Built by family for the family.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Images courtesy of Pig Hill Co.
Situated in the extremes of northwest Iowa in the outskirts of the town of Alvord, Pig Hill West is a multi-generational, “next generation” farm with 4,400 sows, their offspring and growing stock. Pig Hill West is one area that comprises the diversified agricultural business, Pig Hill Co.
After a stint in the army, Howard Mogler—who grew up in the farming industry with his father—started up the original sow farm “Pig Hill” in 1976 seeing it as an opportunity for his children to hopefully farm as a career.
“The original Pig Hill sow unit was built as a 200-sow farrow to finish unit,” explained Janae Metzger, a third-generational family member of the founder and the company’s Recruitment & Development Director. “Over the years, it has expanded beyond just the family and now has 18-full-time people and five part-time workers caring for our pigs.”
Along with the swine, Pig Hill supports itself by raising crops, has 4,000 head of beef-feedlot cattle, and operates a grain elevator—all of which adds an additional 22 full-time staff and 12 part-time team members.
To read the Full Article as it appeared in our Benchmark swine magazine, click HERE.