Honorary Master Pork Producer

Speed Herrig of Wall Lake, Iowa, has spent a lifetime turning good food and good humor into powerful promotion for pork producers. Raised on the century farm where he still lives and works, Speed’s story began with chores and hand pitching hog manure, lessons that built his work ethic and his lifelong respect for the families who raise pigs. Today, that same farm is home to his automotive repair shop and close to the headquarters of Cookies Food Products, a barbecue brand that has helped put Iowa pork on plates across the country.  

Speed grew up learning the value of work and resourcefulness. After high school, he worked construction, then walked into a recruiter’s office intending to join the Marines and came out as a Navy aircraft mechanic instead. When his service ended, he came home and opened an automotive repair shop on the farm while raising his three kids alongside his late wife, Judy.  

What began in 50-gallon kettles at three in the morning has grown into a 120,000- square-foot facility cooking in 500-gallon kettles, producing everything from single-serve packets to 300-gallon totes, often destined for flavoring pork. From the beginning, Speed tied Cookies Food Products directly to the pork industry. He worked with county pork producer groups at grilling and promotions, partnered with the National Pork Board and Tama County Pork at World Pork Expo, and spent years on media tours talking about pork’s versatility and how to cook it right. The Cookies Food Products Rib Wagon and smokers have rolled to grocery stores, county events, and racetracks from Mitchell, South Dakota, to Kansas City, Charlotte, Daytona, and Iowa Speedway. Speed has cooked well over 100,000 racks of ribs and more than 100,000 pounds of pulled pork, always with pork front and center.  

Speed shows consumers how to enjoy pork at the proper temperature and in many forms, from stuffed loins and stir-fry to ribs and pulled pork. He champions boneless loins as one of the best protein buys in the meat case and shares recipes, tips, and Cookies Food Products flavor enhancer with anyone who asks. He loves nothing more than seeing someone’s face light up when they taste juicy, properly cooked pork after years of overcooking it.  

Speed’s impact stretches far beyond the grill. He has built Cookies Food Products into a long-standing rural employer, with many team members staying 20 to 40 years. Both Speed and Cookies Food Products have long been committed to giving back. Through the Iowa Barbecue Society, he helped secure a proclamation naming October as Senior Barbecue Month, then backed it up by taking pulled pork to local nursing homes and senior meal sites so older neighbors could enjoy a special pork meal.

Dr. Jason Ross has built a career defined by service to Iowa’s pork industry, dedication to Iowa State University, and a deep belief in the future of agriculture. Raised in Poweshiek County, he grew up on a diversified farm with crops, pigs, and cattle. That interest carried him to Iowa State University in 1996, where an animal reproduction course and hands-on work with the Edler Brothers in State Center helped shape his career path and strengthen his commitment to livestock production.  

After graduating from Iowa State, Jason continued his education at Oklahoma State University, earning both his master’s and doctoral degrees. In 2008, he returned as an assistant professor in the Animal Science Department, allowing him to return to his home state, rejoin the department that sparked his career, and continue his growing research and teaching.  

Jason spent his early years at Iowa State teaching physiology and reproduction courses. That work eventually led him to the Iowa Pork Industry Center, where he served as director for seven years. In 2022, Jason was appointed chair of the Animal Science Department. He now leads one of the nation’s most respected animal science programs, focusing on preparing future leaders, supporting faculty excellence, and ensuring that Iowa State continues to meet the evolving needs of livestock producers.  

Jason’s leadership and impact are widely recognized across the university. Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean Dr. Dan Robison said, “Jason Ross is an extraordinary scientist, educator, and service provider, to Iowa and beyond, in every dimension of agriculture – and especially over the years in regard to the science that supports the swine industry! His dedication and energy to making things better and better, to advancing the causes of agricultural success and of food supply, and his leadership have made us all better.” 

Jason’s strong partnership with the Iowa Pork Producers Association has been a consistent thread throughout his career. He values the organization’s investment in students, research, and innovation, and sees IPPA leaders as mentors who have shaped his thinking as both a scientist and administrator. Their collaboration, he says, has helped Iowa State remain deeply connected to producers and aligned with the needs of the state’s pork industry.  

Along with his professional achievements, Jason is most proud of his family. His wife, Rose Mary, whom he met as an undergraduate at Iowa State, has supported every step of his academic and professional journey. Together, they have five children, all of whom bring him immense pride. Whether coaching youth sports, spending time outdoors hunting and fishing, or cheering on their kids’ personal and academic milestones, family remains the center of his life.