Apply to be America's Pig Farmer of the Year. (Photo: Darcy Maulsby/Thinkstock)

The deadline to apply to be the next America’s Pig Farmer of the Year is March 13 at americaspigfarmer.com. The award recognizes a U.S. pork producer who demonstrates excellence in raising pigs using the We Care ethical principles and in sharing his or her story with the public.
 
On March 7 at 6 p.m. CST, the 2015 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year, Keith Schoettmer from Tipton, Indiana, will hold a conference call for those interested in applying this year. During the call, Schoettmer will answer questions about the application process and his experience with the award. The information for the call can be found at americaspigfarmer.com.
 
“It wasn’t a light decision for me to apply last year. My family and I decided to apply because we felt like it was a great way to give back to an industry that has taken good care of my employees and family over the years,” Schoettmer said. “I encourage all pork producers to apply for this award.”

Any U.S. pig farmer, who is 30 years of age or older on Jan. 1, 2016, can apply through March 13. Anyone that knows of a deserving pig farmer can also nominate a producer for this award. Instructions and frequently asked questions can be found at americaspigfarmer.com or via a link on pork.org.

Third-party judges, along with the American public, will help determine the final award recipient, which will be announced during National Pork Month in October. In early September, videos of the award finalists will be displayed at americaspigfarmer.com and on the Pork Checkoff’s social media outlets for the public to vote.