The Pork Podcast

In this episode of the Pork Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Ashley Hengen, human resources manager for PIC North America, to explore the intersection of human resilience and modern agricultural operations. Ashley’s path to the swine industry was anything but linear—spanning from kinesiology studies to public policy work—but a pivotal mountain hike and a life-altering health challenge at age 14 shaped h...

In this episode of the Pork Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Joe Dykhuis of Dykhuis Farms in Holland, Mich. Although Dykhuis has deep roots in pork production, he’s not stuck in how things have always been done. As the owner of a large sow farm that relies on contract growers to finish 450,000 pigs a year, he has a unique perspective on how to align people, resources and the pigs themselves to make sure everyone th...

In 2022, Maddison Caldwell shared a story of survival that resonated deeply across the pork industry and rural America. In honor of National Mental Health Month, host Jennifer Shike catches up with Maddison for a raw and powerful conversation on the reality of long-term healing. Read her story here: https://www.porkbusiness.com/news/industry/her-own-hand-farm-girls-miraculous-journey-death-hope

From navigating the "gray area...

Dr. Anna Forseth didn’t just follow a path; she carved one. In this episode, National Pork Producers Council’s Director of Animal Health shares how her Montana upbringing forged the grit necessary to bridge the gap between local farms and global policy. From the front lines of disease defense to high-level trade negotiations in Paris, Forseth discusses the critical stakes of protecting the U.S. swine herd and why her un...

What does it take to move the needle in the pork industry? For North Carolina State University professor Mark Knauer, it takes the same discipline he learned wrestling under legendary coaches at Iowa State University: the commitment to the "grind." In this episode, we explore how Knauer is bringing elite-level precision to sow management.
We discuss:

• The Sow Caliper: How this simple tool is saving produce...

After 20 years in the U.S. Army and multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Michael Williford was ready to retire—but he wasn't ready to slow down. In this episode, he shares his incredible journey from serving in the military to becoming a contract hog grower in Clinton, Ky. Discover how he used the discipline of the military to master swine management and how he’s using "black gold" to transform his family&rsquo...

Every small decision matters. Whether Dusty Oedekoven, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Board, is talking about wrestling or swine health, he says progress starts with belief. He outlines the newly adopted path forward for the National Swine Health Strategy to help the U.S. pork industry stop living with PRRS and PEDV. Drawing on historical successes like pseudorabies eradication and his own experiences in livestock disease...

Dan Hamilton, senior director for product performance at PIC, explores the vital intersection of swine genetic innovation and personal resilience. He shares how digital phenotyping and AI are revolutionizing the industry—from analyzing the "social networks" of pigs to improve welfare to using camera-based algorithms that enhance sow longevity by removing human subjectivity. While discussing the future of precision agriculture...

After a challenging 2023, Chet Mogler of Pig Hill Farms is shifting his focus from physical expansion to professionalizing operations through enhanced biosecurity and innovative grower incentives. Learn what’s happening with their new meat company, Iowa Craft Meats, and how their farm is focused on building a resilient and sustainable foundation for the next generation of pork producers. He also shares his experience as a fat...

As Sylvester Stallone’s character Rocky says, “Life's not supposed to be sunshine and rainbows.” But Jennifer Tirey, Illinois Pork Producers Association executive director, points out what he has to say next about moving forward is the most important part of that famous quote. Tirey is no stranger to struggles in this world. She opens up about her fight with cancer when she was a young wife, the critical role of b...

Professors Bob Goodband and Mike Tokach are retiring after 30 years dedicated to the swine industry at Kansas State University. Discover how these legends prioritized people over publications, shaping the next generation of industry leaders with their selfless mentorship and innovative research. Tune in to hear their reflections on a lifetime of impact, the evolution of swine production, and their challenge to the pork industry.

See...

Micah Jansen knows that the key to juggling a busy life as a mother and swine tech services veterinarian at Zoetis is to differentiate the “glass balls” from the others. In other words, she’s learned how to prioritize what matters most as she strives to find a healthy balance between her passions. She joins The PORK Podcast to discuss the future of swine health and how she makes decisions with producers’ ROI...

With a deep-rooted passion for agriculture, Maddie Hokanson follows a simple but profound philosophy in life: Start with why. A seventh-generation farmer, Maddie explains how her “why” – to ensure a successful, thriving future for the generations she will never meet – drives all aspects of her life, from family to farming to advocating for the pork industry.

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