Master Pork Producer

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Chad and Renee Adams, along with their five children, are the proud operators of Adams Sandy Creek Farm in Monticello, Iowa. As fourth-generation farmers, they have dedicated their lives to continuing the family legacy, working alongside their children, the fifth generation, to manage their operation.

Chad has been farming full-time since 1998, with Renee joining him on the farm full-time in 2013. They oversee a wean-to-finish operation, owning multiple sites and renting a few, while custom feeders manage additional sites. Chad is responsible for the daily caretaking tasks, including chores, vaccinating, sorting, and selling pigs. He also markets their hogs and manages the feed mill they built in 2018, which supplies feed to all their sites. Renee handles the bookwork and assists with vaccinating, sorting, and selling pigs.

The Adams’ dedication to high-quality herdsmanship is evident in the countless hours they spend in the barns each year, ensuring all pigs have a strong start and healthy growth. Believing in the importance of direct consumer connections, the Adams family sells their pigs to area families, having them processed at the Edgewood Locker throughout the year.

Chad and Renee are actively involved in their community, reflecting the We Care principles both on their farm and beyond. They participate in the Jones County Farm Bureau, where Chad is a former president and current board member, and the Jones and Delaware County Pork Producers. They volunteer at events like the annual Jones County Ag Breakfast, the Great Jones County Fair, and the pork tent at the Iowa State Fair. They also engage in local grillings, parades, the Bacon Buddies Show, and the annual Porker Ride through the Jones County Pork Producers. Chad serves as a Church Council Board Member, and Renee is a Church Youth Group Leader at St. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church.

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Jeremy’s passion for swine production began as a young boy, helping with the family farms from sows to weaning and finishing. Now, as the sole owner and manager of his sites, Jeremy takes immense pride in the production and growth of his hogs. He emphasizes the importance of health and biosecurity, ensuring his sites are well-maintained and safe for the animals.

Jeremy believes in producing safe food by adhering to medication recommendations and proper animal handling practices, striving to provide the best meat possible. His commitment to maintaining his buildings and ensuring timely manure application helps protect the environment.

A well-maintained site also provides a safe work environment for himself and anyone assisting him. Jeremy not only works hard to adhere to these practices for himself, but also in his custom manure hauling business, working with other producers to make sure barns are set up properly for pumping pits.

A long-time member of the swine industry, Jeremy has worked with his dad and uncles on the farm. As an independent hog owner, he continues to work hard to provide safe and healthy pork, following the We Care principles.

Jeremy’s commitment to sustainable farming practices, animal welfare, and community involvement paints a picture of a farmer who is not only passionate about his work but also about making a positive impact on the world around him.

As he looks to the future, Jeremy’s hope is that his sons, Kaleb and Davis, will continue to uphold these values, ensuring the farm remains a cherished family legacy for generations to come.

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For the past 12 years, Pat Gent has worked alongside his dad and brother on the same farm where they grew up in Washington County. The farm has been in the family for generations, and his role has evolved from management to full ownership with his brother. Their wean-to-finish operation sources pigs from two sow farms that his parents have ownership in. They handle every aspect of the operation, including raising corn for feed, mixing their own feed, hauling pigs, and owning many of the buildings where the pigs are raised.

His wife, Krista, manages the books and office work, contributing significantly to the farm’s efficiency and success. Pat and Krista live on the farm, where they raise their five children, Maya, Vince, Mary, Eli, and Marshall. The Gents are working to instill family farm values and grow their kids’ interest in carrying on the operation for future generations.

Environmental sustainability is a top priority for the farm. All family-owned sites feature solar panels to reduce their environmental impact. Manure is the primary fertilizer source, providing essential nutrients for their crops, which are used to feed the pigs. They employ strip-till and reduced tillage methods to minimize soil disturbance, enhancing sustainability on their crop operation.

The family strives to positively impact their community by donating pork to various events, helping neighbors in need, and collaborating with others. The farmer has been an active member of the Washington County Pork Producers board for 12 years, serving as President and Secretary. He has participated in numerous promotions, grillings, and other activities with Washington County.

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Doug Gruver, serves as a grow/finish production manager with AMVC, and in addition, manages his own contract finishing barns outside of Sully, Iowa. In this role, he supports a network of contract growers throughout Eastern Iowa, providing direction on pig care and site management. He works closely with his veterinarian and the grow/finish team at AMVC, ensuring all data and records are accurate and reported in a timely manner.

Gruver’s dedication to keeping animals healthy begins with utilizing multiple biosecurity measures and close collaboration with his veterinarian to ensure health, well-being and producing safe food. To maintain a safe working environment and comfortable living conditions for pigs, Doug works hard to maintain his facilities.

Following along the We Care principles, Doug also responsibly uses resources, fertilizing his crop ground with manure from his pig barns and conserving water and natural resources. Recently, he began participating in the Pork Cares Farm Impact Reports to create yearly on-farm sustainability reports showcasing his land stewardship actions.

Doug is also a member of various agricultural organizations, including the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association, and Jasper County Farm Bureau. He has served as a board member of his church and is heavily involved with other community efforts. When he’s not volunteering, Doug enjoys spending time with his wife Janise and their two children, Abby and James.

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Mike and Megan are the dynamic duo behind Pork Chop Ranch Inc. and 5 Sisters L.L.C., outside of Manchester, Iowa. Established in 2003, Pork Chop Ranch Inc. oversees wean-to-finish facilities and manages contract production on the family’s seven confinement sites. They also utilize manure from these sites in their row-crop farming practices, enhancing sustainability.

In 2014, they founded 5 Sisters L.L.C., which owns and manages wean-to-finish facilities across three locations. This venture aims to pioneer future ownership in the hog industry for their five daughters, Macy, Myla, Lucille, Trudy, and Vera. The facilities operate under contract production, ensuring consistency and quality.

Mike’s role as the overall manager of operations involves visiting sites, ensuring proper practices are followed, conducting site inspections, maintaining property, and overseeing daily chores. Megan handles payroll, bookkeeping, bill payments, and tracking incentives, keeping the administrative side running smoothly. The Loeckes are extremely grateful to also have a team of devoted employees that they can rely on in providing the best care.

In addition to these ventures, they also own a small show pig operation with 12 sows, providing competitive show pigs for county and state fairs. Working with the next generation, Mike and his daughters work together to make decisions for the operation, including things such as artificial insemination and farrowing.

Their community involvement is extensive. Mike has served on the Delaware County Pork Producers, School Board, Parish Council, and Delaware County Fair board. He also uses his auctioneering skills to help local organizations and churches with fundraisers.

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As a second-generation hog producer, Kevin Lux takes immense pride in continuing the family legacy with his son, Devin, who represents the third generation. The Lux family remains competitive as a family-owned independent farm by feeding their livestock with crops produced on their own fields, minimizing labor costs, and maintaining high standards of care.

Kevin & Devin work hard to enforce strict biosecurity practices on the farm to prevent disease. To maintain herd health, they carefully control who comes onto the farm, setting up biosecurity signs to regulate farm traffic. They have enhanced these practices by only allowing essential deliveries on specific days.

The Lux’s commitment to the We Care initiative is evident in their practices. They provide their sows with ample outdoor space, use drip cool systems in farrowing houses for comfort during hot weather, and inject liquid manure directly back into the soil as fertilizer, carefully avoiding tiles and waterways to prevent contamination. These practices reflect their dedication to environmental sustainability and animal well-being.

Apart from their dedication to hog farming, the Lux family also manages row crops, including corn and soybeans, to support their livestock feed needs. Additionally, they raise cattle, which adds diversity to their farming operations. This multifaceted approach ensures the sustainability and profitability of their farm.

With 18 years of membership in the Cherokee County Pork Producers, Kevin has been an active supporter, providing sponsorship for the annual banquet and various programs. The family has also raised three girls who have held the title of “Little Miss Pigtails.”

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Brad Meyer, along with his wife Trinda and their eight children, operate Meadowview Pork in Rock Rapids, Iowa. As a third-generation farmer, Brad is passionate about agriculture and dedicated to raising market hogs, carrying forward a legacy that spans generations.

Meadowview Pork is heavily invested in two sow units managed by Pipestone Systems, ensuring a steady rotation of pigs. Meadowview’s nursery-finish groups and wean-finish barns include both sites directly owned and managed by contract growers.

Additionally, the farm features an on-site feed mill that produces a majority of the feed for their barns. Brad coordinates the logistics of feed deliveries to barns and the intake of additional ingredients to the mill.

Apart from hogs, Meadowview Pork also includes row crop ground in a corn-soybean rotation. They apply their own manure in the fall, utilizing GPS and flow rate-controlled equipment to ensure precise application and coverage.

Brad is committed to promoting the We Care principles, ensuring the farm’s sustainability and the welfare of their animals. He believes in investing in barns and facilities to protect animals from extreme weather, and regularly redesigns and improves barns for better animal handling and employee safety. The farm constantly updates equipment to reduce utility usage, enhancing efficiency and sustainability.

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Matt’s journey into pork production began in 1991 when he bought his first gilts. Fueled by a childhood rooted in agriculture, he took a significant leap forward in 1995 by building his first hog facility, a nursery. As he navigated the challenges of the industry, Matt made the strategic decision to cease farrowing in 1999, allowing him to focus on other areas of growth. In 2002, he and his brother Joe seized a new opportunity by renting additional hog barns, a pivotal move that marked the beginning of significant expansion and success in their pork production enterprise.

In 2007, Matt and his brother began organizing Grassland Pork to address their need for a better supply of healthy pigs. This move proved strategic, as it allowed them to stabilize their operations and invest in their future. Matt has continued to drive the success of Grassland Pork, serving as the president since 2009.

In the following years, they launched several other ventures, including Countyline Livestock in 2014 and Countyline Feed Mill in 2015, ensuring sustainable growth and diversification in their business. With each step, Matt & Michelle’s dedication to innovation and family legacy continues to drive his success.

Despite his many responsibilities, Matt considers his family his greatest accomplishment. His wife Michelle and their five children – Jake, Amber, Jamie, Matti, and Pete – have all spent quality time with him in the barns. Matt’s dedication to farming continues as he shares his passion with his children, ensuring the Thoma farming legacy lives on into the 5th generation.

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For 25 years, Josh and Megan Volante have been dedicated to raising pigs in Clutier, Iowa. Their commitment to the agriculture industry extends beyond pork, with a seed sales partnership and an Independent Soil Sampling and Nitrogen Modeling business.

As the head of the operation, Josh ensures the highest level of care for the pigs. He is supported by two employees who help with day-to-day activities. Josh’s workday begins early in the barn and often extends well into the evening.

Since his involvement in the pork industry, Josh’s goal has been to produce a safe and nutritious product, raised in the best conditions possible. Despite the age of some facilities, Josh’s dedication to cleanliness and maintenance ensures they remain in top condition. He utilizes technology to monitor and manage the pigs, including setting limits for water usage, feed timers, and temperature alarms.

The Volantes integrate the We Care principles into their operation in more ways than one. They are good stewards of the land, focusing on efficient manure usage and conservation practices. Josh not only assists a local pumping crew with moving manure but also employs cover crops to maintain soil quality. Megan also works to incorporate data from soil sampling to guide nutrient applications.