Popular Pig

Ron Ketchem graduated from the University of Missouri in 1973 with a BS in Animal Science and master studies in Reproductive Physiology and Animal Breeding. He worked 12 years for a genetic company in production, sales, and marketing and developed their AI program. He then spent 15 years in Indiana with a major feed company as a Swine Consultant providing technical support and training. Ron later purchased Swine Management Services, LLC in August 2002 with Mark Rix. SMS was sold on September...

Robert Drew has well over 3 decades of experience that he brings with him to MAXIMUM AG in both Outdoor and Indoor sow production on a large scale. Along with establishing on-farm Quality Management Programs and Independent Consulting roles, Drew’s knowledge of group housing is a great addition for MAXIMUM AG and its customers. His first exposure to ESF technology was more than 30 years ago in the UK. More recently he has worked with many of the other group feeding systems in the US as the...

TJ Klith is a project designer and member of the solar business development team for Trusted Energy out of Storm Lake, Iowa. He is certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) as a Photovoltaic (PV) Installation Professional. He has been involved in the design and/or installation of over a hundred solar energy systems for swine production facilities. TJ believes that solar energy and energy storage systems will play a key role in the future of the...

Vivian Howard is an award-winning cookbook author, TV personality, chef, and restaurateur. Her first cookbook, Deep Run Roots: Stories & Recipes from My Corner of the South (2016), is a New York Times bestseller and was named “Cookbook of the Year” by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She created and stars in public television shows Somewhere South and A Chef’s Life, for which she has won Peabody, Emmy and James Beard awards. Vivian runs the restaurants Chef & the...

Jay has over 35 years of programming experience across a variety of domains including embedded systems, network appliances, industrial automation, Unix-based servers, as well as stand-alone applications. He also has extensive experience in both product design and system-level design and architecture for both new and legacy systems. He’s had key roles in nine startups resulting in four acquisitions of $100M+ and one IPO, and has been directly involved in numerous other startups as well as...

Todd Heisterkamp was raised in a multi-generational farm family in western Iowa. Being a young man witnessing the struggles of his family during the fuel crisis of the late 1970s and the farm crisis of the early 1980s, Todd decided to choose an education and career path outside of agriculture. After having a successful 20-year career in business development and in manufacturing management in other industries, Todd joined the equipment-side of the pork industry 15 years ago… rediscovering his...

Mike Ellis was born and brought up in a coal mining village in the north of England. He obtained B.S. (in Agriculture) and Ph.D. (in Applied Swine Genetics) degrees from the Department of Agriculture at the University Newcastle-Upon-Tyne where from 1978 he held the position of Lecturer in Pig Production. He moved to the University of Illinois in 1992 where his current position is Professor of Swine Production Management. Dr. Ellis’ research interests span a range of areas related to applied...

Jim Long is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. He is responsible for the direction of Genesus, drives change and sets the strategy and vision for the company, overseeing day to day business of running and managing the company. He writes a weekly commentary on the Swine Industry that is picked up not only in English, and Chinese as well as 15 additional languages across 27 countries around the world, making Jim Long the most recognized name globally...

Kevin brings nearly 20 years of experience in financing, managing, growing, and investing in early-stage companies. Kevin brought his operational expertise in managing and growing other organizations to the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) in 2013 as its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer where he oversaw all financial, human resource, information technology, and legal aspects of the organization. Kevin’s major focus was on the daily management of the organization’s assets...

Jon Hoek grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, IL, and was inspired to Agriculture by his Grandpa. He graduated with a degree in Agricultural Production Management in 1986. From 1987 to 1997 he owned and operated a 550-sow farrow to finish swine operation. Jon finished a 20-year career with Belstra Milling in 2017 to start a technology company focusing on precision livestock farming and human capital. Jon has presented both internationally and domestically on the topic of pig production,...

Dave DeVries is a third-generation farmer from Drayton, Ontario, Canada. With his wife Lauren, they operate Zeldenrust Farms Ltd., a farrow to finish hog farm, producing hogs for the Raised Without Antibiotics market. Dave and Lauren have been blessed with four boys ages 6 years, 4 years, and 8-month-old twins. It has been a joy to watch the boys take a keen interest in agriculture from a young age. Dave is actively involved within his local Reformed Church, as well as his community’s food...

Drew Mogler is the public policy director of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, a position he has held since 2018. He previously served as IPPA’s producer outreach director and producer education director. As the public policy director, Drew administers state legislative programs and environmental regulatory activity, as well as supporting national legislative efforts. He works with producer committees and the IPPA board of directors to formulate policy and plan actions to put an adopted...

What can you learn from this episode of Popular Pig? • How Rebecca Barton got involved with the pork industry • Her role in the business • How her operations have changed • What it was like to go from outdoor gestation to full indoor production • The greatest benefits that have come from this transition • The greatest attributes of a good leader and a great team • Rebecca Barton's 'Golden Nugget" The post The Journey of Modernizing Swine Operations | Rebecca Barton appeared first on...

What can you learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Dr. Allan Schinkel's background and how he got involved with the swine industry Dr. Schinkel's research around heat stress and sow cooling What inspired his research of heat stress The challenges faced along the way The results of his research It's potential impact on the swine industry Dr. Schinkel's Gold Nugget The post The Use of Cooling Pads to Reduce Heat Stress in Sows and Boars | Dr. Allan Schinkel appeared first on Popular...

Tork Whisler is a 5th generation farmer from Washington, IA. He and his wife Tricia have two adult sons, Clay and Sawyer. In addition to their contract finishing and grain operation, Tork spent 15 years in the swine construction business with Precision Structures Inc. both as a service technician and then a salesman. He left PSI in 2015 to assume a management roll with Eichelberger Farms. Just recently Tork has returned to the farm full time with his son Sawyer. Sawyer Whisler is a...

Victor Munsen has a degree in Biology from Johns Hopkins University, and an MBA in Operations and Technology Management from The University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has been a consultant to technology start-ups and established pharmaceutical companies. His expertise is in the validation of computer and technology systems for pharmaceutical companies trying to achieve FDA approval. In 2019 Victor joined EPI Air as the Chief Operations Officer with the intent of growing the company’s product...

Tomer Yogev is an executive coach to leading entrepreneurs and innovators, a professor of Entrepreneurship, a sought-after board member & advisor, retired serial entrepreneur, and a self-described "business bohemian." He is best known as one of the premier coaches in the country for entrepreneurs at The Big Joy Theory where he co-created the leading model for leadership development through joy. In all that he does, Tomer brings vast experience and a unique "Joy Forward" approach to help...

Clint Schwab serves as President of Acuity, with overall fiscal and operational accountability for the business. Clint received his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Colorado State University before completing his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in animal breeding and genetics from Iowa State University, as well as an MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Clint joined The Maschhoffs in 2012 following his time as CEO of the National Swine...

Whispering Wind Farms was the first breeder in Alberta with the sole concentration on pasture pork genetics. In 2015, Kelly Worthington and Jon Lendvoy of Whispering Wind Farms began raising the Kunekune breed which could graze and finish as efficient on forage as their 40 cow-calf pairs and grass-fed beef operation. In 2018, they grew their herd large enough to offer fresh Kunekune Pasture Pork and become the first Kunekune Pork Supplier in Alberta. Their current operation includes 20...

Wendell Holmes Murphy was born September 23, 1938, to Holmes & Lois King Murphy of Rose Hill, North Carolina, and is the brother of Harry Daniel (Pete) Murphy and the late Joyce Murphy Minchew. Wendell was raised in Duplin County on a farm in the Registers Crossroads area. He graduated from Rose Hill High School in 1957, received his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University in 1960 and taught vocational agriculture for five years in Green and...