posted on Monday, February 1, 2021 in Central Region News
At the 2021 Iowa Pork Congress, the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) introduced the 2020 class of Master Pork Producers. Among the pig farmers selected for IPPA’s 79th class of Master Pork Producers were AMVC contract growers, Mike and Tracy Marshall of Lewis.
A Master Pork Producer award denotes an individual’s or family’s excellence in pork production, as measured by their pork production statistics, their commitment to We Care® principles, and their contribution to their community. There are six We Care principles that outline a pig farmer’s responsibilities to uphold high standards for animal care, food production, the environment, people, and community involvement.
The Marshalls have been an AMVC contract grower for the past seven years and care for three-1000 head feeder to finish barns, where they market 8,000 pigs per year. As a contract growers, Mike and Tracy receive 40-50 pound pigs from a nursery in the AMVC system and are responsible for the labor and care required to raise healthy pigs and ensure a safe product is headed to market.
“Mike and Tracy exhibit AMVC’s motto of doing the right thing every day by doing the right thing for the animals placed under their care. I can sense the pride they have for the industry. Their barns are over twenty years old, but you cannot tell because of the farm is well-maintained and they keep up with maintenance, commented Craig Riesgaard, AMVC grow finish production manager.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association and Iowa State University Extension co-sponsor the Master Pork Producer program to demonstrate the character and breadth of Iowa pork production.
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- award
- swine