Posted April 15, 2015

Two Iowa college students who are majoring in swine-related fields have been named recipients of 2015 Pork Industry Scholarships.

The Pork Checkoff announced April 13 that Matthew Romoser of Keota and Hayden Williams from Iowa Falls are among 21 scholarship winners from around the United States. The scholarship program is part of its strategy to develop the pork industry’s human capital for the future. Recipients were selected based on scholastic merit, leadership activities, involvement in the pork production industry and future plans for a career in pork production.

“Developing the next generation of leaders in the pork industry is one of the top issues that the Pork Checkoff has identified as being critical for the industry’s future. Finding new leaders also is part of our strategic plan,” said Dale Norton, president of the National Pork Board and a pork producer from Bronson, Mich. “Our ongoing goal is to help ensure that there is a sustainable source of new leaders ready to take on the industry’s charge of producing a safe, wholesome food product in a socially responsible way.”

Romoser was one of the top two candidates selected and will receive a $3,500 scholarship. He is a senior at Iowa State University in Ames and plans to pursue a master’s degree in reproductive physiology with Dr. Jason Ross at ISU after completing his undergraduate degree. He hopes to have a career where he can play a key role in bringing applied reproductive technologies to pork production in order to facilitate genetic improvement and improve reproductive efficiency.

Williams is a biology major at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and won a $2,000 scholarship.

“To remain competitive on the global stage, a skilled workforce and strong leadership are essential,” Norton said. “We need young leaders to look at pork not just as a food choice, but as a career. The issues the next generation will face will be substantially different from those we are currently facing. Pork producers will need strong leadership in order to produce pork in a manner that is good for people, pigs and the planet.”