The Pork Podcast

People across the globe know Brett Stuart as the go-to mind for global protein trends, famous for his sharp data, honest delivery and on-the-ground market research. But his grounded perspective wasn't born in a high-rise office—it was forged on a cattle ranch out West.

When his father passed away from cancer at age 57, Brett faced a defining crossroads. Armed with a fresh accounting degree, he crunched the numbers and made the agonizing decision to sell the cows. He will never forget what it felt like to stand in their corral as eight semis pulled out of the driveway. That raw, emotional experience gave him an enduring empathy for family farmers making high-stakes decisions when the math gets tough.

From auditing mega-dairies and potato operations to embarking on international trade missions with Nebraska’s governor and launching Global AgriTrends 20 years ago, Brett shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career.

Together, Shike and Stuart tackle the biggest headwinds facing the pork complex today:

• The Margin Crunch: Why the U.S. pork industry is currently producing below break-even despite remarkable, world-class productivity gains over the last 30 years.
• Global Competitors & Trade Flows: How climate and welfare policies are forcing European production into decline, why China and Brazil are wading through liquidation, and where the U.S. holds distinct competitive advantages in Mexico and Japan.
• The Retail Dilemma: Why $3.50/lb. pork loins sit 20 steps away from $18–$20/lb. beef ribeyes—and what outside-the-box innovation the swine sector needs to capture consumer willingness to pay.
• Prop 12 & State Mandates: Why preserving consumer choice is paramount and why legislating production practices across state borders hurts both producers and shoppers.
• Family, Faith & Staying Grounded: Longtime friend and economist Joseph Kerns shares what makes Brett uniquely humble, while Brett opens up about life with his wife Amanda, raising five kids, and why you can never let your family be the rope you let slip.

Whether you’re looking to make sense of the economic runway for the next 12 to 18 months or seeking a reminder of the purpose behind production agriculture, this episode offers an honest, grounded look at the global markets and the people who drive them.

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In modern pork production, market swings, rapid tech shifts and sheer volumes of data can quickly become overwhelming. How do the best leaders cut through the noise, embrace the chaos, and ask the bold questions that move the needle?
In this episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Andy Rash, Vice President of U.S. Specialty Ingredients at Alltech. Andy reflects on his journey—from navigating childhood adversity and judging livestock in high school and college to becoming an influential voice across the livestock industry.
In this episode, Jennifer and Andy discuss:

• Finding Clarity in Noise: How to ask the uncomfortable "What if?" questions and turn complex problems into simple, actionable momentum.
• Leading People vs. Managing Things: Why empowering your team and celebrating other people's wins is the ultimate leadership superpower.
• Economics Over Tech: Why pork producers don't buy technology—they buy outcomes—and how to bridge the gap between high-level nutrition science and real-world farm ROI.
• Better Storytelling for Pork: What the pork sector can learn from the broader protein industry when it comes to promoting safe, nutritious food.
• Career Advice for Next-Gen Ag Leaders: Why ditching the rigid life script and leaning into curiosity will take you further than you ever imagined.

Whether you’re a commercial pork producer looking to turn complex nutrition science into bottom-line farm ROI, or an ag professional striving to cut through the industry noise, this episode is packed with actionable insights on farm economics, curiosity-driven innovation and people-first leadership.
Tune in to hear how grit, curiosity and people-first leadership are shaping the future of agriculture.

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If you ask Dr. Hyatt Frobose what he wants written on his headstone someday, it isn’t corporate titles—it’s simply "Stockman."

In this candid and thought-provoking conversation, Jennifer Shike catches up with longtime friend, industry leader, and Kansas stockman Hyatt Frobose. As North America Commercial Director for Jyga Technologies (makers of Gestal smart feeding systems), Frobose has helped design, build, and renovate hundreds of sow facilities. But his journey started long before with livestock judging, NJSA leadership, and a deep-seated passion for animal husbandry.

From a transformative Fulbright scholarship in Australia to helping design hundreds of sow farms, Frobose brings practical, no-nonsense insights to pork production. Shike and Frobose tackle the industry’s biggest challenges: why we must stop raising gilts like barrows, how precision feeding drives sow longevity, the reality of Prop 12 group housing, and what the U.S. can learn before free-farrowing mandates reach our shores. Plus, he opens up about a life-altering brain injury, what it taught him about family and leadership, and why modern technology must always serve one core purpose: true stockmanship.

Tune in as they explore:

• Fixing Gilt Development and Sow Longevity: “We raise our gilts like they’re barrows, and then wonder why they exit the herd early.” Hyatt dives into precision feeding, structural development, and why setting up the next generation for parity 3+ longevity requires a total mindset shift.
• The Reality of Prop 12 and Group Housing: Dispelling the scientific myth that loose housing automatically hurts sow performance, breaking down the true cost of square footage vs. stalls, and navigating building decisions without guaranteed premiums.
• Looking Ahead: Free Farrowing & Turnaround Pens: Insights from Frobose's work on the National Pork Board Sow Housing Consortium: Why U.S. producers must generate domestic, science-based data now to stay on offense before European-style farrowing mandates land on our doorsteps.
• Leading by Example & Overcoming Adversity: What Jyga colleague Stéphane Clément had to say about Hyatt "pulling the buggy," and how surviving a traumatic 2021 brain injury reshaped his perspective on partnership, time management and family.
• Defining the Modern Stockman: Why high-tech barn automation and old-school stockmanship aren't mutually exclusive—and how managing by exception lets producers give extra care to the animals that need it most.

Whether you are a commercial pork producer looking to optimize your herd’s genetic potential or an ag professional passionate about the future of livestock innovation, this episode is packed with actionable insights on technology, stockmanship and leadership.

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What can a 25-year trial lawyer, a University of Chicago MBA, and a former coal mining executive teach us about the future of the pork industry? A lot more than you might think.

In this episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Jackie Bowman Ponder, owner and chief legal officer of Bowman Family Holdings, and board member for both the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and Indiana Pork.

Jackie shares her incredibly unique journey—from growing up on an Indiana horse farm and litigating in courtrooms, to navigating her family’s massive transition from the coal industry into a highly sophisticated, multi-state hog operation utilizing reclaimed coal ground.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The Critical Warning: How the coal industry’s complacency allowed outside activists to control the narrative, and the urgent lesson the agriculture sector must learn to protect its future.
• The Lawyer's Approach to Advocacy: How Jackie uses her courtroom storytelling and data-synthesis skills to make a bulletproof case for pork to lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
• High-Tech Farming: Why modern agriculture is far more data-driven than the public (and even politicians) realize—including how AI fits into the equation.
• Succession Planning Done Right: Hard-won advice on preparing the next generation for the family business, starting early and keeping plans relevant.
• The Power of Community: How the pork industry welcomed Jackie's family with open arms, proving we are stronger when we collaborate.

Whether you are a multi-generational farmer, an industry advocate or simply passionate about the future of food, Jackie’s fierce passion and sharp business intellect will change the way you think about ag advocacy.

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How do we bridge the gap between highly complex genetic science and practical, bottom-line solutions for commercial pork producers? In this episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Dr. Clint Schwab, Vice President of Technology and Customer Success at AcuFast Genetics.

A lifelong stockman, builder, and academic, Schwab shares his incredible career trajectory—from growing up on a Colorado seedstock farm and coaching collegiate livestock judging to serving as CEO of the National Swine Registry, leading science at The Maschhoffs, and navigating major industry mergers.

Tune in as Schwab breaks down the future of pork production, exploring:

• The ROI of Genetic Technology: How producers can navigate challenging market cycles by implementing genetic progress that compounds over time.

• The "Two AIs" in Swine Breeding: The powerful intersection of Artificial Intelligence (data frameworks) and Artificial Insemination (reproductive technologies like low-dose techniques, IVF and gender-skew technologies).

• Precision Phenotyping: How modern biological data and bioinformatics are mitigating risk and uncovering elite genetic outliers.

• The Livestock Judging Mindset: Why evaluating "puzzle pieces" in the judging ring is the ultimate training ground for system-thinking, team-building and data analysis.

• People-First Leadership: Why AI will never replace emotional intelligence, humility, and mentorship.
  
  Whether you are a commercial pork producer looking to optimize your herd’s genetic potential or an ag professional passionate about the future of livestock innovation, this episode is packed with actionable insights on technology, grit, and leadership.

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How do you lead over 3,000 family pig farms into the next generation while keeping your own boots dirty on the farm?

In this episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Jill Resler, the CEO of Minnesota Pork. Jill isn't just an executive leading from a boardroom; she is a Southwest Minnesota farm kid, a pig farmer, a crop grower, a wife, and a mother of three daughters.

Jill shares her unique journey of working her way through the grassroots of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association to step into the shoes of a legendary 28-year leader. She dives deep into the realities of modern agriculture—navigating market volatility, fighting animal health challenges like PRRS, and driving a culture centered on trust, vulnerability, and continuous improvement.

Whether you are in the barns power washing, managing a multi-generational business, or looking for ways to develop the next generation of ag leaders, Jill’s perspective on leadership, "big rocks," and building resilient relationships will challenge and inspire you.

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When you walk the aisles of the Indiana State Fair or San Antonio, the name Knauth is synonymous with champion banners and high-selling lots. But what does it take to build a powerhouse sow herd from the ground up?

In this episode of The Pork Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Kyle and Ellen Knauth of Knauth Show Pigs to discuss the reality of life in the trenches of the show pig industry. From the science of internal genetics to the "blue texter" rule, the Knauths share the secrets behind their success.

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How does a PhD microbiologist end up leading the Iowa pork industry through its greatest modern crisis? In this milestone 50th episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Mike Paustian—a man who sits at the unique intersection of cutting-edge science and generational farming.

Paustian takes listeners behind the scenes of his 2020 Iowa Pork Producers Association presidency, sharing the lessons learned from leading during a global pandemic. He also takes a deep dive into the "nerdy" side of agriculture, discussing:

• Gene Editing vs. GMOs: The why and what behind genetic tools that could be a game-changer for animal agriculture.
• Building Your Own AI: How Paustian uses his computer programming skills to turn barn data into smarter decisions.
• The "Full Value" Goal: Why we should never settle for "good enough" in pig production.
• The Journey Home: Why Paustian traded a USDA research career for the chance to raise his kids on the farm.

Whether you're interested in the molecular biology of a disease-resistant pig or the grit required to manage a century farm, this episode offers a deep perspective in leadership, innovation and authenticity.

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In Episode 49 of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with two heavyweights of the industry: Dr. David Newman, CEO of the National Pork Board, and Dr. Glynn Tonsor, Agricultural Economist from Kansas State University.

The goal? A radical vision called "One More Pound."

If every American consumed just one more pound of pork per year without a price decline, it would inject over $1.5 billion in retail value into the industry. But this isn't just about eating more—it’s about a strategic "pull" strategy driven by data, innovation and a deep understanding of the future consumer.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• The Power of Belief: Why the industry must align on a vision of growth to move the needle.
• The "Meat is In" Phenomenon: Why vegan/vegetarian trends are receding, and protein demand is hitting a fever pitch.
• Innovation Beyond the Chop: How ground pork and "Boston Butt Burgers" are capturing the air-fryer generation.
• The Hispanic Market Opportunity: Tapping into the $4.2 trillion GDP of the most pork-loyal demographic in the US.
• Supply vs. Demand: Balancing world-class production efficiency with a new focus on consumer value.
• Swine Health & Economics: How tackling PRRS and disease is the ultimate "Grow the Pie" strategy.

Whether you are a producer at the farm gate or an industry stakeholder, this conversation offers a data-backed dose of confidence for the future of the U.S. pork industry.

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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 her into the leader she is today.

Ashley shares how she moved PIC’s HR department from a transactional, "elementary" function to a strategic business partnership. Listeners will gain practical insights into:

• Recruitment with the End in Mind: How to attract talent that aligns with long-term production goals.
• Retention Strategies: The shift from traditional career ladders to "jungle gyms" and the importance of transparent development paths.
• The Power of Listening: Why simple tools like suggestion boxes and Net Promoter Scores are essential for understanding the "slat-level" needs of a workforce.

Whether you are managing a small team or a global operation, Ashley’s "work hard, play hard" mentality and her focus on leading with empathy provide a roadmap for building a more engaged and successful team.

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