Join us for a great conversation of Hot Topics in the Pork Industry:
Discussion Points:
-Sustainability, metrics & New Technology
-Foreign Animal Disease
-Sow Mortality
-Antibiotic Use
-Labor Shortage, Employee Culture & Retention
-Feed Costs
-Lack of expansion
-Passion to talk to consumers and the public about Agriculture
-Political and packer pressures to change our production practices
Hot Stove Panel:
-Dwight Mogler, Pork Producer from Mogler Farms in Iowa
Dwight is a partner with several family members in Mogler Farms near Lester, IA. Mogler Farms markets 200,000+ pigs annually that are raised from wean-to-finish. Most of these pigs are sourced from Pig Hill West, a 4,400-sow farm located near Larchwood, IA which the Mogler family owns and manages. In addition to this farm, the Mogler’s are shareholders and source pigs from 2 additional sow farms – one in Grant County South Dakota and another in Renville County, Minnesota.
Dwight oversees the wean-to-finish production system which utilizes their family’s barns as well as numerous contract facilities owned by family farms in their local community. The Mogler farm enterprise also includes 2,700 acres of corn and soybeans, beef feedlots with a total capacity of 4,500 head, and a country grain elevator with 2.5 million bushels of storage capacity.
Dwight currently serves as a Producer Director on the National Pork Producers Council board of directors.
Dwight is a 1987 graduate of Iowa State University with a major in agricultural business. He and his wife, Donna, have 3 sons, 1 daughter-in-law, 2 daughters, 2 sons-in-law’s and 3 grandchildren. One daughter, two son-in-laws, a niece and 2 nephews currently hold full time positions in the family business.
-Jessica Ingo Production Manager Seaboard Foods in Kansas
My name is Jessica Ingo. I was born and raised in Westcliffe, Colorado on my family’s ranch. I grew up raising cattle and putting up hay and I was heavily involved in 4-H; showing cattle, swine, and sheep, as well as livestock judging. I was a 3-sport athlete all through my middle and high school years. I graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in Denver, Colorado with an applied science in veterinary technician degree. As part of my educational training, I went through the national and state testing to become a registered veterinary technician in Oklahoma and still hold that license today. I have worked at Seaboard Foods for 10 years, starting as a Veterinary Technician for the company and going on to be a Nursery Manager, Nursery Production Manager, and now currently a Sow Farm Production Manager. I am responsible for 13 sow farms (70,000 head), 2 nursery sites, and 4 finisher/GDU sites. I have a passion for the agriculture industry and leading people. In my current role, I get to do both of those things. I get to impact the industry that feeds the world and get to lead and train people who I enjoy being with every day.
-Chad Leman, Pork Producer from Leman Farms in Illinois
Chad Leman is a 3rd generation farmer from Eureka, IL. As owner and president of Leman Farms Inc., Chad provides direction for the operation’s corn, soybean, and hog production. Along with that, the farm has operated a Pioneer seed dealership since 1991 which continues to this day with Chad’s dad (Keith), associate seller (Kevin), and daughter (Tessa) managing the daily responsibilities.
Leman Farms Inc. has been blessed to have long standing employee relationships which contribute to the stability of the operation. These employees work alongside 10 contract growers in the day to day care of hog finishing barns, and the feed mill. Leman Farms Inc. markets approximately 110,000 hogs annually. Most of the operation’s corn production is fed to pigs.
Chad and his wife, Staci are parents to 4 daughters – Tessa, Darby (recently married to Hunter), Sofie, and Sierra. Chad has served on the Eureka District 140 school board since 1997, and president since 2017. He has served as an elder at New Castle Bible Church since 2015.
-Brad Green, Pork Producer from Greenway Farms in South Dakota
Brad Greenway and his wife Peggy farm just west of Mitchell, South Dakota, where they run a diversified farm raising pigs, beef cattle, corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa. The farm team includes their son, Brent, and long-time employee, Thomas.
Brad attended one year at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN before returning to Mitchell and graduating with an associate degree in Agriculture Management from Mitchell Technical College in 1984.
Brad has been a busy volunteer for various community organizations and is a passionate advocate for agriculture. Locally, he serves on the township board, Davison County Fair Board, has been involved with the Davison County Pork Council for 30 years, and served on the SD Pork Producers Council from 2000 to 2015, serving as president from 2005-2006. He served on the National Pork Board (Pork Checkoff) from 2009 to 2015. He most recently was a board member for U.S. Farmers & Ranchers In Action and served as chairman from 2016-2018. USFRA is an alliance of agricultural and food organizations devoted to building trust with consumers about food and farming. He has given over 100 presentations throughout South Dakota and nationally about pig farming and modern agriculture in general. The Greenways continue to visit with dietitians, students, and other consumers through virtual live tours of their hog farm.
He has received several statewide awards including Pork All American, Governor’s 2014 Ag Ambassador of the Year, Mitchell Technical College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 2016, and together with Peggy received the South Dakota Pork Promoters of the Year award in 2015. Greenway was selected as America’s Pig Farmer of the Year for 2016 which took him around the country speaking at various events.
The Greenways have two adult children, Mandi and Brent, who live in Mitchell with their spouses. Brad and Peggy enjoy spending time with their children and three grandchildren.
-Lauren Glowzenski, Manager of Veterinary Services at Trioak Foods in Iowa
- Lauren Glowzenski, VMD
- This year’s (2022) awardee of AASV’s Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year
- 2016 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine
- Previously employed by Tyson Foods’ The Pork Group out of Holdenville, Oklahoma, which was the first job after graduating veterinary school that Dr. Glowzenski held, working exclusively with their sow operations for over 2-years.
- Current position is the Manager of Veterinarian Services at TriOak Foods. In this role for nearly 4-years, Dr. Glowzenski oversees the overall herd health for over 74,000 sows and nearly 2 million market hogs, across 5 states of business operations (Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado and Ohio).
- Resides in southeast Iowa on a hobby farm with goats, horses, chickens, ducks and 4 dogs. “Anything but pigs! Biosecurity is paramount!”
- Other non-swine notes:
- Glowzenski spent 2-years working in inner city Philadelphia for the Teach for America organization, where she taught middle-school and high-school science. As a corp member, Dr. Glowzenski was achieved her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with teaching full-time.
