Award season is upon us, recently South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa held their Pork Congress events.  Many were nominated by their neighbors and peers for their dedication, innovation and efficiency at their farm and with the pork industry. Throughout all three states, we have some customers and employees we would like to spotlight.

Marti Knobloch- Master Pork Producer Award

Ben Bader- Top Environmental Stewards

Joe Thoma- Master Pork Producers.

Terry Wolters- Pork Promoter of the Year Award

Joe Hadley- Master Pork Producer Award

Brad and Peggy Greenway- The Family of the Year

Dr. Bryan Myers- 2016 Master Pork Partner

The Knoblocks are part owners and operators of GMC farms. Marti and his brothers, Mitch and Morris, manage the swine business that consists of a 2,400-head swine nursery and three 2,400-head finishing barns. The family recently made the decision to invest in a 5,800-head sow farm near Brookings, S.D. GMC Farms markets approximately 22,000 head of pigs annually to JBS in Worthington, Minn. Read more

The Baders are part owners and operators of Bader Farms with Ben’s parents; Lee and Debra. Ben’s current portion of the family-farm consists of a 1,000-head feeder-to-finish swine barn and 600 rented row-crop acres. Sows are owned and managed through a coop shares arrangement in conjunction with other producers. Read More

Thoma and his wife, Jennifer, are part owners and operators of their family’s Countyline Livestock farm. Joe, who has raised hogs for more than 30 years, farms with brother Matt; father, Jim; and cousin, Dan. Together, they own and feed approximately 50,000 hogs annually. They have 1,500 head of cattle and farm 5,000 acres of corn and soybeans. A new, modern feed mill was added in the past year. Read More

For Wolters, pork promotion is more than an event or a conversation; it’s a lifestyle that allows him to passionately and humbly serve his peers within the pork industry.  “It’s not about me,” Wolters says. “It’s about moving our industry as a whole forward and I am humbled by the opportunity to work alongside talented men and women doing something that I love every day.” Read More

Joe Hadley was awarded Master Pork Producers. Check out the other winners from South Dakota Pork Congress Read More

Brad Greenway of Mitchell has been involved in the pork industry at the Davison County, state and national levels. That involvement takes him away from his farm and barns, but the pigs still need to be cared for in his absence. That family involvement is what earned Brad and Peggy Greenway the Family of the Year honors.Read More

Bryan works with Pipestone-managed sow farms, along with numerous consulting farms, not only on health management, but production, biosecurity, welfare, pig flow and financials. He also works closely with the grow-finish team. Myers was recently promoted to head veterinarian of Pipestone’s east region. He has given numerous presentations, nationally and internationally, to employees within the company, producers and fellow veterinarians. Read More.