About the Guest Kyle has a passion for teaching. He discovered this passion while working for Kaplan Test Prep as he finished his Political Science degree at Texas A&M University. He has carried this passion throughout his legal career, teaching clients as he helps them to find and understand legal pathways out of labor bottlenecks. His […]
About the Guest Dave has been a veterinarian for more than 25 years and a computer programmer for more than 30. After a long period as a mixed animal vet he is now an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne with a PhD in Animal Welfare of cattle, where he undertakes research in dairy […]
About the Guest Dr. Lowe is 1994 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and has been working with swine production companies across the United States since that time. Dr. Lowe completed the college’s Executive Veterinary Program in Swine Health Management in 2000 and returned to campus as a student in 2002 […]
About the Guest Dr. Amanda Reever was raised on a cattle, hog, and grain operation in Algona, IA, where she developed her interest in animal production and medicine. She received her DVM from Iowa State University in 2022, alongside a Master’s degree in Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Dr. Reever began working for Suidae right out of […]
About the Guest Tara is a New Mexico native, 5th generation dairy farmer, an environmental scientist, and mom of two girls. Daniel, her husband, manages all day-to-day on his family dairy farm while Tara has her own career as an environmental consultant, speaker, and online agriculture advocate. Tara began sharing her story online through her […]
About the Guest Dr. Derald Holtkamp is a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostics and Production Animal Medicine (VDPAM) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa, U.S.). He received his DVM, MS in Agricultural Economics, and B.S. in Agricultural Business with a minor in statistics, all from Iowa State […]
About the Guest Joseph Kerns, President of Partners for Production Agriculture, has thirty years’ experience working with producers, suppliers, and mills to support agricultural operations. He leads a team of professionals with the purpose of understanding the financial parameters around agricultural markets so that those that he works with can thrive and prosper. What can you […]
About the Guest From vegetable farm manager to global ISO auditor, David then moved into the poultry sector when he purchased a UK broiler farm in 2004 and continues to operate a contract poultry farm management company in the UK. In 2018, David founded OPTIFarm. OPTIfarm is a very unique data driven support service, currently […]
Elizabeth Rumley is a senior staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. At the Center, her primary research and scholarship focus is on legal issues in animal agriculture, and she frequently lectures on those issues and others to audiences nationwide. She has co-taught a course covering “Animals and Agricultural Production, Law and Policy” at the University of Nebraska College of Law and the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and has developed and teach...
Emily Erickson grew up on a small, diversified livestock and crop farm near Dundee, MN. Her parents bought their farm in the early '80's, right as the farm crisis hit. Her dad raised pigs outdoors, a farrow to finish operation of about 100 sows at the time, and also farmed corn, soybeans and usually oats, for bedding. Emily graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. in Animal Science. She was fortunate to fall into an animal welfare role for a production system right at the start o...
About the Guest In his capacity as Chief Legal Strategist for the National Pork Producers Council, Michael Formica works with state and federal lawmakers on pressing, high profile issues impacting livestock production. His work leading strategic legal initiatives has benefitted America’s 66,000 pig farmers across the country, including efforts to get NPPC’s challenge to California […]
About the Guest Jeb Gent is the co-founder of Ascension Ag, a livestock biosecurity company. His focus is to solve niche biosecurity issues in swine and other large animal industries. He has a passion for helping people and solving problems. When he is not working, he is spending time with family and friends, driving tractors or […]
About the Guest Joel is the CEO and Co-founder of Genvax Technologies. Formerly he was the Director of Product at GlobalVetLINK and was VP of Harrisvaccines, which Merck Animal Health acquired in November of 2015. Along with coordinating investor relations and mentoring at the Ag Startup Engine, he participates in several advisory and mentoring roles […]
About the Guest Joseph Dykhuis was born and raised on his family’s farm in Holland, MI. Joseph is a Purdue University graduate with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. Joseph is the President of the family farm, Dykhuis Farms, Inc, a farrow to finish pork producer in Michigan and Indiana. Dykhuis Farms also farm row crops in […]
About the Guest Dr. Rebecca Robbins is a mom, veterinarian and swine industry professional with 12 years of post-graduate experience. Her business, R.C. Robbins Swine Consulting Services PLLC, provides consultation in swine health management and research to animal health companies and swine producers. She is also the Lead instructor for the Elite Swine Veterinary Program available […]
About the Guest Chris Opschoor is 43 years old and already for 22 years working in the pig industry. After his study at the Hogeschool INHOLLAND on Animal Husbandry, 1994 – 1998 he graduated with a BSc in Swine husbandry and later obtained his Masters in Animal Breeding and Genetics from Wageningen University. He started […]
About the Guest Precision Livestock Technologies CEO Andrew McKenzie co-founded the company in 2019 to bring new sources of data and analytics to the livestock industry. Prior to PLT, he held executive positions in several software companies, worked in venture capital in New York City, and was lead engineer at a global industrial gas company. […]
About the Guest Chris is a widely respected sales and marketing leader who delivers breakthrough growth for clients and builds high performance teams. He presents frequently on industry-changing trends, and his expertise is sought by senior executives of both retailers and food/packaged goods companies. In addition, he partners with industry trade associations and serves on […]
Shonda Sammons is a partner and Program Leader with the sister organization of 21st Century, 21st Century Agriculture Leadership. With over 30+ years of experience, she works with employers and employees to provide coaching, guidance, and leadership development. In addition to her highly engaging facilitation style, Shonda converts individuals into enterprising champions and assists companies in identifying in-house talent and matching employee skill sets to job responsibilities. Discussion is b...
About the Guest Dr. Jack A. Shere is the Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Beyond the domestic program diseases work that is a large part of the Veterinary Services mission, Dr. Shere has worked on animal disease outbreaks of Salmonella enteridittis (SE), […]
About the Guest Rob Brenneman and his wife Char own and operate Brenneman Pork in Washington, Iowa. They have four children, who along with their spouses are all involved in the operation. Rob enjoys spending time with their 12 grandchildren. Rob’s interest in livestock began with hogs as a 4-H project. He and his dad […]
What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why the topic of innovation and innovative culture matters. Why patterns can be dangerous even when they are formed through success. Why people fear the concept and practice of innovation. The story of Kodak “The Kings of Photography” What is the next big […]
About the Guest Currently the Business Unit Specialist for Water Treatment at Neogen Corporation, Jesse develops and implements water treatment chemicals and programs to aid in production animal health in poultry, swine, and ruminants. Jesse assists Neogen’s partners in the field and laboratory as well as production managers, veterinarians, and independent producers in setting up cost-effective […]
About the Guest Jason McAlister, president CloverLeaf Animal welfare Systems, started his career at the world-famous Gilbertville locker. He went on to work with IBP and Tyson until 2007, when he transitioned to Triumph Foods. He has since led their animal welfare program, was a past NAMI animal welfare committee chair, and served as an advisor […]
About the Guest Gene Noem finishes hogs at JMG Farms in Howard County. Gene also manages the contracted gilt multiplication for PIC North America. He is in his second term on the National Pork Board of Directors, and currently serving as President. Noem grew up in eastern South Dakota. His base experience is rooted in […]
About the Guest Dr. Adian Balaban is the executive director of Pork & Co., Cooperativa Silistea Productie Suine, which is also a genetic multiplier for Topigs Norsvin. Additionally, Dr. Balaban serves as the President of the Romanian Association of Swine Veterinarians and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Romanian Pork […]
About the Guest Dr. Adian Balaban is the executive director of Pork & Co., Cooperativa Silistea Productie Suine, which is also a genetic multiplier for Topigs Norsvin. Additionally, Dr. Balaban serves as the President of the Romanian Association of Swine Veterinarians and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Romanian Pork […]
About the Guest Jim Huang has 24 years of experience in the commodity futures industry. Starting as a data analyst with Thomson Reuters in St. Louis in 1998, then moved to Chicago in 2001. During his 11 years at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he worked closely with the Agricultural Commodities team, coordinating market maker programs […]
Quotes “Getting started was so fast that it was like I blinked and we were running PigFlow. It was remarkable because there were no issues between blinking.” “I have not looked at my notebooks since the moment that I logged into PigFlow. This is changing the industry!” “PigFlow immediately changed the caretaker’s behaviors throughout the […]
About the Guest I’m a Texas gentleman who believes in hard work with a little fun thrown in. My day job is makin’ bacon at Pederson’s Farms as the Vice President. But, my most important job is lovin’ on my wife & three young daughters… and throwing in some cowboy stuff when I can. As […]
