Popular Pig

Dave Muhlbauer is a fifth-generation family farmer, lifelong Iowan, and local leader who is currently serving in his eighth year on the Crawford County Board of Supervisors. Dave is joining Rob Sand as the nominee for lieutenant governor of Iowa because he knows that Iowans are ready to rotate the crops and put public service over politics.

Zach Lahn is a 6th generation Iowan who was born and raised in Sioux City, and now resides on his family farm in Belle Plaine. Zach’s family came to Iowa over 100 years ago in 1884, built their family farm, and lived there until 2005, when it was sold. In 2014, Zach bought back his family’s homestead, where he and his wife, Annie, are raising their family.  He is running on a strong Iowa-First platform that includes 4 key issues: saving Iowa’s family farms, combating the cancer crisis, making Iowa’s education #1, and keeping our kids in Iowa.

Sarah Showalter is the director of consumer and business insights for the National Pork Board. She implements consumer-focused, producer-led strategy by leading qualitative and quantitative research to answer business questions and identify opportunities. Prior to her role at NPB, Showalter attended Iowa State University and has experience in developing strategic insights through research at Circana (formerly IRI), Conagra Brands and Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Chad Groves is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Seaboard Foods LLC, the pork segment of Seaboard Corporation — a Fortune 300 agribusiness with over a century of history. Seaboard Foods is an integrated pork processor marketing 7.2 million hogs annually from its 330,000 sows, and markets and sells premium pork under the iconic Prairie Fresh® brand. In this role, Groves leads the full scope of the business — spanning live operations, processing, sales, sustainability, supply chain and innovation — with a relentless commitment to bringing excellence to the table.

Groves is a recognized voice on the future of the U.S. protein industry — from consumer demand and trade policy to sustainability and supply chain innovation. As CEO of Seaboard Foods, President of the National Pork Board and an Executive Board Member of the Meat Institute, he has been vocal about the importance of engaging younger generations with the fresh pork category, viewing their affinity for bacon, sausage, and ham as a gateway to broader pork consumption. He has spoken at the national level on long-term demand strategy, describing targeted investment in consumer engagement as “not an investment for next year — this is an investment into the next 25 years of pork production and beyond.”

Dr. Jose Ramirez is a scientific advisor for Clipper Distributing Company, LLC. Dr. Ramirez developed the first accelerated peroxide (AHP®) formulations which asides from Intervention disinfectant, also include hospital and dental disinfectants, a reuse medical sterilant, an antimicrobial hand wash, and a dairy teat dip. He holds more than 20 issued or pending patents ranging from cleaning & disinfection, to water treatment and chemical process sensors & controls. His first patent was filed in 1999 – the first AHP® formulation.

Dr. Ramirez has more than 25 years of experience in disinfectant formulation development as applied to infection prevention and biosecurity in a variety of markets. He has started two companies based on his inventions and has won several business pitch competitions, including technologies for wastewater processing and wastewater control. He has been featured and interviewed several times in the press.

Dr. Ramirez holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and MS and PhD degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Micah L Jansen, DVM, Director, Pork Veterinary Technical Services, Zoetis has special interests in influenza A virus in swine (IAV-S), heterologous prime boost vaccination strategies, and gilt development and acclimation. Jansen received a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois as well as a certificate from the University of Illinois Swine Executive Veterinary Program. Prior to joining Zoetis, she spent time in private practice first at Circle H Headquarters in Dalhart, Texas, as well as at Rudolphi Veterinary Service in southern Illinois.

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 joins Matthew Rooda to discuss revenue to wage ratio in pork production, lean management, and the value of labor on the farm. They explore how better workflow visibility can help producers understand where time is being spent, reduce wasted effort, and make better decisions about people and processes. Plus, hear why promoting your best employee may not always be the best move.

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.