Happy Porktober! October, or National Pork Month, is a pretty big deal here in Iowa with 174,105 jobs associated with the pork industry. My name is Elle Ploeger, and I was chosen to serve as the 2023 Iowa Pork...
Happy Porktober! October, or National Pork Month, is a pretty big deal here in Iowa with 174,105 jobs associated with the pork industry.
My name is Elle Ploeger, and I was chosen to serve as the 2023 Iowa Pork Queen for the Iowa Pork Producers. I grew up helping my dad raise show pigs in Northwest Iowa. I have always loved showing pigs, but my favorite part has been delivering piglets with my brother and dad in the farrowing barn. I got to experience all the work that goes into raising pork, and I loved sharing this with others. I especially love teaching kids because they will be the future of the industry.
Elle at the Woodbury County Fair volunteering with the Pig Pals program.As Pork Queen, I work with two other ambassadors on the youth team. We had to complete 100 hours of pig related events and attend the World Pork Expo and work at the Iowa State Fair. I used my 100 hours visiting 115 classrooms around Iowa and attending many county fairs. This led to me meeting a wide variety of people with a diverse number of careers in the industry. Even though I grew up on a pig farm, I truly have had my eyes opened to the number of available opportunities in agriculture.
Now, whether you’re currently a high school senior wondering what direction you will go when you graduate, or just an avid bacon lover, it’s important to see the variety of careers the pork industry has to offer.
The pork industry has a wide network of careers that all rely on each other. In this blog we’ll investigate some of the careers the industry offers and hear from experts in their respective fields.
Communications
Communications is a growing position within the pork industry. Whether it is internal or external, good communication is crucial to any business. With farms getting larger, it is important for one to be able to relay messages and properly represent all areas of the operation. Iowa is the number one pork producing state in the U.S. and there are hundreds of impactful stories to share about pork nutrition, animal care and economic contribution to Iowa. Communication professionals help pork producers and the pork industry communicate their message and address common misconceptions and myths around agriculture. Within communications there are tons of positions ranging from marketing, public relations, human resources, and graphic design.
Erin Cantrell, the Sr. Communications Specialist at Seaboard Triumph Foods, told me how she really wanted to be a part of the agriculture industry. She just couldn’t see herself in the operational side of production and realized that she’d rather be on the support side. In her role as the communications specialist, she gets to work internally and externally for the company. Erin works with employee engagement, activities, and appreciation programs. Externally, she works in partnerships, recruitment, and advertising. There are many opportunities within this position and with Seaboard Triumph Foods itself. They offer 20+ different departments with positions in resources, maintenance, being a part of the purchasing team, or even taking care of the animals, there is a wide variety just at one company.
Educator
Education lays the foundation for the future. The students of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Professors, extension agents, and field specialists have to form a strong foundation of knowledge. Education has an impact on a wide variety of people, sparking an interest for them to go down a path in agriculture they never even considered. This can be accomplished whether in the classroom, special events, or someone taking the time to share the message of agriculture with others.
Bob Thaler, Distinguished Professor and South Dakota State University Extension Swine Specialist, takes his education a step further by leading study abroad trips. He has led trips to China, Vietnam, and the Netherlands. Traveling abroad not only allows students to learn about exports and commodities, but also to see the world in a different way. Back on the home side, Bob told me how sharing new technology is significant in getting new students interested in careers in the pork industry. Like Erin, Bob thinks it is important to show the variety of careers, but also help kids figure out how they can go home to the family farm and grow it.
If you’re looking for ways to engage your grades 4-12 students with pork production this Porktober, the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation has a virtual kit just for you, and you can even join a LIVE virtual tour of a pig farm!
Buyer
A buyer works as a middleman for companies (e.g., Tyson Foods, Smithfield, or Seaboard Triumph Foods) working with producers buying products. Though this career sounds straightforward, an understanding of markets, commodities, and producer needs are necessary. A buyer must determine what is best for all parties: the company, producer, and consumer.
Ed Tice worked as a buyer at Tyson and IBP for 25+ years. In those 25 years, the position changed, but one thing that never changed was the importance of developing relationships with producers. Ed told me how he advocated for the industry by furthering his involvement in different levels of the industry. A few ways he stayed connected was by taking what he learned from serving in county and national pork boards, networking with producers near and far, and visiting colleges. “It’s not a 9-5 job. It’s 24/7 because whether it is county, state, or national level,” Ed said, “You are always bringing what is going to better the industry.”
Though these are three very different careers, all of them have commonalities. These careers all practice the Pork Checkoff pillars of education, promotion, and research. These careers educate employees, the public, students, and/or producers. Through their work, people in the industry promote companies, jobs, and information. To accomplish this, it takes researching the impacts of the industry, cultural differences, and the ups and downs of the markets. Through all these examples, the backbone of these careers remains the same.
They all work together for the common interest of the pork industry and “bacon” it better.
See ya!
-Elle
Elle Ploeger is currently a sophomore at South Dakota State University where she is majoring in agriculture communications. She grew up on a pig farm in Pierson, Iowa, and has expanded her experience working in the pork industry through her experience as the Iowa Pork Queen.
Learn more about careers within the pork industry HERE.