DES MOINES, IOWA - June 6, 2014 - Dale Norton, a pork producer from Bronson, Mich., was elected as president of the National Pork Board at the organization's June board meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. The National Pork Board is comprised of 15 farmer-directors representing America's pig farmers.
"As a producer-director of the Pork Checkoff, I see so much opportunity in the year ahead," Norton said. "There is great consumer interest in farming and understanding how food is raised and marketed. The Pork Checkoff is up for the challenges facing our industry, chief among them managing diseases like Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus. Sharing our stories of success in research, education and promotion will be a priority for me as we introduce our new five-year strategic plan."
Norton is a partner in Kendale Farm, Bronson, Mich., which is primarily a farrow-to-wean operation with 1,450 sows that also finishes about a third of the pigs. He is involved with a cow/calf operation and raises corn, soybeans, hay, green beans, peppers for processing, and seed corn on more than 3,500 acres. Nationally, he is serving his second three-year term on the National Pork Board. He had served as the Pork Checkoff's representative on the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) and serves on the Swine Health Committee.
Serving with Norton as vice president is Brad Greenway, a pork producer from Mitchell, S.D. Derrick Sleezer, a pork producer from Cherokee, Iowa, will continue as treasurer. The three executive officers will serve one-year terms in their positions beginning immediately.
"As we look forward to the next five years, our industry is excited to engage with foodservice and retail leaders, as well as consumers, underscoring the versatile, nutritious product that we offer to shoppers in the U.S. and worldwide," Norton said. "It's important that producers continue to build trust and share our commitment with our customers."
Additional Information
Dale Norton of Bronson, Mich.,is a partner in Kendale Farm, which is primarily a farrow-to-wean operation with 1,450 sows but
also finishes about a third of the pigs. Norton is the past chair of the Animal Welfare and Finance Committees and has served on the Pork Board's Administrative, Resolutions and Advisements and Domestic Marketing Committees. He is a board
member and past president of the Michigan Pork Producers and is the chair of the Michigan Swine Health Committee. He is a member of the Michigan Farm Bureau and was appointed by Governor Granholm to the Michigan Ag Commission, serving
from 2005 to 2009.
Brad Greenwayof Mitchell, S.D.owns a wean-to-finish operation that markets 10,000 hogs annually. He has a 200-head cow/calf herd and also raises corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa on 1,700 acres. He is serving his second three-year term on the National Pork Board and is on the board of directors of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance and is an Operation Main Street presenter. He has chaired the Pork Checkoff's Demand Enhancement Committee, serves on the Finance Committee and
previously served on many other committees. He was a member of the 2003 Pork Leadership Academy.
At the state level, Greenway most recently served as president, and on the executive committee of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council. He received the S.D. Master Pork Producer award in January 2009. He also is a member of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, the South Dakota Soybean Association and the South Dakota Farm Bureau.
Derrick Sleezer of Cherokee, Iowa, is an owner and employee of Sleezer, Inc., a farrow-to-finish, farrow-to-wean and farrow-to-feeder operation that has 700 sows and markets 15,000 hogs annually. The operation includes 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans. Sleezer also works for Kerber Companies as marketing and product support specialist and safety and compliance coordinator.
Sleezer is serving his second three-year term on the National Pork Board. He serves on the Animal Welfare, Finance and Producer and State Services committees and represents the Pork Board on the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence board. He is a
member of the 2010 Pork Leadership Academy and an avid Operation Main Street speaker who has given more than 40 presentations.
Source: Porkcheckoff