Popular Pig

About Dakota Steber: Dakota Steber, Assistant Manager at Borgic Farms’ Newton Sow Farm in Illinois, has a deeply rooted connection to the agriculture sector, having been introduced to pig production at a very early age. Raised on the farm where his father worked, Dakota began assisting with chores when he was just six years old. Throughout his high school and college years, the farm remained a con...

About the Guest Ed Tice, a native of the Texas Panhandle, has established his home in the heartland of America. For 20 years, he resided in Tipton, Indiana, and now lives in Story City, Iowa, with his wife Emily and their two children. Ed’s professional journey in the pork industry spans nearly three decades. His career began with Tyson Fresh Meats, where he contributed significantly as a Se...

About the Guests Mike Johanns was the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005-2007 as well as the Governor of Nebraska from 1999-2005 and the state’s U.S. Senator from 2009-2015. As alliantgroup’s Chairman of Agriculture, Johanns brings more than 30 years of experience at virtually every level of government and a strong background in both agriculture and economic development. As the Secretary of A...

About the Guest Dr. Dritz currently provides global technical support for PIC, the porcine division of Genus. PIC directly employs people in 18 countries worldwide and PIC products are available in more than 50 countries across the globe. Previously, Dr. Dritz was a Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University from 1995 until 2020.  He conducted on-farm research to char...

About the Guests Dr. Sergio Canavate was born in Spain and obtained his veterinarian degree from the University of Murcia. He started his career in the pork industry in Agropor SL, where he learned the core principles and values of pork production. In 2010 he joined PIC Spain, and since then, he has shown willingness to embrace new changes.  In 2013, he moved to the United States with his family,...

About the Guest Larry’s background has been in farming and the pork industry of some kind his entire life. His parents still have the linear family farm that has been in the Bertrand’s name since 1876. Larry spent numerous years in the packing side of the pork industry in the procurement / management side of companies such as Oscar Mayer, Cargill / Excel , IBP/Tyson , Triumph Foods , JBS, from 198...

About the Guest With 20 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience, Andrew brings a passion for servant leadership and a diversity of experience to serve Triune’s clients. Beginning in 2010, Andrew was part of a team that developed and scaled an industry-leading weight management solution delivered exclusively through licensed healthcare providers, including partnerships with some of the na...

What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig brought to you by SwineTech ? Dr. Jones’ journey from a mixed veterinary practice to specializing in pigs during the industry’s growth phase in North Carolina. His observation of the pig industry’s evolution, including significant disease management efforts and the impact of technological advancements. The transformati...

About the Guest New Fashion Pork is headquartered in Jackson, Minnesota with Brad Freking as its CEO and managing partner.  Founded in 1994, New Fashion Pork (NFP) employs over 400 people and owns 53,000 sows in six states, along with having interests in several related businesses (i.e., Triumph Foods and Daily’s Premium Meats). Annually, NFP markets roughly 1.2 million hogs. What can you expect t...

About the Guest Jeff is the CEO of Decisive Dividend Corporation, an acquisition-oriented company that owns 11 manufacturing businesses across Canada and the UK. Decisive Dividend employs a “Buy, Build and Hold” business model with the purpose of being the sought-out choice for exiting, legacy minded business owners. Jeff oversees the head-office team of operational, M&A and financial personne...

About the Guest Luke Kerns is part of the third generation that represents Edgewood Locker, an essential component of the Edgewood, Iowa, community, and agricultural fabric. Inheriting the legacy of his grandparents, Tom and Joan Kerns, who founded the business in 1966, and with the guidance of his father, uncle, sister, and two cousins, Luke stepped into the family enterprise in 2019. He is commi...

About the Guest Dr. Cara Haden received her degree as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 from the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she joined Pipestone Vet Clinic as an associate Veterinarian working with independent pig farm clients throughout the Midwest. Today she serves as the Director of Animal Welfare for Pipestone. Cara is also active on social media, showca...

About the Guest CP Kriek, at the forefront of Taaibosch, embodies a unique blend of expertise and passion. An Industrial Engineer by training, CP, alongside his wife Gerda, has turned their family heritage in farming into an advanced, sustainable pork production enterprise in South Africa. Their journey from engineers to innovative farmers showcases a deep commitment to animal welfare, environment...

About the Guest Gracee Poorman’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and determination. Emerging as a beacon of inspiration in the agricultural community, she has carved a unique path, defying the constraints of her challenging upbringing. Raised amidst the struggles of mental illness and addiction within her family, Gracee was driven by a vision of a different life for herself...

About the Guest John Nickel is a seasoned pork producer and the esteemed owner and director of Border Genetics Ltd. With a rich history in the industry, John brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his role. His deep understanding of pork production is not only evident in the success of Border Genetics but also in his influential position on the Board of Directors for Manitoba Pork. John&#8...

About the Guests Dr. Matheus Costa is a veterinarian scientist with a focus on the pathophysiology of diseases in species of veterinary interest, particularly swine. He is Assistant Professor of swine health management at the University of Saskatchewan, and Adjunct Professor at Utrecht University. He holds a DVM, PhD in veterinary microbiology and is also a board-certified swine health veterinaria...

About the Guest Dr. Martin Bonneau grew up on a pig farm in Saint-François de Montmagny. He graduated in veterinary medicine from the University of Montreal in 1993. From 1993 to 2004, he mainly worked for a Quebec genetics company as director of production and animal health. He founded Demeter Services Vétérinaires in 2004, with his colleague Sylvain Messier. What can you expect to learn from thi...

About the Guest Tony Simpson brings more than 23 years of experience leading and investing in companies in agribusiness and animal health. In 2015, Tony founded AgTech Advisors, LLC, a consulting firm focused on supporting entrepreneurs and investors in the agtech sector. Previously, he served as a Managing Director for the Kansas Bioscience Authority where he led the organization’s investment eff...

About the Guest Steve Weiss – Mr. Weiss is founder and President of NutriQuest and a partner in 21 st Century Strategic Forums. He also serves as a Board member for several enterprises in the U.S. swine industry and non-profit sectors. At NutriQuest, Steve leads a team which has developed technologies to improve animal performance and help solve key industry problems like humane euthanasia a...

About the Guest Dr. Chris Richards is the Managing Director of ASX listed Apiam Animal Health Ltd, which through its 74 clinics (365 veterinarians) provide veterinary services across regional and rural Australia. Dr Richards graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Melbourne in 1996 having previously obtained a Bachelor of Science from La Trobe University. Dr. Richards is responsible for...

About the Guest Rob Hannam, CEO of Farm Health Guardian, is committed to helping farms and food companies improve animal health and protect against the devastating impact of animal disease through digital biosecurity. Launched in 2020 for the swine and poultry sectors, Farm Health Guardian technology is reducing the risk of disease spread and improving biosecurity compliance which saves time, redu...

About the Guest Natalia Rimi Heisterkamp Natalia Rimi Heisterkamp is the general Manager for Crystal Spring Brasil and for the past 6 years also has the role of Director of Global Strategy for Crystal Spring Hog Equipment. In addition to nearly 30 years of experience in business development, project management, manufacturing, logistics, and customer service, Natalia also holds a degree in Business...

About the Guest Daniel Linhares, DVM, MBA, PhD After 8 years of field experience in Brazil, he joined Iowa State University in 2015 and serves as Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Education. Daniel works with the Field Epi team ( www.fieldepi.org ), which includes 25 professionals centered on graduate education and professional services on development and evaluation of strategies to imp...

About the Guest Dr. Erin Kettlekamp is an associate veterinarian with Swine Vet Center and is based in southern Minnesota. She is a 2021 DVM graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. In practice, Erin enjoys collaborating on field research, consulting on biosecurity, and assisting producers in all areas of production. Dr. Andy Holtcamp is a highly respected veterinaria...

About the Guest Kiersten Hafer is a business strategy executive with a proven track record of navigating and aligning market trends, business goals and organizational priorities to deliver high impact, actionable solutions accelerating growth for brands and businesses.   Hafer leads the Strategy and Domestic Market Development teams at the National Pork Board where she advises the pork industry, m...