Return on investment and payback are not the same number, and treating them as the same changes which projects on a farm ever get funded. Today on the Popular Pig Podcast, host Matthew Rooda welcomes Brian Strobel and Alex Adams to talk about precision feeding, technology implementation, and what they see on farms in Europe, China and Australia. You will hear why a change only sticks when the crew knows there is no going back, what individual feeding records let you prove about animal care, and the one job Brian does not expect a robot to take.

Brian Strobel has extensive experience in the swine industry, with a background spanning open gestation, lactation, growing pigs, gilt development, genetic selection, precision livestock technology, and farm management.

Brian has authored five articles for ASABE Resource magazine covering RFID, pre-wean mortality, labor and technology, gilt development practices, and water consumption. He serves as Treasurer for the National Swine Improvement Federation (NSIF) and is a member of the Pork Leadership Institute Class of 2025.

His industry experience includes working for Murphy Brown and Osborne, as well as serving as a contract grower for Smithfield and JBS until 2020. He also has extensive experience with lactation heating and genetic equipment.

Brian grew up near Greenville, Ohio, and is a general partner in his family partnership, which includes multiple farms and properties. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Systems from The Ohio State University in 1991, a Certificate in Civil Engineering Technology, a master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Purdue University in 1996, and an MBA from Ohio University in 2001. He received his Professional Engineering (PE) license in 2007.

Brian and his family reside in Knoxville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Catherine, have two children, Sophia and Austin. He is active in his church and community through several organizations and volunteer efforts, and he plays violin.

In 1980, as the farm crisis was beginning, Lyle Lange founded Lange Ag Systems. Looking back, it was likely one of the best times to start. Manufacturers were looking for dealers who had a genuine passion for the livestock industry and were committed to helping producers succeed. Many customers were purchasing existing facilities that had fallen out of use, and we worked alongside them to bring those facilities back to life and back into production.

Lyle grew up on a farm in Redwood County, Minnesota. His family farm farrowed 50 to 60 sows twice each year, selling both feeder pigs and market hogs. In those days, every pen was cleaned daily with a fork and shovel, which taught me the value of hard work and responsibility at an early age.

In addition to working on the farm, Lyle worked for neighboring farmers and spent time in carpentry, concrete construction, and at a ready-mix plant where I stocked aggregate bins and mixed concrete loads. During the late 1960s, he had the opportunity to help form and build one of the first concrete manure pits in the county.

After high school, he attended Ridgewater College in Willmar, Minnesota, where he completed two years in Agricultural Business. Following college, Lyle entered the agricultural equipment industry, focusing primarily on swine and dairy equipment.

Throughout his career, Lyle has enjoyed speaking to agricultural and entrepreneurship classes, sharing experiences and encouraging the next generation of agricultural leaders.

He and his wife also had the privilege of managing the Willmar Ag Show for more than 36 years, helping connect producers with new ideas, innovations, and opportunities.

One of the greatest blessings of Lyle’s life came in 2025 when two of his children assumed ownership and leadership of Lange Ag Systems. It is incredibly rewarding to see the business continue into the next generation. Together, they bring more than 45 years of combined experience working in and helping manage the company.

Today, Lange Ag Systems employs more than 25 full-time team members, many of whom have been with us for 20 to 35 years. Their dedication and expertise have been instrumental in our success.

They specialize in educating customers on the proper operation of the equipment we sell and provide complete design, installation, construction, and turnkey project management services. We build farrowing facilities that allow producers to produce their own weaned pigs for use in their production systems. We also work extensively with producers on nursery and finishing facilities, as well as remodeling and upgrading existing barns.

Since 1981, we have been involved in the silage bagging industry, supplying both silage bagging equipment and silage bags. We also offer grain bagging systems capable of storing grain efficiently and economically. Our grain bagging equipment can load up to 25,000 bushels per hour, and our unloading systems are designed to recover virtually all grain from the bag. Individual grain bags can hold up to 15,000 bushels.

Above all, we take pride in helping our customers before, during, and long after their projects are complete. Building lasting relationships and providing dependable service has always been the foundation of Lange Ag Systems.

Mike Walker serves as Vice President of Business Development for Lange Ag Systems, where he helps livestock producers and agribusinesses improve facility performance, operational efficiency, and long-term profitability through construction, ventilation, equipment, and infrastructure solutions.

Raised on a crop and beef farm in central Iowa, Mike developed a strong appreciation for agriculture, hard work, and rural communities from an early age. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Studies from Iowa State University before moving to Minnesota in 2005 to pursue opportunities in the livestock industry.

With more than 26 years of experience in agriculture and livestock production, Mike has built a career focused on helping producers navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern agriculture. Prior to joining Lange Ag Systems, he spent over 20 years with Christensen Farms, advancing through a variety of operational and business development leadership roles. These experiences provided him with a practical understanding of livestock production and the importance of solutions that deliver real value for producers.

Mike is known for his relationship-driven approach, industry knowledge, and commitment to helping customers succeed. He enjoys working alongside producers, contractors, and industry partners to identify solutions that support both immediate needs and long-term growth.

Outside of work, Mike’s greatest passion is his family. He met his wife, Cassie, in 2010, and together they are raising four daughters ranging in age from 5 to 18. Much of Mike’s free time is spent supporting their busy schedules, which include hockey, volleyball, softball, and gymnastics. Between practices, games, competitions, and plenty of time on the road, transportation coordinator has become one of his unofficial titles. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

For Mike, agriculture, family, and relationships are at the center of everything he does, both professionally and personally.

Barrett Eller is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has spent the past four years at SwineTech working at the intersection of people, process, and production. He helps pork producers improve workflow execution, operational excellence, and the return they generate from their labor investment. Having benefited early in his career from leaders who recognized his effort and potential, Barrett is passionate about creating the same opportunity for others by helping organizations build high-performing management systems that allow people to grow, contribute, and succeed.

Vienna Brown, PhD, MPH, works for USDA APHIS Veterinary Services as the U.S. SHIP Senior Coordinator. Prior to this role, she spent 6 years in Wildlife Services coordinating disease surveillance efforts, research prioritization, and ASF preparedness activities for feral swine.

Marisa Rotolo, DVM, Ph.D., joined the National Pork Board as director of swine health in December 2023. Her work includes overseeing NPB’s Swine Disease Research Task Force and supporting programs such as the Certified Swine Sampler Collector Program, Secure Pork Supply and AgView®. She is also involved in multiple industry-related working groups.

Zach Byrnes is a Northeast Iowa native and Iowa State University graduate with a degree in Ag Engineering. He manages a family row crop operation alongside his father and brother, and the family also custom feeds pigs. Drawing on a diverse background in agriculture–from product engineer at a hydraulic company to leading a sales team in Ag Tech–Zach brings a nuanced perspective as a customer, developer, and business manager in the farm economy. His latest project, Under the Slats, tackles manure management challenges that plague many hog producers. Driven by a commitment to cost-effective solutions with strong outcomes, he’s building a business that puts farmers first.

Jay Hess serves as the Managing Director of Orbit Farm Technologies, an agricultural technology partner dedicated to protecting the integrity of pork production through advanced connectivity and monitoring. Jay’s work in the swine industry began in 2021 when he spearheaded the delivery of robust network infrastructure across all of Brenneman Pork’s sow farms. Serving as Director of Product for Orbit’s parent company, CCR Technologies, until 2024, his career has been driven by the goal of building scalable, reliable tools that minimize operational downtime. Today, he leads the charge on “Eyes on Glass,” a proactive managed service that removes the burden of oversight from the producer by analyzing barn movements to guarantee total compliance with internal biosecurity rules across the entire operation.

Justin White serves as a Sales Executive at Orbit Farm Technologies, bringing over 20 years of experience to helping agricultural producers improve business connectivity and operational efficiency. His path into agriculture technology began with hands-on industry roles, including Field Sales Agronomist at GROWMARK and Sales, Marketing & Precision Specialist at Hook’s Point Irrigation, providing him with a practical, on-the-ground understanding of the day-to-day challenges producers encounter. He later built his technical sales expertise in sales at a major national telecommunications provider, delivering network, security, and communications solutions to business and government clients.

A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Agricultural Systems Technology, Justin combines deep agronomic roots with a career-long focus on connectivity, driving the technology partnerships that keep today’s farms running efficiently.

PJ Corns is the Technical Director for JBS Live Pork, Greeley, CO. Responsible for nearly 260,000 sows, boar studs and gilt development units across the Midwest.

PJ has spent his entire career forging world class results with every step from managing large sow units in North Carolina, to working internationally with PIC and his own consultancy firm where his involvement in well over 2 million sows was driven by delivering results based upon proven protocols, system maximization, people development and biosecurity implementation and execution. PJ joined JBS in his current role in September, 2021.

Brett Kaysen, Ph.D., serves as senior vice president of producer and state engagement for the National Pork Board (NPB), where he leads grassroots efforts to empower state associations and drive long-term success for the U.S. pork industry. Drawing on his passion for developing people, Dr. Kaysen has supported the development of signature leadership initiatives including the Elevate and Immersion programs while reshaping NPB’s approach to state partnerships.

With a career spanning both industry and academia, Dr. Kaysen brings valuable perspective from his roles as Western Regional Business Director for U.S. Pork at Zoetis and his 18-year tenure at Colorado State University. His background includes coaching livestock judging teams, developing 4-H programs and serving as Youth Advisory Board Chairman for the National Junior Swine Association. A CSU graduate with degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Education, Dr. Kaysen resides in Iowa with his wife and two daughters, where they raise show pigs and remain actively involved in the industry he loves.

Dwight Mogler is the managing partner of Iowa Craft Meats and a partner in Mogler Farms/Dayspring Farm in Lyon County, Iowa. A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in agricultural business, Dwight returned to the family operation after working in the feed and grain industry and helped grow the farm’s farrow-to-finish operation to 200,000 head of annual marketing’s.

Today, the family enterprise includes pork production, beef feedlot operations, crop farming, a country grain elevator and Iowa Craft Meats, a business focused on creating value-added pork products and connecting consumers more closely to the people who raise their food. Dwight is passionate about the future of pork demand, product innovation, and helping producers build stronger connections with consumers.

Dwight previously served on the National Pork Producers Council board and is currently a producer board member of the National Pork Board.  He has been recognized by the Iowa Pork Producers Association for his contributions to the pork industry. He and his wife, Donna, live in Lester, Iowa, and enjoy spending time with family when not working.

Lee Schulz joined Ever.Ag as their chief economist in 2024. In this role, he speaks on various industry topics, develops and delivers economic data and analyses, and provides clients with critical economic perspectives for informed decision-making. He also serves as the consulting economist for the National Pork Board.

Lee grew up on a crop and livestock farm in central Wisconsin. From 2012 to 2024 he was on the economics faculty at Iowa State University where he served as a professor and as the statewide extension specialist on livestock economics and markets.

Lee has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, a master’s in agricultural economics from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. in economics from Kansas State University.

Kiersten Hafer, vice president of business intelligence and innovation for the National Pork Board, provides strategy, insights and guidance to the pork industry and supply chain on where to play and how to win with pork.

She has leveraged her 30 years of experience with Fortune 500 companies and high-growth organizations to uncover and unlock potential, facilitate change and measure expansion. As a lifelong connector and change agent, she has strategized business growth with retailers, marketing agencies, food brokers, foodservice operators, market research firms and consumer goods manufacturers.

Before her role with the National Pork Board, she served as vice president of marketing for Clemens Food Group, where she was responsible for marketing, innovation and business insights across its retail and foodservice businesses.

Hafer is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University with a Master of Science degree in Food Marketing from the Haub School of Business. She resides in the Greater Philadelphia region with her husband, two children and two golden retrievers.

Jesse Heimer owns Heimer Hampshires, a 500-sow show pig enterprise, where he leads a team of eight raising competitive pigs for junior livestock enthusiasts nationwide and sells progressive genetics via semen and breeding stock to other breeders.

Heimer is a founding member and past board member of the Missouri Youth Show Pig Circuit (2009-2023) and a current Missouri Pork Association board member. At the national level, he is a Pork Leadership Institute graduate (2021); hosted dialogue with industry leaders to foster harmony between show pigs and commercial sectors; sits on the NPPC Traceability task force; participates in the AgView working group and represents exhibition swine on the General Conference Committee of the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan.