoundly when our family faced life’s harshest trials. When a house fire rendered us homeless overnight, she chose gratitude for the neighbors who welcomed us in. When one of her daughters nearly lost her leg in a farming accident, mom didn’t let her praying legs grow lazy, as she was grateful for medical advancements and her daughter’s recovery.

Values of Perseverance and Positivity
Among her most enduring gifts were the values she imparted—values characterized by a strong work ethic, kindness, gratitude and perspective. My mom never permitted self-pity to take root, a trait she exemplified in her own life. She instilled in us a perspective that transformed adversity into opportunity.

My three kids.

(Bohnert Farms)

Reflecting on the qualities I hope to impart to my own children, I wholeheartedly echo Coach K’s sentiment. I hope for my children to grow into individuals possessing the resilience and strength of their late grandmother. Her enduring legacy is one of tenacity, compassion and unwavering positivity—traits that are as essential on the farm as they are in life. This Thanksgiving, as you gather around the table, think of those that fill your heart with love, including your mother.

Leading with Heart: The Story of Hoosierland Pork’s Jennifer Romero

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 19:34:00 GMT

It started off as a minor inconvenience: Who doesn’t have back pain when they work on a farm all day?

Jennifer Romero brushed it off because she didn’t have time for it. As the Hoosierland Pork sow farm manager for Martin Family Farms, she knew her team needed her to be strong. But as spring turned to summer, the pain continued to escalate.

After multiple doctor visits, tests with no answers and excruciating pain, she knew something was wrong. A trip to the emergency room followed by hospital admission finally resulted in a diagnosis: cancer.

Romero immediately went to Indianapolis where she underwent surgery. Unfortunately, the cancer had progressed and spread throughout her body. When she came out of anesthesia, doctors told her they couldn’t get it all.

“I remember when I was little, and we were under a tornado warning,” says her daughter, Alyssa Wyatt, who is also part of the Hoosierland Pork team. “My mom had the front door open — cleaning and listening to music. She had no fear of the storm and told me, ‘When it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go.’”

Fun is one of the many words Jennifer Romero’s family uses to describe her. She loved finding ways to make people laugh and brought out the best in her team. Her desire to see them succeed in their life helped her succeed in hers, says her husband, Azael.

(Hoosierland Pork)

Gone Too Soon

Within three weeks of being admitted, Romero passed away in the hospital Aug. 17.

“It happened so fast,” says Melissa Bradford, a friend and operations coordinator for Martin Family Farms. “One day she was mowing here at the farm. Two days later, she went to the emergency room and was admitted to the hospital. Three weeks later, she was gone. We were all in shock because she was so full of life — a force to be reckoned with.”

Brian Martin, owner of Martin Family Farms, was in the hospital with Romero about a week before Romero passed away.

“While I was there, a young employee named Carlos was also visiting. He came to the farm as a TN visa worker,” Martin says. “Jennifer really took him under her wing. He thought the world of her. Watching her interact with him, and how affected Carlos was by seeing her in the hospital, was pretty humbling to me.”

(Mike Byers)

During that visit, she made it perfectly clear that her job was not up for grabs yet.

“Don’t replace me, because I’ll be going back,” Romero told him matter-of-factly.

For her husband, Azael Romero, operations manager for Martin Family Farms, his wife’s attitude and strength during her hospital battle is something he will never forget.

“She stayed positive the whole entire time,” Azael says. “She was such a strong woman.”

One Day at a Time

Azael joined Martin Family Farms in 2009 when they more than doubled the operation, working his way up to operations manager overseeing all farms. Romero, his “city girl” wife, followed a few years later and had moved up to sow farm manager of Hoosierland Pork where she led a team of 18 people and managed 4,000 sows at two locations that shipped 2,000 pigs a week.

“She always wanted me to succeed, and I wanted her to succeed,” Azael says. “Our professional and personal relationship centered around communication. Work wise, she knew her role and I knew mine. We had great understanding of the jobs we both needed to get done.”

A competitive spirit drove Jennifer Romero to continually improve Hoosierland Pork. She was constantly motivated to improve animal care and productivity.

(Hoosierland Pork)

Even though her team was at a loss on how to move forward without their leader, they had to find a way.

“You felt insensitive going about your work when everyone’s heart was so broken,” Bradford says. “However, we knew we had to keep going. The animals needed us, and she would have wanted us to focus on them first. But it was really hard to come to work that next week.”

A True Barn Hero

In the eyes of all who knew Jennifer, she was the definition of a barn hero. Martin says her passionate and driven nature made her perfect for the role of leading a successful team in the sow barn.

“She would do anything to save a pig,” Azael says. “She tried to pass that on by teaching others everything she knew while constantly soaking in more knowledge along the way. She was a quick learner and started from the bottom delivering supplies, checking sows, scraping feeders, power washing and all those things. She didn’t want to miss a step in the entire process. That’s why she was so good at her job.”

(Mike Byers)

Bradford remembers when a coronavirus struck the farm, Romero was determined to eliminate it immediately.

“The vets told her she may be better off to wait, and she said, ‘We’re going to do this one time, and we’re going to get it out,’” Bradford says. “And she did. Her farm was able to eradicate it, and the vets said they’d never seen a farm get rid of a virus so fast. But that’s how she was; she didn’t just say things. She was out in the barns showing how to do it.”

Romero was also known to wake up in the middle of the night to drive out to the farm and check on an animal.

“Even though she had 4,000 animals under her care, she wanted to make sure she did everything possible to try to save each one,” Bradford says.

Loving-But-Firm Mentor

Not only did she have a huge heart for taking care of animals, but she also had a huge heart for taking care of people.

“Jennifer was a direct communicator; there was not much floweriness about her,” Martin says. “She was a ‘get business done’ person who served as a great mentor, but she also was a mother at heart and shared that with everyone.”

If she believed in something, everybody would soon believe in it, Bradford adds.

“When Jennifer was a farrowing lead, she was fast-paced,” Bradford explains. “If she felt like you weren’t living up to that speed, she would bark orders. But over time, she learned and began to understand that not everybody was made like her, and everybody processes differently. That allowed her to be able to see other people’s perspective better and figure out a solution to get things done as a team.”

With time, Romero learned she had to balance her desire to constantly improve with some time to celebrate the success her team achieved. She firmly believed in team building and investing in people.

(Mike Byers)

“I remember her saying, ‘We spend more time together than you probably do with your family, so we need to learn how to work as a team so we can get through any challenge,’” Bradford says.

The work of a barn hero is never complete, Martin adds. It’s a job that just doesn’t end.

“Things won’t ever be perfect, but Jennifer’s leadership was close,” he says. “She helped 18 folks see the same vision day to day while always having an eye on continued improvement. She also recognized we have to balance taking care of pigs with a life outside of it. You can’t do 18 hours a day in a farm and balance a life next to it, so through time, she helped herself and others achieve that balance.”

A Second Family

One of the ways she went above and beyond for her team was looking out for the TN visa workers as they adjusted to life in the U.S. Romero was known to take her team to the grocery store or help them get to doctor’s appointments.

“She always took time to explain the differences between our culture and where they came from,” Bradford says. “She taught them things about living in the U.S. that we take for granted.”

Jorge Ayala started working for Martin Family Farms in December 2018 and vividly recalls meeting Romero for the first time.

“She was always available to help me learn,” Ayala says. “Animal care was her highest priority. She was strict, but she was very kind. I learned a lot of things from her that have positioned me where I am now.”

A lover of all animals, Jennifer Romero was famous for saying, “We choose to be here. They don’t. We need to make sure we do right by them.” Her example walking the barns and seeing every animal set a great example for her entire team about what it means to be a barn hero.

(Hoosierland Pork)

Life to the Fullest

One of the most valuable lessons Wyatt learned from her mother was that you can’t always control what life throws at you, but you can control how you react to it.

“Hardship made her into the person she was,” Wyatt says. “She understood that life would always be life. She found a way to make the best of it always — no matter how hard it could be.”

She found joy in living it to her fullest. Whether she was riding a horse or driving a four-wheeler around the farm, she always wanted to make you smile, Azael says.

“My mom was a needle in the haystack, a diamond in the rough,” Wyatt says. “She was big-hearted and helped everyone she could, even if she did not get the credit. She didn’t do things to receive things; she did things to bring happiness to others. She always tried to make the impossible possible in this world — she was a hero.”

From Crisis to Calling: How Maddie Hokanson Found Strength in the Pork Industry

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:01:52 GMT

In June 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Maddie Hokanson headed out for a routine doctor’s appointment. At 34 weeks pregnant, she admittedly wasn’t feeling great, but as a first-time mom, what’s normal?

She was sent to labor and delivery as a precautionary measure. Not long after, she was in a helicopter being airlifted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She and her husband, Eric, welcomed their first child, Brent, by c-section later that day.

“Brent was born with hydrops,” Hokanson explains. “He was born at 10.5 lb. He had so much fluid around his organs and it was putting pressure on his brain, liver, kidneys and lungs. He almost didn’t make it.”

After a couple rough months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the Hokansons learned a lot fast.

“I remember a friend sending me this reminder: If not, he is still good,” she says. “Sometimes things don’t go how we want, and even if that’s the case, I believe God works all things for his good.”

Because of the pandemic, nobody was able to meet Brent until he came home from the hospital. Hokanson remembers being surrounded by so many people who wanted to help and offer support. She says it was a surreal experience.

“I remember my naivety thinking that we made it home – we had made it through the hard part and now he was going to flourish,” she adds. “That definitely was not the case for the first couple of years.”

Diagnosis after diagnosis, the Hokansons struggled to take it all in: epilepsy, visual impairment, heart condition, liver failure, autism and cerebral palsy.

“The mantra, ‘this too shall pass,’ kept playing in my head, but when? When will it pass?” Hokanson says.

Perhaps it never will pass, she explains, but what they have been able to do is find joy in all that their family has instead of the comparison of what they don’t.

A Lifeline

For Hokanson, a seventh-generation farmer with Schafer Farms, the farm has served as a lifeline during these early years of adjusting to parenting a child with serious health challenges.

“The farm was my reminder that whether it’s a good day or bad day, I’m still Maddie Hokanson. I still have a purpose in the world beyond being a mother,” Hokanson says. “Coming into the farm office, talking to my parents, grandparents or employees really held me up. I needed work in order to be able to continue handling myself as a mother.”

Schafer Farms was established in 1886. Today they raise pigs, cattle, crops and operate a transportation and trucking business as well. They have two sow farms where they raise genetics for Topigs Norsvin. Getting to work with her husband, her parents, Brandon and Monica, her grandparents, Pat and Lowell, and her brother, Max, and his wife, Hollie, has been a lifelong dream for Hokanson.

“I loved being involved in the farm from a young age,” she says. “From about second grade on, it was expected that we spend our weekends with dad on the farm, breeding and farrowing sows. Although I wasn’t like some farm kids who learned how to drive a tractor when they were 8, I sure knew how to breed a sow and collected a boar by that age.”

Living Out Her ‘Why’

As she became more involved in 4-H and FFA, she started doing livestock judging and participating in communication contests. She began to see the agriculture industry was much bigger than her own farm.

“In ninth grade, we took a careers class in high school that was required as part of graduation,” Hokanson says. “I explored ag communications and learned about promoting our product. That’s when I realized I was fascinated by talking to consumers about what we do on our farms.”

She connected with a Minnesota Pork Board program, Oink Outings. Through that program, she learned how to connect with consumers and advocate for the pork industry. This eventually led her to pursue a degree in ag communications at South Dakota State University, where was she named the commencement speaker in 2019.

“I spoke about a book by Simon Sinek, ‘Start with Why,’” Hokanson says. “It’s all about finding your why in life. I tried to focus on the fact that when you think about your ‘why’ and your ‘why’ resonates with every part of your life, then it doesn’t matter so much what you are doing if you are pursuing your ‘why.’”

She says her “why” since college continues to be to ensure a successful, thriving future for the generations she will never meet.

Eric, Scott, Brent and Maddie Hokanson

(LAURA KNOPIK )

“Whether I’m home with our boys, instilling values of faith, family and farming; at the farm office working on finances as the CFO; helping in the barn; or lobbying on behalf of the pork industry in D.C., my ‘why’ is the same,” Hokanson says. “All of those things help me fulfill my ‘why.’”

Hokanson’s son Brent is now 5, and Scott is 2. She hopes they will have the opportunity to be the eighth generation of farmers in her family. That’s why she devotes so much of her life to focusing on her ‘why’.

“Sometimes, what is best for the industry doesn’t have a short-term financial or other gain for your own individual farm,” she explains. “But it does benefit the industry in the long run – whether it’s with health, markets, traceability – being willing to do things that seem mundane or complex even when you don’t see any short-term gain individually is important. At the end of the day, a rising tide lifts all boats, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the rising tide comes in.”

Hokanson shares more about farm transition, parenthood and connecting with consumers on The PORK Podcast. You can watch it here on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are found.

Watch more episodes here.

One Mile at a Time: Life Lessons Learned in a Farm Truck

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:06:01 GMT

For a second, I wanted to close my eyes. Bouncing along the country roads of north-central Iowa with Mike Wenger took me back to riding with my grandpa when I was a kid. Our best conversations took place in his old farm truck.

I loved riding with grandpa when it was just the two of us. His truck smelled like cherry tobacco and was filled with the original fidget toys: wrenches, screws, fence testers and more. Of course, he also had candy in the seat protectors that he couldn’t resist sharing when I asked.

Those moments by his side opened the door to lessons I continue to take with me. A few came to mind recently:

1. It’s a good thing to put others first.
Riding around in his farm truck, I began to understand the important responsibility farmers take on to care for the land and livestock. Chores aren’t optional, and the livestock always come first. The selflessness my grandpa possessed helped me see the good things that can happen when you put others first — even if you can’t control all the other stuff.

2. Life is full of unexpected hardships — don’t give up.
Farming is hard. My grandpa passed away when I was 14. Though I really don’t understand firsthand what happened in the early 1980s, I remember hard days and difficult conversations that were too big for my ears. I have flashbacks of tears and sobs at the kitchen table. But oh, the farm truck. It was always there for grandpa to go take a drive in and figure out a new plan. He kept doing what he had to do in order to continue to farm.

3. Share your dreams with someone.
One of the things I loved most about riding in grandpa’s truck is telling him all about my dreams. It felt like a safe space to process my thoughts and ideas. There were no interruptions, and my quiet-natured grandpa could offer up his wisdom regarding my plans. He believed in me; and isn’t that the best gift someone can give you? I can still hear him telling me I had a good idea.

I don’t know why grandpa’s old brown Chevy truck came to mind when I jumped into Mike Wenger’s much nicer F-450 this past summer. But as I drove away from our interview, I was reminded about how much life gets lived in those trucks.

Wenger grew up riding around in a farm truck with his grandpa, too. It’s where he learned the value of hard work and sweat equity. It’s where he dreamed. It’s where he determined to create opportunities for his family.

Wenger’s story reminds me to work hard in life because it’s never too late to forge a new path. I admire his story of grit and redemption — of overcoming the mistakes of his past —to pursue his passion for the pork industry and helping farmers along the way.

Although our farm trucks might be equipped differently today, don’t miss the opportunity they present to connect with the people who mean the most to us in life. Maybe you have a rider to take along to do the chores or maybe it’s an opportunity to make a call to someone you love. Create the memories, have the conversations and find the good in the bumps ahead.

Read my 3-part series on Mike & Nick Wenger:
Grit and Redemption: How the Past Helps a Father and Son Build a Future in Pork

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Tragic Turn: Trailer of Show Pigs Bursts Into Flames on I-80

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:41:05 GMT

A car burning alongside I-80 held up traffic for miles.

(NDOT)

Igniting the Fire

“I remember my wife saying, ‘Traffic is starting to get bad,’” Rieck recalls. “I told her there was an accident up ahead and we’d get through it eventually.”

When he came upon the scene, he discovered a car burning alongside the road. By this time, he had rolled up his windows and slowly drove by the car. No emergency vehicles were on the scene, so Chad estimates the fire had probably started within three to five minutes of when he passed it.

“The front of the car was fully engulfed in flames,” Rieck describes. “The driver’s portion to the back of the car was starting to get hot – hot, hot flames. My fear of driving by was, ‘What if there’s a gas tank there, and that gas tank blows? That’s going to be bad.’”

When he drove by, something burst.

“It wasn’t the gas tank that blew, but something, whether it was a fuel line, a tire or whatever, blew a ‘poof’ of flames,” he says.

About a mile after he passed the car on fire – maybe one or two minutes at most – Rieck noticed smoke rolling out of the trailer. At first, he thought maybe some smoke from the fire got in through the open trailer windows. Then, he wondered if he blew a tire.

“I’m looking in the mirrors checking for that and continually rolling,” he says. “I see a semi behind me begin to flash his lights at me. That’s when I thought, ‘Okay, I’ve got problems.’”

Fortunately, he was coming upon an exit ramp. He jumped off the interstate and threw the truck in park as soon as he could.

“My wife’s still on the phone with me at this point,” he says. “I jump out of the truck and see the trucker running up with a couple of fire extinguishers. Because of him, I was able to get the back doors opened on the trailer. We got most of the flames down but didn’t have enough to get the fire completely out.”

When he opened the door, he saw that their banner-winning Poland China gilt was already dead, but the three other pigs were hanging on to life.

“The Poland gilt was on the back of the trailer and had somehow broken out of her pen trying to get away,” he says.

The burning trailer was caught on camera by the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT).

(NDOT)

Roadside Rescue

The fire picked up again as he tried to figure out how to get the pigs off the trailer.

“When I parked the trailer at the show, we left some tack in the trailer. So, I locked the ramp and the driver side walk-through door,” he explains. “I ran to get the key that I thought was in the truck, but there was no key there. Now, I’m just frantic.”

With no way to get to the three pigs still on the trailer, he grabbed for the big cart they hauled tack with that was standing upright in the back pen.

“Not a smart deal,” Rieck recalls. “I grabbed it with my hand, and now I’ve got some nice blisters. But even if I could have moved that cart, it wouldn’t have mattered. I had to get the pigs out the side ramp.”

The trucker ran back with a crowbar and Rieck broke the latches off the ramp door to get the ramp down. Flames greeted him. He was running out of options. He ran around to the other side’s ramp, broke that latch off and ended up getting two pigs out.

“The third pig was scared and wouldn’t come out, so I had to reach in through one of the sides to push her out,” he says. “I ended up with some burns on my arm from that, but I finally got her out.”

At this point, the trailer is still on fire. The trucker told Rieck to unhook his truck and pull it away from the trailer now that the pigs were out.

“I would have never thought of doing that,” he adds. “We had a gas can and small generator in the tack room of the trailer, so I went to work to get that out of there before we had an even bigger problem. Fortunately, the tack room was in decent shape, likely because there was a door between it and the main part of the trailer.”

Once the fire truck arrived, they focused on the trailer first. Megan Hobbs says she was able to gather buckets from the tack room to start filling to get to water all three pigs who were alive at the time. Unfortunately, they lost the Duroc, so they had to turn their focus to the remaining two.

(Megan Hobbs)

Meanwhile, people began showing up and helping with the pigs that were now scattered.

“I had one pig walking down the exit ramp,” Rieck says. “Meanwhile, one gilt was hunkered down under a tree in the ditch and the third was dying alongside the exit ramp. I’m in shock at this point – walking around and asking myself why.”

Stock show people he had never met before like Joe and Megan Hobbs of Newton, Kan., turned around and came back to help.

“As soon as we arrived at the scene, there was another young lady who worked for Legacy Livestock Imaging that had also stopped to help,” explains Megan Hobbs. “We immediately just jumped into action getting any and all water available to help cool the pigs down. At the beginning all we had was cooler water and water bottles. In those situations you don’t ask for permission, you just go with what your gut tells you to do.”

(Chad Rieck)

A Little Bit Ironic

When the York Fire Department showed up, they quickly went to work extinguishing the fire in the trailer. Hobbs says she kept running water back and forth from the firetruck to the people caring for the gilts alongside the road.

“God put us in the right place at the right time,” Hobbs says. “We trusted our gut turning around to go help as we just knew it was probably one of our own from the livestock industry that needed help.”

The firefighters on the scene also reached out to a firefighter in a nearby department, David May, who had show pigs.

“I received a call from dispatch when I was about 5 miles from my farm heading home with pigs from the show,” May says. “They said there was a vehicle fire involving a trailer with larger pigs and asked if I could help wrangle and haul the surviving pigs. Of course, I didn’t hesitate and was already on the move.”

May devised a plan to get his pigs off his trailer quickly and navigate through the piled-up interstate traffic.

“I had my 16-year-old daughter Braxtyn with me, so we began talking through things on the drive there,” May says. “I even joked with her, ‘It’s probably someone who kicked our butt today.’ But that didn’t cause either of us to hesitate to help however possible.”

When May got to the scene, he immediately recognized the pickup. It had been parked directly beside his truck during loadout about 45 minutes ago.

“I recognized the people and confirmed I didn’t know them,” May says. “I parked and walked up to assess and gather information. Within a minute, another Iowa trailer showed up to get the live hogs. We discussed what to do with the now two deceased pigs. I offered to put them on my trailer and dispose.”

After all the pigs were on trailers and the firefighters had inspected Rieck’s trailer to confirm it was safe to haul home, Rieck went over to talk to Braxtyn and thank her for coming to help.

Hollynn Rieck’s Champion Poland and Third Overall Purebred Breeding Gilt at Aksarben.

(Legacy Livestock Imaging)

“For some reason, I wanted to try to cheer this kid up who had just seen this devastation,” Rieck says. “I tried to distract her by asking if she showed a pig that day, and she said, ‘Yes, I was third place with my Poland gilt.’”

It was definitely a little ironic, both dads admit. Their kids had been competing against each other just a few hours earlier. They loaded their pigs up beside each other and took off about the same time. As they got back into their trucks and trailers for the second time that day, they both spent some time reflecting on their drive home.

A Case of Bad Luck

Hollynn drove her dad back in the truck and trailer because he was still in shock. All Rieck could think about was what he could have done differently.

“I saw a number of trailers roll right on by as we stood there with the trailer smoldering,” Rieck says. “I know the next time I see a car fire, I’m going to feel like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights. I’m going to be like, ‘Don’t drive through it.’ Maybe I could have gotten in the ditch more, but that’s not safe either.”

It was the kind of incident that you could never predict, May says. Typically, a trailer fire starts with a bad wheel bearing, then the wheel gets hot or locks up. Eventually, the tire catches on fire and results in heavy black smoke that’s easily visible.

(Chad Rieck)

“Most livestock trailer fires start on the outside of the trailer,” May says. “But this fire started inside the trailer. This was a completely freak accident.”

The odds of something hot coming off the car at the precise moment Rieck drove by while also entering the trailer is one in trillions, he adds.

“It’s a bad-luck lottery. It could never have been predicted,” May says. “But, just like so many instances in life, you just have to react and adapt as plans change.”

Still, Rieck says he learned some valuable lessons going through this experience. He will make sure his next trailer has fire extinguishers. He won’t travel with his doors locked on his trailer. He’s also going to invest in some wireless cameras to put into his trailer.

Stock Show Support

When they returned home, a veterinarian confirmed the gilts who survived the trailer fire needed to be euthanized, as their injuries were too severe. Rieck says it was hard on Hollynn to walk through an empty pig barn the next day. Although it’s not an uncommon thing, as every show season comes to an end, this was not the ending she expected. She had high hopes of taking the Poland gilt to the American Royal in a few weeks.

Hollynn won Champion Poland China Gilt and Third Overall Purebred Breeding Gilt at Aksarben.

(Amy Rieck)

For Rieck, the hardest part was calling the breeders who leased them the gilts and telling them what happened.

“The personal financial portion of this isn’t much compared to having to contact those breeders and let them know about the fire,” Rieck says. “We work with Hunter Langholff to get some of our pigs. I can only imagine what the conversation was like with me screaming and yelling about the pigs right after it happened. I’ll never forget Hunter calmly saying, ‘Do not worry about that. These breeders will only care that you, Hollynn and Amy are fine. Pigs can be replaced.’”

With a few tears in his eyes, Rieck says he never wants to take his stock show friends for granted.

“Stock show people are pretty special,” he adds. “Because guess what? We all wanted to win that day. We raise our kids in the show ring and in the show barn for a reason. It’s so we can be around these people. My daughter is going to be a much stronger person because of the experiences that she’s had winning and losing in the show ring and yes, even going through this trailer fire.”

Hollynn says she’s already learned a lot from the fire.

“I am so thankful for all of the people who stopped to help us during our emergency,” she says. “This is living proof that the stock show industry is the best thing to be a part of. The amount of love, thoughts and prayers I have received from people has been astronomical. At the end of the day, I am just grateful my family is ok and that I will forever be a part of such an amazing industry.”

As May reflects on what happened, he says he’s not surprised by the overwhelming support people provided to the Rieck family.

“It’s what we do for each other in all aspects of agriculture, not just livestock,” May says. “I’m glad I was able to assist as needed here and glad my daughter was able to see value in helping others even when it’s not always pretty fairy dust and rainbows.”

Australian Pig Farmer Embarks on 10,000-Mile Journey to Explore U.S. Pork Industry

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 16:36:36 GMT

Nearly 10,000 miles away, Australian pork producer Shaun Blenkiron decided to check off an item on his bucket list: travel to the United States to see how U.S. pig farms operate and attend the World Pork Expo.

As part of the 2025 Australian Pork Limited Pork Leadership Course (PLC), Blenkiron was one of six applicants chosen out of a pool of 30 pork producers representing pig farms across Australia.

“Back in February, the six of us rolled up to our first session. We had never met each other before and were thrown in the deep end with a course designed to build relationships and find everyone’s strengths and weaknesses,” Blenkiron says. “The connection we formed back then is something we’ll never find again – it was pretty special.”

In addition to this, Australian journalist and celebrity Shelly Horton led the group in a media training session where the delegates were “thrown under the bus” and taught how to answer tough questions on camera, he says.

(Provided by Shaun Blenkiron)

But the best part of the program – the international tour to the U.S. – was an opportunity he will never forget. The group toured through farms in California, Colorado and Iowa.

“It’s been unbelievable,” Blenkiron says. “The agriculture scene here has a great future with the kids coming up in it. That really stood out to me during our tours. There’s a lot of excitement among your younger generation.”

The U.S. Opportunity
From almond farms and buffalo ranches to beef feedlots and catfish farms, the young Australian leaders were exposed to a variety of agricultural pursuits during their tour to the U.S. One of the “wow moments” for Blenkiron was touring Brenneman Farms in Iowa.

(Provided by Shaun Blenkiron)

“The innovation, technology and the tidiness of the place was unbelievable,” he says. “Their willingness to adapt struck me. They are very nice people working at a big scale in pork production. It blew my mind how it was done so efficiently.”

One of the biggest takeaways from his tour in the U.S. was the impressive litter sizes in the U.S.

“U.S. litter size is unbelievably higher than ours,” Blenkiron says. “I think that goes with being so efficient. The Brennemans’ operation is down to the T, and I know they aren’t the only operation like that.”

He says the other big difference between U.S. and Australian pork production is the difference in margin per pig.

“I noticed your margin per pig is not very high compared to ours,” Blenkiron says. “I guess that’s why the U.S. is in such a large scale. If we were making $10 or $15 a head at home, I’d be broke tomorrow.”

Gumshire Pork — Barossa Valley, South Australia

(John Kruger )

Raising Pigs in South Australia
The Blenkiron family operates a multi-generational farm, Gumshire Pork, in South Australia. It consists of a 300-sow purebred Hampshire, Large White and Landrace farrow-to-finish operation and a boar stud.

“We could expand to 500 sows space-wise, but we are sticking to 300 for now, working on adding value, improving what we actually have, particularly with the Hampshire breed,” he says.

Gumshire Pork operates out of straw-based eco shelters in an open housing system. He says the only time pigs are on slats is when they are in the farrowing rooms.

Gumshire Pork — Barossa Valley, South Australia

(Photo: John Krüger)

“In Australia, we’re stall free,” he says. “Our country is also beginning to push for lactating stall free pens as well. Companies at home are innovating things to put in place with the lactating open pens rather than a farrowing crate. I know Europe had pushed it. So that means we have to be on the front foot and ready for it here, too.”

Gumshire Pork markets its own meat label. They supply many butchers in the local area throughout the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley.

“Hampshire pork is going brilliantly,” Blenkiron says. “The demand is massive. We’ve won Champion Pork Product the last two years in a row through the Sydney Fine Foods Awards.”

He says selling private-label pork is a good business now.

“The Australian pork industry is at a high and looking to improve this year,” he adds. “Pork demand is up and consumption in Australia has increased. We’ve got more fresh cuts in our supermarkets compared to the U.S. The selection of fresh cuts seems very limited here in the grocery stores we toured.”

Editor Jennifer Shike caught this picture of the Gumshire Pork label at a winery in the Barossa Valley in 2019.

(Jennifer Shike)

What Health Challenges do Australian Pig Farmers Face?
Although he couldn’t wait to get back to his farm and see his family, Blenkiron’s return took a while as the Australian producers completed a week quarantine off their farms. They bought boots and shoes at Wal-Mart and left them in the U.S. to avoid bringing back any disease, Blenkiron says.

“We don’t have problems with diseases like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) in Australia,” he says. “The clothes we took to pig farms were all thrown out. We never touched a pig, but we were still in their air space and want to take extra biosecurity precautions.”

Gumshire Pork — Barossa Valley, South Australia

( John Krüger)

One of his country’s biggest health challenges now is Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), an emerging zoonotic disease transmitted by JEV-infected mosquitos.

“How do you control a mosquito? You can’t control a mosquito and the water birds that move JEV around,” Blenkiron says. “Where we are located is lucky in this case. We’re too dry to get a buildup of mosquitoes, and it gets too cold in the winter.”

African swine fever (ASF) is on the minds of many Australian pork producers who know the virus is “knocking at the door,” but he says that’s the same challenge the U.S. faces, too.

How Pork Power Couple Rob and Char Brenneman Built a Legacy

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 16:10:07 GMT

Although Rob and Char Brenneman approach driving differently, their team is quick to point out they are both good drivers.

“Rob is the gas pedal and Char is the brakes,” says Erin Brenneman, their daughter-in-law and education and event coordinator at Brenneman Pork. “Nobody is slamming on either pedal unnecessarily and there is always a check and balance in play.”

That check-and-balance approach has helped the couple turn Rob’s childhood hog project into a thriving pork business today. They survived the farm crisis of the 1980s, overcame industry challenges and quit their day jobs in the late 1980s to focus on building their hog operation in Washington, Iowa.

“We committed to raising pigs,” Rob says. “When feeder pigs turned around and we had all the debt paid off, it felt like it would work. We thought we knew how to raise pigs better than anybody, so we said, ‘we’re going to continue to do this.’”

It Was Always Plan A
Every year since 1988, they put up a building to expand their business. They eventually formed a corporation. Together, they worked to grow their dream. Char credits that Rob’s passion kept her going, but Rob says it was Char that kept him going.

“Without her, it would have not worked at all,” he says.

(Provided by Rob and Char Brenneman)

He also credits his FFA teacher Duane Sprouse for giving him one of the best pieces of advice when Rob was a freshman in high school.

“I asked Mr. Sprouse how a person farms and gets big like other guys,” Rob says. “He told me, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ I’ve never forgotten that. He inspired a desire in me to never give up.”

Lindsay Greiner, Rob’s best friend, recently reminded Rob that he never had a plan B – that it was only going to work as a plan A.

“He was right – plan B was not an option. Failure was not an option,” Rob says. “We were going to make it work, whether it took all night, all day, or whatever. And that’s what we did, that’s what built our business.”

Humbling Moments
In the midst of expanding Brenneman Pork, Rob says he learned a valuable lesson taking a job with UPS.

“I learned how to organize,” he explains. “When you left that center, your truck was organized. You knew exactly where you were going. When I got to Washington, if I didn’t get there by 9:15 a.m., the Pepsi truck was in the alleyway, and you were toast for two hours. You had to make sure nothing was going to stop you from being to this point by 9:14 because you did not want to get behind the Pepsi truck.”

He says that helped him build his pig business more efficiently and profitably. The rules were strict, and the lines were drawn. Rob was known for keeping the pressure on his employees.

One morning he vividly recalls when he was working in weaning with some of his team and things just weren’t going right.

“I kind of went ballistic,” Rob admits. “We had five employees, and all five of them walked out the door. I came back to the kitchen to see Char. She was getting breakfast ready, and I looked at her, and I said, ‘Honey, what are we going to do?’”

Char says her response was pretty pointed that day.

“I said, ‘No, what are you going to do?’” she recalls.

Rob realized at that point that something had to change.

“I learned I had to maintain the heat to get things done, but I had to do it in a better way,” he says. “Char coached me through that. I got a few employees to come back and then we started picking up a few employees here and there. It took a lot of coaching from Char.”

Performance Reviews and Buzzers
Establishing a positive culture at Brenneman Pork has been critical to the farm’s growth.

“It’s a work in progress,” Char says. “It’s all about getting the right people in the right spot, and that’s often trial and error. However, a lot of that is treating people right and showing them your expectations. If they know your expectations (and you can communicate and they can communicate back), it’ll get there.”

People want to be successful, Rob points out. That’s why he studies the performance of his employees to figure out how they can be better.

(National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff)

“I don’t expect anybody to do anything that I haven’t or won’t do,” he says. “Every time I pass off a job, I want to see how we can improve. Because if we make it better, it’s better for the pig and it’s better for the employee.”

There are many examples of how Rob pushed the gas on expanding Brenneman Pork, while Char hit the brakes.

“Every time I’d have an idea, I’d say, ‘We need to add gestation crates, honey.’ And she would say, ‘How soon do we have to add farrowing crates?’” Rob shares. “Then I’d say, ‘Oh, we’ll be all right.’ Six months later, I’d say, “We need to have some farrowing crates.’ That went on for 15 years.”

He quickly realized if he could sell Char on an idea, he could sell the bank on it. If he couldn’t sell Char on it, it wasn’t going to happen. She says it’s important to be able to be up front and talk about everything in the business.

“Not a lot of husband and wives can work side by side for years,” she says.

And through those years, they’ve learned how to make it work, even when Rob made poor decisions to “buzz her in the rear end with the buzzer” while loading pigs.

“That was a problem,” she laughs. “I taught him he could load pigs himself when that happened!”

Bigger Than Family
The family legacy the Brennemans have created is special. Rob says he prays every day and night that his kids and grandkids can have the opportunity to be involved in the family operation.

“The pork business is great,” he says. “We get a lot of bad raps, but I think as we continue to do what we do, we will be more appreciated as time goes on.”

Char hopes their pork operation is an opportunity for young people in their community, too.

“We want them to be in agriculture,” Char says. “There are so many different avenues that you can go. It’s not just taking care of a pig. You can be an accountant, a mechanic, an electrician, and all of it can be right here at Brenneman Pork.”

Find out how Rob and Char built their business, discover Rob’s thoughts about leading the National Pork Producers Council in 2026 and find out how Brenneman Pork has benefited from TN visa labor in the 26th episode of The PORK Podcast. Watch this episode on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are found.

There's No Tired Like State Fair Tired

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:58:46 GMT

You don’t know tired until you know end-of-state-fair tired. I’m on day 1,247 of the state fair or so it feels today. I’m not sure what day of the week it is or what’s happening in the next hour. I know I showered today, but it probably wasn’t obvious as I was instantly covered in dirt, sweat and who knows what within my first hour in the barn.

I realize I am not the only one who feels this way as I’m greeted by fellow show parents suffering from the same affliction. We knowingly nod and putter on, cleaning pens, tidying up our tack areas and adding more ice to the cooler.

Sadly, state fair mini donuts and coffee aren’t enough to wake us from the state fair stupor.

But goodness, it’s a good kind of tired. It’s the kind of tired that reminds me there is nothing better than working hard for something and knowing you gave it your best.

It’s the kind of tired knowing that this week you anticipate all year is coming to an end, requiring you to move on to the next thing. But truth be told, you just want time to stand still for a few minutes so you can soak it all in through those tired eyes.

Because these are the moments we live for as show parents.

The fierce determination on her face as she takes her first sheep into the show ring at the state fair.

(Cindy’s Livestock Photos)
The conversations and coaching on the way to the show ring.

(Jennifer Shike)
The laughter of kids united by a common passion, kids who see the world through a different lens than others.

(Jennifer Shike)

The friend who always steps in to help without being asked.

(Jennifer Shike)

The smile she can’t contain as she shakes the judge’s hand.

(BROOKLYNN SALO/Cindy’s Livestock Photos)
The connection between kids and animals that reminds you there are some places in your heart that humans can’t fill.

(Jennifer Shike)

We live a lot of life in these show barns. Some of it’s fun to talk about and some of it’s not. But in the good times and in the tough times, we grow and we learn. We find out how to understand others better and we realize this world isn’t all about us. We get humbled, we get praised, we get hurt, we get redeemed, and we gain perspective.

These tired eyes aren’t just for lack of sleep during state fair week, but rather for a lot of life lived.

Parents aren’t the only tired ones!

(Jennifer Shike)

Read More: No, He’s Not a Buffalo: Why We Can’t Avoid Their Questions Anymore

North Carolina Farmer Bridges Past, Present and Future of Pig Care

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:25:25 GMT

by Tracy Sellers

In the small town of Clinton, North Carolina, pig farmer James Lamb is the living embodiment of the old TV sitcom Cheers’ theme song, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” With a population of around 8,300, nearly everyone in the town knows James Lamb—in part because his farming family has been embedded in the community for decades, and in part due to his mindset of working to improve the natural resources he’s been entrusted with for future generations in Clinton and beyond.

“I’ve always had this ideology that I like to turn good into great,” Lamb says.

In a small rural farming community, everyone knowing your name means you’re more than just a neighbor—you’re part of a close-knit circle. It comes with a deep sense of belonging, and a pride in the land to ensure that it is taken care of for the people living around you, now and in the future.

A Farm Rooted in Tradition

Lamb learned these life lessons early on as he followed his father around their 75-acre family farm in Clinton, yearning to learn all he could about agriculture. There was no doubt in his mind he would follow in his father’s footsteps as he rode around on the tractor with his dad as they worked on their small, but profitable farm, that was started by his grandfather and where they grew cucumbers, okra corn, soybeans and raised pigs along with a small herd of cattle too. All that he learned about the farm from his dad would be put to the test in a grueling way in March of 1990, when his father was killed in automobile accident, and the task of running part of the family farm was put on to the younger Lamb, who was just a teenager at the time.

While still in high school, Lamb balanced his studies with work on his family farm. After graduating, he continued working weekends on the farm while enrolling in North Carolina State University’s School of Agricultural Engineering. He earned his B.S. in Agriculture and Environmental Technology in 1996. And it was during college, that he made a pivotal choice to intern with a North Carolina company called Prestage Farms—a decision that would shape his future career.

Prestage Farms is a multi-generational, family-owned and operated pork and poultry producer and processor. Established in 1983 by Marsha and Bill Prestage, the company is now run by their sons Ron, Scott, and John—who proudly carry on the family tradition of producing the highest quality poultry and pork. Today, a third generation is also actively involved in the business, ensuring that the Prestage legacy of innovation and agricultural excellence continues well into the future. Their corporate office remains in Clinton, North Carolina—a location that’s no accident, but a reflection of their deep roots and commitment to their community.

Lamb diligently cares for the pigs in his care, using sustainable practices that both protect the environment and promote healthy growth.

(Kevin Ulrich/UC Davis)

While Clinton might be small in population, it is big when it comes to pig production. Clinton is in Sampson County, which is the state’s top agriculture county. The county ranks #2 in hog production and plays a critical role in North Carolina’s economy.

John Prestage is the president of Prestage Farms and takes great pride in the company’s commitment to responsible practices within the industry.

“The sustainable thing we can always do is we always need to strive to be better and get more efficient and take less feed and less resources to turn that into meat,” Prestage says. “And that is still in my opinion the most important sustainability goal to have—the efficiency and the execution of that to produce meat affordably.

Once his internship was complete, Lamb went on to accept a job as the environment specialist for Prestage Farms in 2003, which was a natural fit for Lamb.

“As a kid growing up on a farm and in nature, I always had a fondness for nature and the environment,” Lamb said. “That kind of spurred my education and beyond, because I found it easier to learn things I was interested in.”

Protecting the environment is now part of his everyday life, in his role as an environmental and manure-management specialist at Prestage Farms. He helps partner growers with Prestage in the Carolinas comply with state environmental regulations, including practices like recycling pig manure and using it as fertilizer on pastures and cropland. Lamb is also involved in research to find ways for pig farms to further reduce their carbon footprint and recycle nutrients by finding other uses of manure, such as for energy. He also helps Prestage contract growers obtain and keep necessary permits as well.

“James (in his sustainability role) works with people, and he doesn’t tell them what to do and so people like him more and respect him more because of this,” Prestage says.

As an environmental specialist spanning eight counties in North Carolina and one in South Carolina, Lamb has become a familiar name in the field. Along the way, he’s built not just a network of colleagues, but a circle of people who know him by name — and many of them have gone on to become lifelong friends.

One of those he calls a friend, and colleague, is Roy Lee Lindsey, CEO of the North Carolina Pork Council.

“I’ve known James Lamb for more than 20 years, going back to our time together at national pork industry meetings when I was with the Oklahoma Pork Council,” said Lindsey. “From day one, James stood out. He’s devoted countless hours representing North Carolina’s pork industry — locally, statewide, and nationally — through committee work, public events, and policy discussions.”

Lindsey went on to add that, “What sets James apart is his deep appreciation for environmental stewardship and sustainability. He speaks with clarity and credibility about how today’s hog farmers care for their animals, protect natural resources, and help feed families not just in North Carolina, but across the nation and the world. His voice carries weight because it’s rooted in experience — and because he truly believes in what our farmers are doing. James is the kind of leader who earns respect through hard work and humility. He doesn’t just represent agriculture — he embodies its values.”

While people might recognize his name, it’s the connections and friendships that Lamb has formed that matter most to him.

“It’s like my dad used to say, before cell phones, when you travel, always try to make a new friend,” Lamb said. “Because you never know when you might need their help or can help them.”

Raising Pigs the Right Way: Animal Care Comes First

Helping others comply with environmental regulations was just part of Lamb’s duties when he started at Prestage Farms. The other part was learning the various stages of pork production, and he quickly realized he was drawn to the nursery operation side of pork production. He went on to become a contract grower for Prestage Farms, eventually building a pig nursery farm on the same parcel of land near where he grew up in Clinton.

He receives weaned pigs at 21 days of age and keeps them for seven weeks or until they’re about 50-60 pounds and then sends them to finishing farms until they reach their market weight.

Lamb diligently cares for the pigs in his care, using sustainable practices that both protect the environment and promote healthy growth.

He and his family manage the nursery operation and grow corn, soybeans, millet, sunflowers, and Bermuda grass. Over the years Lamb has constructed two swine barns to house his animals and added a security system that monitors room temperatures, feed delivery, water pressure and power — all of which can be easily checked via his cell phone, so he’s never far away from being in touch with what’s going on with his animals. While technology can help, the human element is what takes a good farmer to being a great farmer, and for Lamb, that means walking through the pig barns every day to ensure his animals are healthy.

Animal welfare for pigs is a crucial part of sustainability. Healthy pigs that live in a stress-free environment and are well cared for are the cornerstone to success for a farmer. In addition, healthy animals strengthen the entire food system, making it more economically resilient.

“A good grower knows how each of his animals is doing and if you were to ask James, he would know the answer because he knows about each of his animals—he wants to grow the best pigs around,” said Prestage.

Lamb enforces a strict biosecurity program at the nursery on his farm, including air filtration to prevent airborne diseases, mandatory shower procedures for farm personnel, and disposable boots and coveralls for farm visitors. The farm maintains certifications with Pork Quality Assurance, affirming its commitment to implementing best practices. Lamb Family Farms also follows the “We Care” principles, an industry-wide initiative that promotes responsible practices in all areas of farming, whether animal well-being, food safety, environmental stewardship or community commitment.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Director of the CLEAR Center, toured Lamb’s farm and saw firsthand the deep respect and care Lamb shows for his animals.

“He’s dealing with three-weak-old-piglets. These animals are just weaned off their mum, and that’s a period when they are very susceptible still to any kind of stressful conditions or disease,” Mitloehner said. “So you have to be very careful in how you raise those animals. It’s much like just think of a birthing station in a hospital, and those little infants that just taken off their mum to be treated in a certain way. They have to be treated with great care, because otherwise they can get sick very quickly or even die. So, if you don’t have that down to the fine art, you are not in this business.”

Mitloehner went onto add, “When I see a farmer walking the farm in the morning, I see people who really deeply care for those animals. It’s not a thing; it’s a living being.”

Sustainability Practices in Pig Farming Lead to Innovation

In agriculture, conserving resources like water, soil, and energy are essential parts to sustainability—it’s about farming in a way that protects the land, supports long-term productivity, and ensures future generations can continue to grow and thrive. This sort of conservation, with long-term goals in mind is something Lamb can trace back to his parents for instilling in him.

“Well, the things I learned from my family, my parents both grew up, probably in the Great Depression era, so they used to have a garden we had large gardens in addition to the farm for our own consumption. And my mother, every summer, she would preserve fruits and vegetables for the winter months. They were always conservative. They’d always try to find ways to reuse things that we had in the past to use in the future.”

Farmers are the original conservationists—they are tied to the land more than anyone and therefore they staunchly protect and conserve the natural resources they are entrusted with and reusing, recycling and rethinking are part of being a farmer. And for Lamb, and other pig farmers, waste management and ensuring there is minimal environmental impact on the land is crucial for sustaining agriculture, now and in the future.

Manure on Lamb’s farm is handled in a pit recharge system. Waste falls through slits and is drained weekly by gravity flow to an anaerobic lagoon. Solids break down through the anaerobic process, and water is recycled back under the pit for the next cycle.

Each year, he pumps liquid from the lagoon and applies it to Bermuda grass fields. The system is designed to have zero environmental impact: the plants absorb the nutrients, and when the grass is harvested, those nutrients are removed from the land. The goal is balance—applying only what the crops can take up, leaving no excess behind in the soil.

Sustainability usually involves maximizing resources and solving unique challenges with clever and creative solutions. It takes creativity to reimagine what’s possible and challenge the norm.

Lamb has used ingenuity to help develop a tool which he affectionally calls a “sludge boat.” It is a remote-controlled boat that is used to measure the sludge depth in anaerobic lagoons, a measurement that is required by the state. The boat carrying a sonar device similar to a depth-finder for fishing and is propelled by a leaf blower. A transducer sends a sonar signal toward the bottom of the lagoon, and when it hits the top of the sludge it bounces back. Using a lagoon depth measurement initially taken with a pole and the current water level, he can easily calculate the depth of the sludge.

Lamb’s “sludge boat” is a specialized vessel that carefully monitors the buildup of sludge in the lagoon at his farm. This technology is crucial to supporting sustainable manure management.

“This is important because anything that’s inorganic, like ash, sand and soil—will sink to the bottom and is called sludge,” Dr. Mitloehner said. “And that sludge builds up and the more it builds up, the less workable space there is for the microbes to actually digest the material in the lagoon.”

“There is a minimum liquid level that must be maintained in the lagoon at all times, and the sludge level should not exceed 50%,” Lamb explained.

The boat helps him to measure and monitor this and in North Carolina, they must do an annual sludge survey where they calculate the percentage of solids versus liquids in an anaerobic lagoon. Lamb is working with his alma mater, North Carolina State to create more of these sludge boats to make sampling waste lagoons easier and safer.

Through his innovative practices that help to reduce waste, conserve water, and improve soil health, he’s setting an example of how modern pig farming can support both productivity and environmental stewardship. Using creativity to solve today’s problems is what Lamb has used as his North Star to protect resources on his farm. This is part of his life mantra of turning “good into great” and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Lamb was named “Outstanding Pork Producer” in 2016 by the North Carolina Pork Council and in 2020 he was named “North Carolina Farmer of the Year” by the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation.

“James Lamb is one of the most dedicated, responsible and visionary pork producers I know, and all of North Carolina’s pork sector has benefitted from his involvement,” said North Carolina Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding. “He has truly been a model of how to care for the environment, care for animals and advocate effectively for the needs and future of North Carolina pork.”

Grounded in Their Land: Family Keeps Pig Farm Going

While Lamb manages the day-to-day workload of the farm today, it has been a family affair to keep the farm going. His mom, Thelma, now in her 90’s, at one time handled all the finances of the farm and was a fixture in the pig barns, diligently recording temperatures and the feed of the piglets in their care, every day.

“When I was younger, I just loved being in the barn with the pigs and looking after them,” she fondly recalled.

And Lamb’s daughters, Maegan and Kensley help on the farm when they can, but have also forged their own future, studying law and pharmaceutic studies. Lamb’s wife, Felicia worked in education for many years before semi-retiring and opening a small clothing boutique named, “Country Threads,” on Main Street in downtown Clinton, where people drop in to shop and of course, ask about James and the farm. Such is life in a rural community, where everybody knows your name.

And today the Lamb name stands as the enduring legacy of a family that is as closely tied to their community as to their land. Both of have been shaped by years of care and devotion by the family.

“It is of extreme importance to a farmer like James, that the land that he has control over, which is in his family for generations, that is his legacy,” Mitloehner said. “And of course, he wants to make sure that this land is passed on to the next generation. And so that is really the legacy of a farmer, and the pride of a farmer to maintain the quality of that land, of that water, of the resources they have. And here is just one of those examples that the world can see and that shows how deeply they care.”

In a small rural farming community, having everyone know your name means you’re woven into the fabric of the place—it’s trust built over generations, and the quiet pride of being known and valued for who you are and the work you have done. And that you continue to do, every day.

Indeed, upholding the Lamb name means preserving a rich legacy; forging a path forward that is grounded in tradition and resiliency.

“My dad was always worried about the family farm and so that’s what motivates me to keep going and keep doing what I’m doing,” Lamb said. “I think he’d be proud of me.”

Lamb added that “When your job is that thing you look forward to every day, then I think it’s right and it’s the right thing for me.”

Breaking Boundaries Event Helps All Kids Shine in the Pig Show Ring

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 22:38:17 GMT

An inclusive event at the Ohio State Fair offers participants between the ages of 9 and 22 with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities the opportunity to shine inside the swine show arena.

This is the third annual Breaking Boundaries Pig Show, which is presented by the Ohio Pork Council (OPC).

Dozens of youth mentors from across the state, who are part of OPC’s OH-PIGS swine exhibition program, are paired with a Breaking Boundaries participant. These mentors offer individualized and appropriate instructions on how to care for, handle, and show a pig in front of a live audience of supporters, guest judges, and the show’s emcee, Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge.

“We’re so thrilled to have these special youth and their families come out and be a part of this program each year,” says Kelly Morgan, OH-PIGS director. “We are also so proud of youth mentors who truly want to serve in this role to be able to bond with these youth who can often be the same age. It just shows how much the pig community cares.”

Youth from across Ohio participated in the third-annual Breaking Boundaries show at the Ohio State Fair, presented by the Ohio Pork Council. Cheryl Day, Ohio Pork Council Executive Vice President (in blue shirt center), was surrounded by the excited youth mentors and participants along with key supporters, such as Nathan Shroeder, OPC President, and Kelly Morgan, OH-PIGS Director (both back right).

(Ohio Pork Council)

Echoing this sentiment is Ava Genter, an OH-PIGS mentor, she sums up her feelings on behalf of her peers.

“This program highlights how agriculture, and the pork industry in particular, has a strong sense of community,” she says. “It’s comforting to know that we all look out for each other, including new friends. Breaking Boundaries allows us to demonstrate this and show others that we’re here to support them no matter the circumstances. We’re here to cheer them on and give them the resources they need to succeed.”

Mentors and their families from the OH-PIGS program provide the event’s show pigs and share knowledge and expertise during their time with the youth participants.

It’s an opportunity for Ohio pig farming families to give back to their communities.

“It’s just a true honor to be in the show arena with these special young people and everyone who is giving of their time and talents to make a difference to these families,” says Cheryl Day, OPC executive vice president. “We’re incredibly pleased to bring this to the state fair each year and bring some true joy to people.”

Young Author Tackles Show Pig Journey in First Book: 'Bye-Bye Buddy'

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:53:06 GMT

It’s the time of the year that many stock show parents dread and struggle to talk about with their kids – the end of the show season.

That’s one of the reasons why 20-year-old Isabelle Doherty decided to write Bye-Bye Buddy, a book about the sensitive subject of saying goodbye to your show animals.

During a literacy class last year at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, she learned what it takes to make a good children’s book. An early childhood and special education major, she says she has always wanted to write a book about this topic because she thinks it could help kids.

“I’m not a writer, and I’m not an illustrator,” Doherty says. “But I knew this was a topic that needed to be talked about and that kids needed something to look at when they’re having to say goodbye to their best friends.”

Bye-Bye Buddy is written and illustrated by Isabelle Doherty.

(Jennifer Shike)

For Alex Bobell, a 10-year-old show pig exhibitor from Illinois, that’s one of the things she appreciates about the book.

“I love this book!” Bobell says. “It showed me that I am not the only one who gets sad when I have to say good-bye to my pigs at the end of the year. The pictures were also so good.”

Wravenna Bloomberg, a mother of four youth livestock exhibitors from Illinois, was one of the first to read Doherty’s book.

“What a sweet story depicting the bond between show pig and showman,” Bloomberg says. “The amount of time young exhibitors spend with their show animals creates a special relationship with memories far beyond that animal’s show career. I love how this story highlights this, while making it an easy read for young children.”

The Show Pig Journey
Doherty has been showing pigs since she was 3 years old. Her book explores the journey of the show pig project, including all of her own illustrations.

Isabelle Doherty reads her book, “Bye-Bye Buddy,” at a special event during the Team Purebred National Junior Show in Springfield, Ill.

(Showpig.com)

“The process of writing this book was difficult because I had to teach myself everything,” she says. “I couldn’t have done it without my parents and my family. I did not show them the book until it was finished, though. I wanted it to be something special and get the reaction when it was done and when it was printed.”

Her parents have served as her inspiration throughout her show career and the development of this book, Doherty points out.

“The show pig industry has been my life,” she says. “Now, it’s not every piece of my life, because there’s a bigger world out there. But what we take from this industry can help us impact that bigger world.”

Although she isn’t pursuing an agriculture-related degree, she believes the foundation she’s developed in agriculture will impact all of the children she meets in her future classrooms.

“I can’t wait to spread the love from this industry and what it has taught me to my future students,” Doherty says.

Of all the lessons she’s learned in the show ring, she hopes the industry will remember that the youth show industry is not about the breeders, feeders or fitters.

“This is about the kids,” she says. “We need to stay on track to that by placing value on showmanship and the contests, too. It is not about the place you get in class. That’s what’s so important about this industry and what it has taught me.”

McRib Tops Menu Items Most Missed by McDonald's Fans

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:38:32 GMT

What is the most missed McDonald’s item that fans are craving? Pork lovers won’t be surprised that the No.1 wanted comeback is the McRib, a pork patty shaped like a rack of ribs, smothered in barbecue sauce.

A recent study analyzed searches for over 70 discontinued McDonald’s items, ranging from the McPizza to the Hula Burger.

It’s clear the McRib that debuted in Kansas City in 1981 and was released nationwide in 1982 is a fan favorite. It was permanently removed from the menu in 2005 and has made several limited-time returns, including a “farewell tour” in 2022.

The McRib averages 95,425 monthly searches as compared to the No. 2 item listed - Snack Wraps.

Snack Wraps averages 41,950 searches a month. After nearly a decade off menus and years of fan petitions, the beloved item is making a comeback this year. Featuring various types of chicken, lettuce, and cheese wrapped in a warm tortilla, Snack Wraps inspired dozens of petitions, one of which received nearly 18,800 signatures.

In third place, fans ranked Spicy Chicken McNuggets with an average of 10,093 searches a month, according to the research carried out by online calculator site Infinity Calculator. Spicy Chicken McNuggets have made a limited return to select restaurants in cities like Phoenix and Dallas. First introduced in 2020, they’ve appeared nationally only a handful of times as a limited time offering but have primarily been a regional item since 2022.

“In 1940, McDonald’s opened its first-ever U.S. restaurant in San Bernardino, Calif. The store had a menu packed with classics, such as the brand’s beloved hamburgers and cheeseburgers,” explains Jehan Wadia, CEO of Infinity Calculator, in a release. “Since then, McDonald’s has expanded its menu to include hundreds of items. While some have stood the test of time, like the brand’s iconic Big Mac, others have not been so lucky, from the McRib to McPizza.”

Wadia says the researchers examined search volumes to identify the top 10 items Americans have an emotional connection to now. Still, the question remains — will McDonald’s bring them back?

The Iowa Gallivant: Finding the Food and People Who Make Up the Best of Rural America

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:55:41 GMT

Rural American. Stand-up comedian. Chef. Travel blogger. Fan of pork tenderloins. What do any of these have in common? They all offer a glimpse into the life of JayJay Goodvin, better known as The Iowa Gallivant , who has a cult-like following after traveling through all 99 Iowa counties to find the best pork tenderloin .

His love of rural America and the importance of supporting local food places throughout the country motivate him to bring those passions to light through his blog, The Iowa Gallivant.

Goodvin grew up in the Cedar Rapids area, but his parents were from rural Iowa so visiting small towns and farms was part of his childhood.

“Growing up in the metro areas, that was my fantasy land when I would visit the farm or the small town,” Goodvin says. “It’s been a part of my travels since I was a baby. I’m still just as excited to get out to small-town Iowa and small-town America whenever I can.”

In the late 90s, Goodvin left Iowa and traveled the country to Arizona, Cape Cod, the Florida Keys, Montana, Austin, Texas, the Black Hills of South Dakota and Central Illinois. He lived in Phoenix because he wanted to be close to Las Vegas and L.A. — to try his hand at comedy. He said it didn’t pay very well while he was starting out, but he could always find a job as a cook and found himself gravitating toward the restaurant industry.

“I ended up really loving that culture,” he says. “I think it was Anthony Bourdain that said, ‘it’s like, pirate culture — we’re all a bunch of scallywags in the kitchen and things like that.’ And I just learned how to make great food under really great chefs.”

He says it was a great way to see the country, too.

“I worked with a lot of other cooks, but there was just all sorts of things that happened due to those travels, due to working in that industry that made for some very positive outcomes,” he says.

In 2010, Goodvin came back home and combined his love of food, traveling and family into his blog. What started as a family scrapbooking project on WordPress turned into a travel vlog and now has taken on a life of its own.

“It morphed into my first book, Rural Iowa Sausage , from another project that we did, which is very pork related, called Iowa’s Wurst Road Trip — Casing the State for the Best Sausage ,” Goodvin says.

This trip was a bit of a full circle moment for him as his grandfather had his own meat locker in northwest Iowa.

“As we went along with Iowa’s Wurst Road Trip, I realized just how vital that industry was and needs to be,” he explains. “I learned in the 1970s at its peak, we had over 400 lockers statewide. Now we’re just north of a hundred. COVID actually gave it a renaissance period because a lot of people realize how important it is.”

He says more people want to know where their meat comes from.

“You can literally go to one of our local lockers and shake the hand of the person that you’re helping to keep employed. And that’s huge,” he says. “The revenue mileage on buying a pack of brats at our local lockers goes a lot further, it seems. Because when you when you can actually see how that’s helping somebody put their own food on their table, it’s like, come in and eat, or we all go hungry.”

To hear more of Goodvin’s adventures, upcoming projects and why he finds it so important to share about the food and communities of rural America, watch the latest episode of The PORK Podcast here or on your favorite podcast channels.

Overcoming Burnout in the Agriculture Industry

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:28:15 GMT

Burnout isn’t always about doing too much. Sometimes it’s about doing the wrong mix of work or carrying all of the mental load on top of the physical. That’s according to Kacee Bohle, who runs AgriMinds , a group coaching business for members of the agriculture industry.

“You can still have a full plate and feel fine, especially if you’re doing stuff that energizes you,” she says. “But what happens when every single part of your day feels like a chore, even the stuff that you used to love? That’s when you know stuff is starting to get off. You can feel burnt out, even when you love or loved the type of work that you do.”

For business owners, farmers, ranchers and ag professionals, Bohle says people often judge themselves for having negative thoughts about the work they have chosen to do in a field they love. There is pressure to carry on the family legacy and love every part of it, and to feel proud of the work.

“Burnout doesn’t care who you are,” she says. “Burnout doesn’t care who’s in charge. It shows up when you’re over extended, misaligned, and you’re trying to carry all the things all the time without any support,” she explains.

Sometimes the work isn’t optional. The gate needs fixed. The field work needs done. The livestock need fed. Bohle points out even when the tasks can’t change, the conversation can. Sometimes it’s not the physical work that is causing burnout, but the mindset surrounding the work.

“What I mean is I want you to start noticing what expectations, pressure or guilt that you’ve been piling on top of the already heavy stuff,” she explains. “Sometimes what’s extinguishing you isn’t the work, it’s the story that you’re telling yourself about the work.”

For example, it could look like thoughts that are similar to: I should be able to handle this. I shouldn’t be tired. I chose this. I don’t have time to feel burnt out. I just need to push through this. It’ll eventually go away.

As Bohle points out, pushing through only works so long.

“There’s only so much you can brush under the rug before it starts seeping out, bulging and tripping you up,” Bohle says. “Eventually, your energy runs out, and if your mindset isn’t giving you any grace or flexibility, everything is just going to continue to feel harder.”

Can you extinguish burnout? Start with what you can control.

An exercise to address burnout is to create two lists. Write down what gives you energy and what drains you, Bohle suggests.

Notice one item on this list that drains you that you can shift or do differently, she says. Then look at the list of things that gives you energy and intentionally add back in something that gives you energy — even if it’s for just five minutes.

“This is not about trying to fix everything,” she explains. “It’s not even about trying to fix stuff overnight. This exercise is just about noticing what’s going on beneath the surface, giving yourself permission to make some small shifts here. Control what you can control.”

Four mindset shifts to keep in mind:

You’re not lazy or failing.
You’re likely mentally, physically, and emotionally maxed out.
Focus on awareness and small, intentional changes.
Remember, the goal is not to fix everything overnight, but to start noticing and making small, manageable changes.

Your next read: Overcome the No. 1 Challenge in Passing Down Your Family Farm

Every Pig, Every Day: Barn Hero Courtney Case Raises the Bar

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:08:38 GMT

Courtney Case is inspired every day to do her small part to feed the world and make sure it’s done the right way on the sow farm she manages. Her first priority is caring for the sows, but building a positive culture for her team is a close second.

As people become further removed from the farm, they may struggle to understand modern livestock production practices. But Courtney Case says it’s simple. Every day she tries to make life better inside of the barn for the sows and pigs in her care. Her biggest frustration is hearing people use the words “factory farm” as it completely misrepresents what she does every day. For Case, raising pigs is all about individual care for each pig every day.

“A big part of my job is making observations on what’s working well and what can we improve on,” says Case, who manages Smiling Porker Sow Farm, a 5,000-sow farm in Morris, Pa. “Every day our team makes sure that every pig is getting feed and water, that the air quality is excellent and vaccines are up to date. We make sure they get everything they need at every stage of their life.”

It’s not about checking a box, Case says.

“I come to work to do my small part to feed the world,” she explains. “I work with animal protein. They will feed us, and I am going to ensure they have the best life possible.”

Her commitment to care for every pig and for every person on her team makes Case a barn hero who sets a high bar that others strive to reach each day.

City Girl Goes Country
Case didn’t grow up on a farm, but her parents found a way for her to be involved in the local 4-H program. Along the way, she learned how to care for animals and showed dairy cattle and pigs.

“One of my 4-H leaders went to Delaware Valley University and got a degree in animal science,” Case says. “I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I loved working with animals. I thought I wanted to be a vet or a nutritionist, so I decided to pursue an animal science degree at Delaware Valley University.”

While she was in college, she interned with Country View Family Farms (CVFF) the summer before her senior year. That internship changed her life, she says. The 20-year-old at the time realized she could make a living doing something she loved – caring for animals.

“The funny thing is, I had never been on a commercial-sized pig farm before that internship,” Case says. “But I knew I liked pigs. When I showed up to the 1,400-sow farm, which is now small to me, I remember looking into the gestation barn and thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, what am I signing up for?’”

What she believed would be overwhelming didn’t feel that way for long. Case’s experience helped her realize opportunities she never dreamed were possible. CVFF offered her a job when she graduated early that December. On Jan. 4, 2011, she went to work as a technician on a farm in southern Pennsylvania and over time, moved up the chain of leadership until she landed in her current role as sow manager.

At Smiling Porker Sow Farm, she oversees the daily care of 5,000 sows on a “plus farm” that is California Prop 12 compliant. She also manages 20 team members, including one assistant manager, a breeding department lead and a farrowing department lead.

“A big part of my role is supporting my team in their roles and overseeing anything they might need, engaging them and getting the most out of our team,” she says. “It’s also about ensuring the safety of the team and the biosecurity of the sow farm.”

A Shifting Landscape
In the past 15 years, Case has experienced many changes in the pork industry. Perhaps the biggest change is the workforce.

“When I started, it was all local employees,” she says. “We all spoke the same language and were all from this area. That’s totally changed. I’m the minority in my farm now and most of my team members are international and speak Spanish.”

Case is not bilingual, though she can understand a little Spanish. She says building a team despite having a language barrier requires her to be resourceful and relentless in creating connection. She considers herself very fortunate to work with one of their company’s first international hires – Roberto Galindo – who now serves as the farrowing lead at Smiling Porker. He started working at the company through a visa program that hires employees from Mexico to work in the U.S.

“Roberto helps me if I need to communicate something beyond what I can do with Google Translate (which is a fantastic tool),” she says. “There could be a lot of stuff that doesn’t get said that needs to be said when you speak different languages. Even though it may be inconvenient or hard, you need to make the effort.”

Galindo says her efforts to bridge that gap are appreciated more than she knows.

“Courtney has spent years surrounded by Spanish-speaking coworkers, which has allowed her to understand the language quite well, even though she is not yet able to speak it,” Galindo says. “It would not surprise me if, in a few years, she becomes bilingual.”

Progressive Approach to Production
Case is proud to work for a company that is progressive, always on the cutting edge of things, trying to think ahead to what the industry and customers want.

“I consider myself very blessed to experience this type of an environment,” she says. “It can be a challenge in the moment, but it’s an awesome experience to have some of the things in place that we do today like antibiotic-free production, Prop 12 compliance and maternity crates. It’s a blessing in hindsight to have that experience in all of these different ways to manage sows.”

If she’s honest, most of these new management approaches didn’t come with an instruction book.

“A lot of it was trial and error,” Case says. “You have no idea what’s going to work or not going to work in real life. I mean, conceptually, it can be great. But we have to apply it and then figure out how we can make it work to fit what our customers want.”

Of all the changes she has helped implement in her role, she’s most proud of their new training program.

“We are getting more engagement and success because of it,” Case says. “You can have a training program, but it may not be getting you the same results that an excellent training program can.”

True Buy-In
Training isn’t a one and done experience. She says she still learns something new every day. In fact, that’s why her favorite part of her job is the role of technician. She works alongside her team doing the tasks they do. Not only does it get her buy-in, but the shared experiences open the door for meaningful and important conversations, especially if they are questioning a process.

“Courtney is always willing to help with whatever you need and consistently leads from the front,” Galindo says. “She is a very responsible person who clearly loves her job and conveys the same passion to the team. She shows respect to the entire team by guiding, teaching and supporting us. I believe the respect is mutual.”

That servant leadership sets Case apart, says Eric Rider, sow production manager in the northern tier of Pennsylvania for CVFF. He’s known Case since they attended college together at Delaware Valley.

“She works side by side with her team as a farm manager, developing and pushing them to be the best,” Rider says. “She doesn’t ask her team to do anything that she wouldn’t do. She demands a lot from them, which is why I think she gets that respect. Her expectations are high, which has helped develop more leaders under her guidance.”

But Case would never sugarcoat managing people. She says it’s the hardest part of her job, and that surprised her.

“As a lead in the nursery, I had two team members. I thought that for sure, the 20,000 pigs I oversaw were going to be harder than two team members,” she says. “Surprise – they were not. It’s increasingly more challenging as you move up from two to 10 to 20 team members. It’s also what brings me back every day — the challenge of keeping my team engaged and getting the best out of my team members.”

Sow Farm Excellence
Case excels at getting the best out of her team and continues to raise the bar in sow farm performance, Rider says. CVFF has a benchmark system that compares all of the sow farms in all of their regions, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Indiana.

“Success, to me, looks like being at the top of that list consistently,” she says. “That means I’ve got my team and production practices firing on all cylinders. It means meeting customer expectations as far as wean pig quality and hitting those targets with an engaged team.”

Every week her team waits to see where they are on the list. And she loves it.

“During our weekly meeting, we’ll review the standings,” Case says. “They can’t wait to see the customer response form from the nursery when we ship our wean pigs. They want to know who they beat that week and if someone beat them, how did they do it? That fuels their fire to perform that much better.”

A Winning Combination
To be a successful sow farm manager, it takes grit, determination and dedication, Case says. But even more importantly, it requires some sacrifice.

“What I get from this career is worth the sacrifices that I’ve made,” she adds. “When it comes to my leadership skills, I’m a much different person then I was 10 years ago. I connect with people. I’ve learned all of these life skills through my career that have also allowed me to provide really well for my family in a rural area.”

Being on call 24/7, 365 days a year isn’t easy. She says it’s hard to unplug because somebody might need you or the pigs might need you in the middle of the night.

“For me, that is the hardest part of my job,” Case admits. “I want so badly to make sure everything’s done right. I would be here all day and all night, but I’ve had to learn that balance over the years. You can’t do that or you will burn yourself out.”

Her focus on developing her team has built trust. She’s learned to delegate more and this has helped relieve the tension of carrying it all on her shoulders. It’s also helped her team develop into stronger leaders, too.

Rider says it’s easy to see why Case has excelled in her career. She is a true barn hero, exemplifying ethics, integrity and stewardship both inside and outside of work.

“She is relentless about improvement, bringing ideas to the table, pushing her leadership team and quickly implementing changes,” Rider says. “She creates a safe environment for her team – her team finished the fiscal year with zero accidents. She doesn’t just develop her own team, but she drives success in the region by pushing our other sow farm managers to bring their best every day.”

It’s a win-win. Case says she feels privileged to do something she is extremely passionate about, putting her college degree to use while providing for her family.

“I get to do what I love every single day,” she says. “What could be better than that?”

Your Next Read: The Power of Why: Sow Barn Manager Jaime Sanchez Rises Above

Courtney Case says she’s grateful for her supportive family consisting of husband, Kyle Rouse, and daughters Whitney, 9, and Lainey, 6. She says Kyle is a huge part of her success and support.

One of the most important things Courtney Case looks for in a caregiver are observation skills. Being in tune with the pigs is critical. She says this is not easy to learn – you’ve got that ability to see what’s wrong or you don’t. She believes it is something that is understood innately. Empathy, patience and teamwork closely follow, she adds.

Roberto Galindo, farrowing team lead at Smiler Porker Sow Farm, says Courtney is the type of leader who lifts her team, provides guidance and shares knowledge freely. She always gives her best and constantly seeks to improve in everything she does.

Courtney is a champion for promoting agriculture, her teammates say. She is devoted to her family beef and chicken farm, Blair Creek Farm LLC, and raising her kids to be next-generation farmers.

Man Eats Federal Charges for Violently Kicking Detector Dog at Dulles Airport

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:03:30 GMT

A man has pled guilty to federal charges after kicking Freddie, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dog, at Washington Dulles International Airport on June 24.

Freddie and his handler were inspecting baggage from travelers who arrived from Cairo, Egypt when Freddie alerted to one of the suitcases.

“As the CBP canine handler started questioning the man, he violently kicked Freddie with sufficient force to lift the 25-pound beagle off the ground,” CBP reports.

Federal agents immediately descended upon Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, a 70-year old man from Egypt. They handcuffed him, and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for prosecution.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted Marie. He pled guilty during an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia to harming animals used in law enforcement (18USC1368).

(US Customs and Border Protection)

“He was credited with time served, ordered to pay the veterinarian’s fee, and to immediately report to CBP for removal from the United States,” CBP reports. Marie departed the country on a flight to Egypt at 12:30 p.m. on June 26.

A veterinarian determined that Freddie suffered contusions to his right forward rib area, CBP says. He was ordered rest and a mild dose of pain meds. Freddie is expected to return in a week.

The examination of Marie’s luggage based on Freddie’s alert and discovered 55 lb. of beef meat, 44 lb. of rice, 15 lb. of eggplant, cucumbers and bell peppers, 2 lb. of corn seeds, and a pound of herbs. All agriculture products were prohibited from entering the U.S. and seized.

“Being caught deliberately smuggling well over 100 lb. of undeclared and prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violently assault a defenseless Customs and Border Protection beagle,” says Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. “We rely heavily on our K9 partners and Freddie was just doing his job. Any malicious attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and CBP will continue to work with our investigating and prosecuting partners to deal swift and severe justice to perpetrators.”

Watch Freddie in action.

Your next read: Sol the Agriculture Detection Dog: A U.S. Hero

BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark Raises $20,000 for Iowa Food Banks

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:49:03 GMT

Events like BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark, held June 21 in Des Moines, show the strength of communities, says Doug Gruver, Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) board member and two-time event volunteer.

“Giving back is at the heart of what we do as pork producers,” Gruver says. “Whether it’s raising food or raising funds, we’re proud to serve Iowans beyond the farm. This event is also a great opportunity to showcase the high-quality product we raise in Iowa and the incredible BBQ talent and passion of the teams who compete.”

Hundreds of Iowans gathered at Principal Park for the third annual event, raising more than $20,000 to support food banks across the state. IPPA partners with the Iowa Cubs and Fareway Stores to host the competition.

Two dozen backyard barbecue teams competed for $12,000 in prize money across three pork categories: loin, ribs, and butt.

Attendees were treated to pork samples provided by BBQ competition contestants.

(Ginnie Coleman/Ginnie Coleman/For Iowa Pork Producers )

Attendees were able to sample pork provided by Iowa Machine Shed, the Ames and Beaverdale Fareway Meat Markets, Story County Pork Producers and local BBQ enthusiast Joe Osbrink.

Backroad BBQ of Ames earned the title of grand champion, while Brown Dog BBQ from Stuart was named reserve grand champion. Slap Your Bacon BBQ from Ankeny placed third overall and won the People’s Choice Award, securing $1,000 in prize money and directing a $1,000 donation to the North Polk Comet Cupboard food pantry in Polk City.

“This donation was such a blessing and came at a time of real need,” said Dixie Bequeaith of the North Polk Comet Cupboard. “Food insecurity doesn’t take a summer break, especially for families with kids out of school. Running a pantry often means wondering how we’ll keep the shelves stocked, but time and again, generous people and businesses step up. We’re incredibly grateful for this support from the winning team, and it will go a long way in helping our community.”

Click here to view full contest results.

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The 20 Embarrassing Problems that Make Your Farm Truck Unique

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 20:17:17 GMT

Every farm’s got one — the truck that’s seen better days but still gets the job done. You might be a little ashamed to drive it to town. Or maybe you brag about its quirks like badges of honor. Either way, it adds personality to your operation and it’s here to stay.

But these old farm trucks often come with their fair share of problems. They’ve been overloaded, under-maintained and patched together more times than you can count. Still, they refuse to quit. Here’s a list of the most common, cringeworthy problems that make your farm truck impossible to mistake and impossible to replace:

The passenger side door only opens from the inside – It’s not a defect; it’s a security system. Want in? Crawl through the driver’s side like the rest of us.
Something is always rattling – You’re pretty sure it’s either a lost socket wrench or that missing hitch pin, but it might also be a loose belt. Either way, you just keep driving.
The gas gauge hasn’t moved since 2019 – You fill it up every few days and drive on faith.
AC? More like open all the windows and drive faster – Who needs climate control when you’ve got 65 mph wind and a cracked window that whistles like a tea kettle?
The tailgate is held on with baling twine and a prayer – Engineered with redneck ingenuity and a touch of desperation. Don’t knock it — she still hauls.
Every light on the dash is on. Every. Single. One. – It’s like Christmas year round. You’d be more concerned if one of the lights actually turned off.
The radio only picks up one station – You don’t like listening to hard rock at five in the morning, but you don’t really get a choice.
The floor mats are actually feed sacks – Waterproof. Disposable. Available in bulk. Why waste your money on something that’s going to get dirty anyway.
It leaks something, but you’re not sure what – Transmission fluid? Hydraulic oil? The mystery deepens.
It smells different depending on the season – Spring = Dirt, Summer = Sweat, Fall = Silage, Winter = Mice
The air vents blow more hay chaff than air – It’s like a mini leaf blower for your eyeballs.
It won’t shift into reverse without a solid thunk – It makes a noise that sounds like part transmission issue, part truck protest.
It still has a cassette player – This isn’t a problem, it just adds character. But you are getting sick of having to explain what a cassette player is to your kids.
You have to slam the hood three times for it to latch – It’s a workout and a reminder that even the simplest things on this truck have an attitude.
There’s a permanent dent shaped exactly like a gate – You swore you checked twice before backing up. The dent is a subtle reminder that you didn’t.
There’s more rust than paint – “Old blue” has slowly transitioned to “Old red” over the years, but she’s still runnin’!
It’s part toolbox, part landfill – The cab is 40% tools, 40% empty water bottles and 20% trash.
It refuses to die, even though it should have years ago – Every time you think it’s finally reached it’s end, it fires up one more time.

Sure, your old farm truck isn’t the prettiest rig on the farm, and it certainly isn’t the quietest, cleanest or most functional. But it always shows up, always starts (eventually), and somehow always gets the job done.

You might not take it to a dealership anytime soon, but you’d take it to the field any day. It’s more than just a truck, it’s a sidekick, a mobile command center and a rolling scrapbook of everyday life on the farm.

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