Category: Articles

As the PRRS’ year is coming to an end, Pipestone’s Dr. Joel Nerem is crossing his fingers.  “We’ve experienced what I consider to be a very successful year in minimizing PRRS outbreaks.”  With everyone’s attention drawn to the latest PEDv epidemic, PRRS has been out of the spotlight.  Regardless, PRRS can be a catastrophe for…

In the year since Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) was confirmed in the United States, pork producers, veterinarians, researchers and many others have been working diligently to find ways to prevent the virus from entering herds, especially sow herds. While PEDv has been reported in other countries over the years, there had never been a…

Joel Overskei and his family own and operate two finishing barns near Nunda, SD, which is about 20 miles southwest of Brookings. From these barns, they send around 15,000 head of hogs to market annually. The Overskeis get all of their pigs from the Fox Run sow barn near Parker, which was completed and began…

When I wrote an article for Swine Line late last fall, we had just finished testing our transportation protocols at South Dakota State University (SDSU), and these protocols proved to be effective against PED virus. We were also in the process of testing our 3M filters to see if they would be successful in stopping…

Dr. Adam Schelkopf Spring is usually a very positive time in the swine industry—a time when Midwestern producers dewinterize and thaw out their barns after being in a deep freeze for several months. It’s also an important time to verify that a few key components of our barns function properly in order to provide the…

By Marty Rost Many of our system and shareholder barns pump their manure pits in the spring, but pumping safety is not always top of mind. That’s because spring is a busy time, and we have lots of other things to think about. But, the welfare of our employees and our animals may be jeopardized…

Located at Kalona, IA, Claude Greiner not only owns shares in barns managed by the Ottumwa Veterinary Clinic—he built them. Raised on a farm near Keota, IA, Claude met Dr. Steve Menke when the veterinarian (then practicing in Richland, IA) visited the farm and diagnosed his first case of PGE. Claude was 16 at the…

Sylvia was recently recognized for her dedication in the pork industry, naming her the 2014 Minnesota Pork Industry’s Pork Promoter of the Year. Congratulations Sylvia! To read more about this award check out the following link at Minnesota Pork.

Mark Your Calendars! Iowa Pork Congress January 28 and 29, 2015, Iowa Events Center Des Moines, Iowa.  Please visit www.iowaporkcongress.org for a schedule of events. Minnesota Pork Congress January 21 and 22, 2015, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN.  For more details please visit www.mnpork.com Missouri Pork Expo February 10 and 11, 2015, Holiday Inn Executive…

Almost a decade ago, the Pipestone Management validated its transportation sanitation protocols against the PRRS virus. This fall, we conducted similar trials at South Dakota State University to determine if the protocols we have in place are effective against PEDV, which has been detected just this year in the U.S. and is spreading rapidly. These…

Dr. Luke Minion is a finalist in the Vance Publishing Corporation 40 Under 40 in Agriculture Awards. These individuals were selected for the leadership and commitment in advancing the cause to double food production by 2050. More details

Last August, a group of independent pork producers interviewed Rick Berman, who runs a public relations firm based in Washington, D.C., and who is also the Executive Director of the Center for Consumer Freedom. The producers were interested in learning more about an ongoing education campaign called Humane Watch run by the Center to counter…

System Grow Finish, a division of Pipestone, offers regular visits by field supervisors, a complete records service and veterinary consultation in a full management package or a la carte. The objective of System Grow Finish is to identify opportunities for greater profitability on the farm of each participating swine producer. “For instance, we’ve been able…

First identified in England (in 1971) and more recently in China, Korea, and Japan, PEDV had not been detected in the U.S. until a couple months ago. No one is sure how it entered, but by early August 434 positive cases of PEDV were confirmed in 16 states. There are likely many more cases since…

PRRS season is almost upon us. Across the United States, the months of October, November, and December see the largest increases in cases. We don’t know exactly why, but there is speculation that it may have something to do with weather conditions changing in the fall, allowing the virus to remain in an aerosol form.…

Dave Hamm’s long-term goal, after farming for 37 years, is to pass the opportunity to a new generation. But at one point in Dave’s life, it looked like his own opportunity to farm had disappeared. Dave and his wife Brenda took over his father’s farm near Leota, MN, in 1977 and decided in 1981 to…

“If a person is willing to relocate to an area of need, there is always opportunity,” says Nicole Paulsen, senior human resources supervisor for the Pipestone Management. That is because the System is growing rapidly, and trained individuals necessary to staff that growth are in demand. Nicole points to several 5,000-sow farms being built in…

The Pipestone Management has officially launched a Web-based teaching tool called MyPipestone that offers consistent on-demand education for employees. The courses and educational materials on My Pipestone will provide basic knowledge for new hires as well as continuing education and career advancement to seasoned employees. Content of this on-demand educational tool will consist of proprietary…

Last fall we reported that Dr. Barry Kerkaert had been given the opportunity to work with the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) in their Swine Veterinarian Public Policy Advocacy Program. At that point, he had finished the first of a three-stage study of public policy—after which he agreed to act as a swine industry spokesperson.…

Animal welfare continues to be a priority at Pipestone Management sow farms. In the past year and a half since we began our Animal Care Program, major packers like Tyson, Hormel, and Swift have rolled out their own programs with specific welfare requirements. These programs come in response to consumers requesting a better understanding of…

Troy Woelber has been recognized as the David Neuberger II Core Values Award winner for 2013. The award seeks to extend the legacy of David Neuberger II and is given annually to an individual who best exhibits the core values of Pipestone Management (Integrity, Caring, Commitment, Growth, and Teamwork) in all aspects of work, family,…

Read more about the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea with information from the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.

Dr. Joel Nerem PRRS control is critical to the overall health of the pig and to the financial success of pig producers. As a management company and a veterinary clinic, we’re focused on the control of PRRS for our shareholders and customers. We must control PRRS at Pipestone Management sow farms to provide a PRRS-negative…

Sean Simpson General Counsel – Pipestone Management Some Pipestone Management sow units have operated for a number of years, and the original owners want to transition their interests to the next generation. You may be wondering, “How do I do that?”, “Can I do that” or “How do I value my shares?” In addition to…

Pork industry organizations in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota honored the following Pipestone Management shareholders in January at separate events. The Iowa Pork Producers Association gave the title of “Master Pork Producer” to Craig and Karen Wulfekuhle of Earlville, IA at the 41st annual Iowa Pork Congress Banquet in Des Moines. Ceremonies included a brief…

Dr. Barry R. Kerkaert This past fall, Dr. Barry R. Kerkaert had the opportunity to work with the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) in their Swine Veterinarian Public Policy Advocacy Program. A well-respected swine veterinarian and production consultant throughout the upper Midwest, Dr. Kerkaert was invited by NPPC to Washington, D.C. to study public policy…

Hal Schmidt By Hal Schmidt, Great Plains Family Farms, Inc. In pork production, like the rest of life, we can control certain things and there are certain things we can’t control. As we wrap up the year and look toward the start of another, let’s resolve to spend more time on the things we can…

In November of 2011, the Pipestone Veterinary Clinic hired Dr. Scott Dee as its director of research. Dr. Dee made his reputation as a national and international expert in applied disease-control research, with an emphasis on PRRS virus control and elimination. After practicing veterinary medicine for 12 years in Morris, Minn, Dr. Dee then joined…

Northeast Iowa was home to Dan Rodas when he was growing up.  The family dairy farm provided learning experiences, challenges and satisfaction of seeing a job completed from start to finish.  The hard work and commitment continues today as Dan is supervisor over six Pipestone Management farms. This farm boy started riding around on the…

Pipestone Veterinary Clinic recently held a series of meetings to bring clients and system shareholders the latest information on control and elimination of the PRRS virus. Held in Mitchell, SD, Pipestone, MN, and Independence, IA, the meetings discussed data the clinic’s research program has collected on the PRRS virus and how that data could be…

Tuesday afternoon, August 14, ten people—including Pipestone Vet Clinic’s Carissa Odland, DVM, and Pipestone Management’s Terry Wolters—crowded around the manager of Pheasant Run sow farm near Cleveland, Minnesota to hear a description of the farrowing process. Five of the 10 were mothers that are active in their communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul who had…

Random Acts of Kindness 2012 is a formal opportunity for Pipestone Management employees to give back to their communities. This third annual event ran from February 13 to April 16. Here’s what a few of our locations did with the $50 in seed money from Pipestone Management. Eagle Ridge (Aurora, Iowa) put their $50 together…

Terry Wolters As a Pipestone Management shareholder you may be familiar with Terry Wolters as a man who has worn many hats within the System. A native of Washington state and an animal science graduate of Washington State University at Pullman, Terry spent many years with PIC in Kentucky, eastern Iowa, and South Dakota before…

Bringing their sons into the family business. That’s the near- and long-term objective of Greg and Paula Boerboom of Marshall, MN. Part of their strategy for reaching this objective involves a new feed mill (currently under construction) and access to more baby pigs. The Pipestone Management has been and will continue to be an important…

By David Preisler, Executive Director, Minnesota Pork Producers Association   What’s the best housing for sows—group pens or individual gestation stalls?  Fanned into flame by animal rights organizations, the answer to this question is a burning topic of discussion in state capitols, Washington, D.C., and multi-national food corporation boardrooms. This debate, however, has taken place…

By David Preisler, Executive Director, Minnesota Pork Producers Association We are entering our second season of Oink Outings, an exciting initiative that communicates your story and your long-term perspective to consumers whose preferences drive retail and food service companies’ pork purchasing and distribution decisions. The Minnesota Pork Board (MPB) staff worked with a public relations…

David Preisler, Executive Director, Minnesota Pork Producers Association Exports have driven demand for U.S. pork in recent months. “Foreign buyers look to the U.S. for a combination of food safety, food quality, and price,” says David Preisler, executive director of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association (MPPA). “Right now, we’re the best country in the world…

Pipestone Management’s Management in Training (MIT) course prepares aspiring leaders for all aspects of barn management, according to human resources director Donna Hazelton. “It gets them ready for everything they will face on a day-to-day basis, from recognizing illness in the pigs to effectively training their staff,” she states. The MIT course, taught by System…

“One generation makes. The next generation uses. The third generation loses.” Chris Veldhuizen heard this warning countless times from his grandfather Christiaan, who came to America from the Netherlands and moved his family to the farm north of Edgerton, MN, in 1936. Chris Veldhuizen, born to Christiaan’s son Elmer and daughter-in-law Marie in 1949, spent…