The South Dakota Pork Producers Council recently presented awards to some of its members and supporters. The annual awards and recipients are:

Family of the Year Award — The Paul Brandt family, Clear Lake. Paul and his wife, Lisa, have four children: Caitlyn, Jacob, Tanner and Dylan. With Paul’s twin brother Joel, they operate Brandt Farms, Inc.

They farm, feed hogs and cattle, run a cow-calf business and are seed dealers. Paul is a Supreme Pork shareholder. The company has a 3,300-head sow farm with custom nurseries and finishers. The Brandts receive pigs from Supreme Pork into their custom hog feeding business.

Dedicated and Distinguished Service Award — Steve Rommereim, Alcester. Steve and his wife, Charlotte, farm near Alcester. They have two daughters. Steve is the owner, manager and operator of Highland Swine, which markets 12,000 pigs annually. Steve and his family are also part owners in SDI Pork LLC, which finishes 120,000 hogs annually.

Steve was elected to the National Pork Board in 2014 and served as president in 2018. He is past president of the South Dakota Pork Producers Association and Ag United for South Dakota and currently serves on South Dakota Animal Industry Board. Steve was recently elected to the U.S. Animal Health Association executive committee.

Pork Promoter of the Year — Garret and Mindy Gross, Sioux Falls. The Grosses founded Pork Palooza, a Sioux Falls music, barbeque, beer festival that promotes pork. More than 20,000 people attended the event the past two years. Pork Palooza III will take place on May 29-30.

Pork All-American Award — Craig Andersen, Centerville. The award recognizes pork producers or industry members who have established themselves as dedicated, involved business leaders in their communities. Craig and his wife, Gail, have a diversified farm consisting of row crops, feeder pigs and cattle. They finish pigs for Brentwood Colony.

Their sons, Tyler and Jacob, work on the farm. Tyler has a finishing barn and Jacob seeds Pioneer seed. Their daughter, Emily, a graduate from SDSU with a degree in animal science and agricultural science and a minor in agricultural business, is currently working at Smithfield as the livestock coordinator.

Friend of the Industry Award — Jeri Westra, Centerville. Westra retired recently from Smithfield Foods, where he was head of hog procurement. Westra was raised on a diversified livestock and grain farm and has worked for Iowa Beef Processors.

Westra has been involved in the SDPPC and has supported Lincoln County 4-H and FFA, the South Dakota State University Pork Classic and the South Dakota State Fair.

Source: SDPPC, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.