Iowa Select Farms

"Things go right 90% of the time," said Chris Renihan, Dispatcher for Iowa Select Farms, "but it's that 10%—the last-minute changes, rearranging drivers, and troubleshooting issues—that keeps us on our toes." For over 15 years, Chris has been one of the many key people behind the scenes, making the supply chain operate as smoothly as possible. "No matter the challenge, we always find a way to make it work," said Chris. An early riser, Chris is often the first in the office by 5:30 a.m. to manage inner sanctum loads. He oversees hundreds of feeder pig movements and cull load schedules weekly to ensure consistency in the production system flow. Chris credits the people around him for making the job fulfilling. "I appreciate the team I work alongside," he says, "with 30 to 40 drivers on the road daily, I get insight into many departments and am at the frontlines of our production system." For 15 years, Chris has shown up every day with a positive attitude, a passion for his role, incredible attention to detail and a skilled set of problem-solving abilities to ensure that every load gets where it needs to be, safely and on time, no matter what challenges arise. Thank you, Chris! Congratulations on 15 years and counting with Iowa Select Farms.

Warm memories from 2023 of a heartwarming surprise from the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation as 776 families, spanning 435 communities and 99 Iowa counties, found a Christmas gift on their doorstep, perfectly timed for the holiday. Each gift contained an array of family-friendly games and activities carefully selected to ignite laughter, encourage connectivity, and, most importantly, create enduring family memories. The assortment featured beloved classics such as Trash Stash, Clue Jr., 5 Second Rule, The Floor is Lava, Pass the Potato, Farkle and Phase 10, accompanied by decks of cards and a card game booklet. For eight years, the Foundation has consistently surprised cancer families across Iowa with uniquely themed seasonal or holiday gifts, all crafted to bring families closer together. Previous themes have included Valentine’s Day, Spring Gardening, Thanksgiving, New Year Celebration, Halloween, and Back to School.

Libraries play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of rural Iowa, serving as indispensable hubs for childhood development. Recognizing their crucial role, the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation created unique STEM Kits to supplement library programs. As part of our Henry’s Heroes Program, Iowa Select Farms employees nominated their hometown libraries to receive one of 47 STEM Kits to empower kids to be future innovators, creators and leaders. STEM carts included a variety of STEM toys and kits that encourage organic and structured play grounded in science, technology, engineering and math concepts. For older kids, STEM pairs academic concepts with real-world applications to make connections between school and careers. Libraries are open to every member of the community and often serve as a space for gatherings and events, directly impacting 175,792 families in the state of Iowa with this new community-wide resource. The selection process for these STEM carts involved Iowa Select Farms employees nominating their hometown libraries, thereby creating a connection between the community and the initiative. This approach ensured the donation’s impact was widespread and tailored to each community’s needs.

“We work hard to ensure our pigs receive the best care and attention possible,” said Jesus Murga Carrillo, manager of Swanson Sow 5. “Receiving this award confirms that we are on the right track and motivates us to keep improving.” Congratulations to Jesus and the Swanson sow farm team - Iris del Carmen Balderas Rendon, Heber Diaz Jimenez, Rocio Gomez Rodriguez, Gaspar Gonzalez Canales, Carlos Edwin Hernandez Gaspar, Reynaldo Roque Martinez Jimenez, Mayra Montesinos Ceron, Carolina Morales Figueroa, Ximena Robles Camacho, and Reyna Zolorzano Ortiz – on earning the SelectPride Most Improved Sow Farm award. This award recognizes farm teams that experience setbacks but are working hard and making significant gains to get back on track. Located near Dows, this 4,500-head sow farm powered through a challenging year in 2024, overcoming a PRRS and PED break—one reason it deserves the most improved award. The farm’s supervisor, Andres Robles Garcia, says he’s proud of this team for sticking with it and sticking together. “They continue to build after a hard year,” he says. “Jesus and the Swanson team have done a tremendous job staying focused through all the changes. This award is a testament to their commitment, competitiveness, and determination to overcome challenges.” Jesus recognizes that they didn’t get here alone. “We have a strong sow herd at the farm, great leadership, and mentorship.” Heber Diaz Jimenez heads the breeding department, and Carolina Morales Figueroa leads the farrowing department. Together, they do an excellent job communicating with their teams and with themselves. Heber and his team have their eyes on feed consumption, behavior, and body conditions and watching their breed dates while focusing on heat-checking, Artificial Insemination (AI), and Post Cervical Artificial Insemination (PCAI) to improve their farrow rate, farrow target, and total born. Together, the farrowing department oversees all aspects of birth-to-wean care. That care begins with monitoring sows closely as they are farrowing and keeping them comfortable. Once the piglets are born, Carolina and her team act quickly to get them warm and dry. They continue to keep a close eye on every single pig to ensure they are sucking and receiving colostrum – an essential nutrient that plays a huge factor in the health and life expectancy of newborn piglets. Jesus smiled while talking about his team. “We’ve all worked to create a team atmosphere here. I’m proud to be a part of what this farm is today.” The hard work, attention to detail, and excellent animal care are paying off at Sow 5. Jesus believes that the Swanson team's future is bright, and they have all the motivation needed for a successful 2025. Congratulations to Jesus and the Swanson Sow 5 team for their well-deserved recognition as recipients of the Most Improved Sow Farm award!

“Thirty years ago, I never imagined my career would evolve like this,” Darian Fisher said. “But I can’t picture doing anything else.” Pig farming and agriculture have been part of Darian's life for as long as he can remember. “My grandparents raised hogs, and I helped a neighbor during my childhood to earn some money. I knew I wanted to stay connected to the industry.” After high school, Darian attended Ellsworth Community College to pursue a degree in farm management. His college instructor also happened to work in the human resources department at Iowa Select Farms and encouraged Darian to apply. “The rest is history,” shared Darian. “This was the closest opportunity to farming, and I’ve been here ever since.” Throughout his 30 years, Darian has worked in various roles, from sow farms to Gilt Development Units (GDUs). Today, he’s the Breeding Department Head at Marton/Hunt GDU, located outside of Ackley. In his role, he contributes to the overall efficiency and productivity of our production system by supplying nearby sow farms with quality replacement gilts for their herd. Darian brings a tremendous wealth of pork production knowledge to the team and is often called “the jack of all trades” due to his diversified skill set. “I’ve learned a lot from other managers, supervisors, and maintenance techs,” he said. “I enjoy being able to assist wherever I can and help guide new employees on our farm.” After 30 years, Darian finds it difficult to pinpoint his favorite aspect of the job. “I’m really proud to work for this company,” he said. “The people, opportunities for growth, and the family-like atmosphere have made it easy for me to stay here for so many years.” Outside of work, Darian enjoys spending time with his wife, Kelly, and their four children, Brittany, Breanna, Bethany, and Brayden. He has the pleasure of working alongside Brayden, who is a part-time animal caretaker. In his free time, you can also find Darian hunting or reading a good book by his favorite author, John Grisham. As far as the future is concerned, Darian says with a smile, “I think I’m just going to keep going.” Congratulations, Darian! Thank you for 30 years of dedication and commitment to Iowa Select Farms.

The Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation’s Power Snack program, now in its 12th year, is an initiative that helps Iowa children receive the essential nutrients they need to thrive. The program distributes coupons for ham and whole wheat bread, recipe booklets, and pork snack sticks to teachers to give to at-risk families and children. The coupons and recipe booklets help kids create 48 nutritious “Power Snacks” each year, while the snack sticks provide children with an immediate, healthy resource. Ham is an excellent source of several essential vitamins and minerals, including thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, phosphorus, protein, zinc and potassium, all critical for growth and cognitive development. By providing access to these nutrients, the Power Snack program helps to support children’s overall health and well-being. Four times throughout the school year, children identified by the school as food insecure receive an $8 coupon for deli ham and a $3 coupon for a loaf of whole wheat bread. Here in Iowa, nearly 100 schools participate in our program. Power Snack provided 27,533 children the means to prepare over 1.3 million ham sandwiches—a true “power snack.” The program also features engaging and informative videos in both English and Spanish that teach children and families how to navigate small and medium-sized grocery stores and prepare healthy, kid-friendly recipes using deli ham. The Foundation’s efforts to promote healthy eating habits among children and families are essential in addressing the growing problem of childhood obesity and its related health issues. By providing educational resources and support, the Foundation empowers families to make healthier food choices and improve their health outcomes, leading to a better quality of life.

🌽 🐷We're Hiring: Join Iowa Select Farms as the Feed and Nutrition Manager! Are you ready to take the lead in driving innovation and quality in swine feed and nutrition? Iowa Select Farms seeks a Feed and Nutrition Manager to enhance communication and streamline processes between our team and toll mills, ensuring efficiency and quality from ingredient procurement to feed delivery. In this critical role, you will collaborate with various teams to ensure seamless operations and quality outcomes. These include the feed ordering group, production management, feed mill representatives, nutrition partners and internal and external research teams. Your key responsibilities will include managing diet formulations to align with market trends and seasonal needs and developing and maintaining the Iowa Select Farms Feed Manufacturing Protocol. You will also conduct mill audits to ensure traceability and uphold quality assurance standards while optimizing feed ordering, delivery processes, and on-farm quality testing to drive efficiency and success. If you’re passionate about leading with purpose and innovation in feed and nutrition, this is your opportunity! Apply here: https://lnkd.in/geifzV8q Be a part of shaping the future of swine nutrition at Iowa Select Farms. #NowHiring #FeedAndNutritionManager #AgricultureCareers #IowaSelectFarms #PorkProduction #SwineNutrition

“It’s great to see the team recognized for their efforts,” said Bill Berquist, manager of Yale Sow Farm near Klemme, Iowa. “We’ve had our fair share of challenges, but this group is full of perseverance.” Bill and his team at Sow 39 earned the Most Improved SelectPride award – again! Last October, Bill observed his sows weren’t eating. A sign that something is off in the herd. Sow 39 experienced a devastating PRRS break – one of pork producers' toughest challenges. “Unfortunately, we’ve been through a PRRS break before,” said Bill. “The entire group was exceptional at executing the “have to’s” that kept the farm running during this difficult time. I made sure to remind them that the new animal protocols and tedious cleaning tasks would soon pay off.” Over the last few months, the farm’s supervisor, Chris Nydegger, and veterinarian, Pete Thomas, focused on biosecurity protocols and putting in place animal care initiatives to get the farm’s herd healthy again. “They put tremendous care, energy, and dedication into these new protocols and initiatives,” said Chris. “Their attention to detail helped them achieve production success and move towards becoming PRRS negative.” Throughout quarter one of 2024, the farm stayed consistent with its breeds, treatments, daily chores and observations, record keeping, heat, and pregnancy checking. Their farrow rate increased from 67.7% to 82.1%, and their born alive (BA) increased to 15. A drastic improvement, as they were seeing 10.6 BA at the end of 2023. This is a huge accomplishment, considering the health setbacks the farm has faced. "Their performance is a testament to the team’s commitment and competitiveness in overcoming challenges," said Chris. "The effort that Bill and his team have shown proves that you can have a PRRS-positive farm and still make improvements and remain competitive." Bill has developed a great team, put the right people in the right places, and is steadily making significant improvements. When asked what kept the farm going during some tough weeks, Bill said, “We have tremendous leaders on our team. Some days seem like an uphill battle, but everyone pulls their weight.” “This crew showed everyone how tough they are through a difficult situation,” said Chris. “I’m extremely proud of them and eager to see what they accomplish going forward.” Congratulations to Bill and the entire team at Sow 39 for receiving the Most Improved SelectPride award!

“My time at Iowa Select Farms has been nothing short of rewarding,” said Jeff DeWeese, Production Well-Being Specialist for Iowa Select Farms. Jeff, who is celebrating 15 years of service, travels to farms throughout Iowa conducting biosecurity and production well-being assessments. Originally from central Missouri, Jeff began working and caring for pigs on his grandparents' farm as a child. “I can recall seeing sows in wooden crates and baby pigs running around in pens full of straw,” said Jeff. “My grandfather had a diversified farming operation with row crops, cattle, and a few sows. That’s where my love for the agriculture industry began.” Throughout Jeff’s 15 years with Iowa Select Farms, he reflects on how it all started. “My mom called one day about a job opening for a health assurance specialist with Iowa Select Farms. My wife and I had just bought a house in Missouri and weren’t looking to move. But I’m so thankful we made the move – it’s paid dividends.” As a Production Well-Being Specialist, Jeff helps lead training efforts alongside farm managers, supervisors, and entire teams of caretakers. “I’ve been here 15 years and still haven’t assessed every farm,” Jeff laughed. “I love the variety of work, but nothing compares to training our caretakers and helping them succeed.” Jeff and his wife, Andrea, have built a life on an acreage outside of Iowa Falls with their three children: Emmalyn, Amelia, and Wyatt. Jeff takes great pride in his family and enjoys attending their sporting events and activities. When he isn’t at the softball or soccer field, you can find Jeff spending quality time camping with his family. Congratulations on an outstanding 15-year career and counting. We are lucky to have you, Jeff!

"Jessica is a true representation of our culture at Iowa Select Farms," said Cassandra Jass, DVM and Director of Biosecurity and Production Well-Being Compliance. "She is kind, hardworking, selfless, and always goes above and beyond to ensure the best care for the animals and employees." Jessica Rosener has dedicated her career to Iowa Select Farms for ten years. She is passionate about teaching people and improving farms and has played an integral role on the Production Well-Being team. “Jessica is a great leader who was exceptional at development and training on the farms,” said Jeff DeWeese, Production Well-Being Specialist. “She truly lived by the motto ‘If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right’.” Over the years, Jessica traveled to farms throughout southern Iowa, conducting biosecurity and animal well-being assessments. She also drove animal care efforts alongside farm managers, supervisors, and entire teams of caretakers, creating many impactful relationships. Jessica was often one of the first faces our new employees would meet as she welcomed them through new hire orientation, introducing them to their careers at Iowa Select Farm. “Jessica will be hard to replace,” said Kailey Einspahr, Production Well-Being Specialist. “She had a great balance of honesty, compassion, and the best interest in mind.” Her energy, passion, and dedication will be missed, but Jessica’s commitment to helping people will undoubtedly continue after she leaves Iowa Select Farms and starts to enjoy retirement. Congratulations on a wonderful career, Jessica! May your days be filled with hiking with Ernie the dog, gardening, tending to your flock of chickens, and spending quality time with your family. We appreciate all that you've done for Iowa Select Farms.