Posted May 3, 2010
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Steve Kerns
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For nearly 40 years, Steve Kerns has worked to make the pork industry better while maintaining close ties to his college alma mater. His efforts were recognized April 25 at the Iowa State University Animal Science department’s annual banquet in Ames.
Kerns became the 40th inductee into the Animal Science Hall of Fame at ISU.
“Steve Kerns is a technology innovator, an organizational leader and a swine seedstock producer, but most of all, he’s a strong and loyal supporter of IowaStateUniversity and the Animal Science department,” said Maynard Hogberg, vice chairman of the Animal Science department, during the induction ceremony.
As an ISU student, Kerns was one of the first in the nation to conduct ultrasound scanning of pigs. After earning a bachelor’s degree from IowaState in 1981, he became interested in various area of swine breeding and was an innovator in the use of frozen boar semen. He now works with cloning in pigs as well.
Kerns has been a Landrace breeder and purebred genetic supplier for nearly his entire career in addition to owning and operating Kerns Farms with his wife and two sons. He has supplied genetics to many foreign countries and consulted foreign producers.
An active participant in various swine organizations, Kerns has served as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association and other leadership positions and serves on various committees for the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council. He’s a member of the ISU Animal Science department’s External advisory Board and the screening committee for department faculty hires.
The ISU Animal Science department Hall of Fame was started in 1970 to annually recognize someone who has made a significant contribution to the livestock industry and to the ISU Animal Science department.
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