Popular Pig

Rob Brenneman and his wife Char own and operate Brenneman Pork in Washington, Iowa. They have four children, who along with their spouses are all involved in the operation. Rob enjoys spending time with their 12 grandchildren.

Rob’s interest in livestock began with hogs as a 4-H project. He and his dad raised pigs at their home just outside of Keota, Iowa. While in high school Rob kept busy with 4-H and FFA. Rob received his American Farmer Degree in 1979. In 1980 Rob and Char married and started their own farm near Kalona, Iowa. In 1983 they built their first inside modern sow housing. Rob also took a job off the farm at UPS. In 1988 Brenneman Pork started to expand to what it is today. Rob received the Master Por Producer Award in 1991. In 1994 Rob and Char received the Pork All American Award. They remain active with the Washington County Pork Producers. In 2021 Rob was elected to the National Pork Producer Council Board of Directors. He is also on the Bear Creek Genetics Board of Directors.

Today Brenneman Pork owns and operates approximately 32,000 sows, markets roughly 1.2 million pigs per year and has its own feed mill. Rob is passionate and enjoys engaging youth and local community in agriculture. Brennan Kelly was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University. Brennan has a background in process engineering and computer programming. He now serves as a volunteer with a non-profit organization in Mexico and has a passion for working to help restore communities.

Steve Lerch is a former Google executive, a consultant, and an award-winning international public speaker. He spent nearly a decade at Google designing the digital strategies and marketing campaigns of well known brands like GoPro, federal government agencies like the US Census, and national checkoff programs like the National Pork Board and Avocados From Mexico. Steve also served as a strategic thought leader at Google’s headquarters, where he taught thousands of Googler’s about the culture, processes, and philosophy that helped make Google one of the World’s most innovative companies. For the last three years, Steve has served as the President and Founder of Story Arc Consulting, where he gives speeches, leads team workshops on strategic planning and innovations, and serves as a digital strategy and marketing consultant. Steve works across many industries, with a primary focus in food and agriculture.

Currently the Business Unit Specialist for Water Treatment at Neogen Corporation, Jesse develops and implements water treatment chemicals and programs to aid in production animal health in poultry, swine, and ruminants. Jesse assists Neogen’s partners in the field and laboratory as well as production managers, veterinarians, and independent producers in setting up cost-effective water programs tailored to their needs.  Jesse also presents “technical-yet-practical” water quality opportunities worldwide and is involved in the research and development of Neogen products associated with water treatment. Jesse is also a Certified Water Specialist from WQA.

Jason McAlister, president CloverLeaf Animal welfare Systems, started his career at the world-famous Gilbertville locker. He went on to work with IBP and Tyson until 2007, when he transitioned to Triumph Foods. He has since led their animal welfare program, was a past NAMI animal welfare committee chair, and served as an advisor to the National Pork Board’s animal welfare committee. Jason has taken part in many taskforce projects including the common swine industry audit task force. Jason founded Cloverleaf in 2007 to help small and medium-size businesses with their animal welfare programs. CloverLeaf has successfully expanded across the Americas with clients from Canada to Brazil. They have even expanded into Africa and are pursuing opportunities to make a difference in Europe.  

Gene Noem finishes hogs at JMG Farms in Howard County. Gene also manages the contracted gilt multiplication for PIC North America. He is in his second term on the National Pork Board of Directors, and currently serving as President.  Noem grew up in eastern South Dakota. His base experience is rooted in his experience with his parents. They were careful in spending, liberal in work, and determined to give their 4 kids a great foundation in work ethic, and the long view regarding success.  Noem resides in Ames with his wife Jennifer. He is especially proud of Megan, their daughter. If successful in his role on the Board of Directors, the Pork Board will have a robust and productive annual planning and prioritization process, involving state and other national organizations in a collaborative process.

Bill Even is the Chief Executive Officer for the National Pork Board based in Des Moines, IA where he has responsibility for leading Pork Checkoff-funded research, promotion and education projects on behalf of the nation’s 60,000 pork producers. Prior to his employment with the National Pork Board, Bill served as the Global Industry Relations Lead and Commercial Unit Lead for DuPont Pioneer from 2010 to 2016. Bill also served as South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture and Deputy Secretary for Tourism and State Economic Development for Governor Mike Rounds. Bill holds a bachelor’s degree in ag business and economics from South Dakota State University and a law degree from Drake University with a certificate in food and ag policy law. Bill and his family own and operate a diversified crop and livestock farm near Humboldt, SD. The farm was homesteaded in 1884 by his great-grandfather and Bill began farming in 1983.  

Dr. Adian Balaban is the executive director of Pork & Co., Cooperativa Silistea Productie Suine, which is also a genetic multiplier for Topigs Norsvin. Additionally, Dr. Balaban serves as the President of the Romanian Association of Swine Veterinarians and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Romanian Pork Producers Association. He is also a consultant for the United Nations.

Dr. Adian Balaban is the executive director of Pork & Co., Cooperativa Silistea Productie Suine, which is also a genetic multiplier for Topigs Norsvin. Additionally, Dr. Balaban serves as the President of the Romanian Association of Swine Veterinarians and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Romanian Pork Producers Association. He is also a consultant for the United Nations.

Jim Huang has 24 years of experience in the commodity futures industry. Starting as a data analyst with Thomson Reuters in St. Louis in 1998, then moved to Chicago in 2001. During his 11 years at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he worked closely with the Agricultural Commodities team, coordinating market maker programs for options contracts including Corn, Soybean, Wheat, Lean Hog, Live Cattle, Butter and Milk. Ten years ago, he started his own business, China-America Commodity Data Analytics, Inc. in China.

At the time, China had only 24 futures contracts. Livestock, Poultry and Dairy were completely absent.  The purpose was to help Chinese Exchanges design new agricultural commodities contracts. So far, Jim is credited with the successful launches of Egg Futures in 2013, Soybean Meal Options in 2017, and Live Hog Futures in 2021. All three contracts were with the Dalian Commodity Exchange, DCE. In addition, he helped China Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (CZCE) with a feasibility study on Potato Futures. This contract is being reviewed by the Chinese market regulator and may be listed later this year.

Jim also works with commercial firms and trading companies participating in the agricultural futures market. Three of the Top-20 Chinese hog producers and two of the Top-20 poultry and egg producers are his clients. He provides data, analytics, report, dashboard, and in some cases, actively manages their futures accounts. Jim has participated in about 20 webinars and has written 15 China Hog Market Commentaries since DCE launched the Hog Futures contract in January last year.

I’m a Texas gentleman who believes in hard work with a little fun thrown in. My day job is makin’ bacon at Pederson’s Farms as the Vice President. But, my most important job is lovin’ on my wife & three young daughters… and throwing in some cowboy stuff when I can.

As if that doesn’t keep me busy enough, I’ve picked up podcasting. You may know me from my Instagram account, The Cowboy Perspective. Most of the things I am confident in today stem from the things I learned and continue to learn from the cowboys and cowgirls in my life. The Cowboy Perspective is my way of telling that story in hopes of being a resource to others.

Saddle up, friends, and come along for the ride!