Nebraska pork producer and Swine Health Advisory Committee member Brock Pillen shares how investing in people, preparing the next generation and supporting producer-led action on PRRSV and PEDV are helping build a healthier future for the pork industry.
For Nebraska pork producer Brock Pillen, building for what’s next is not simply about making an operation bigger. It is about developing people, improving production and helping the pork industry take on challenges that no producer can solve alone.
Pillen is co-CEO of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics. The operation is a farrow-to-finish and includes nearly 80,000 sows, marketing approximately 2 million pigs each year. Through DNA Genetics, the business also supplies terminal and maternal genetics throughout North America and international exports to Brazil and Spain.
Building a Better Pork Operation
Even with an operation of that scale, Pillen said growth is not the primary measure of progress.
“To us, getting better doesn’t necessarily mean growth,” he said. “We see Improvement as investing in our team members, strengthening training and finding ways to improve production each day. On the genetics side, it means continuing to conduct meaningful research and providing high-quailty products for our customers and their operations.”
That long-term mindset also shapes the family’s plans for the future. Pillen and his sister serve as co-CEOs of the businesses their father founded. Working together successfully requires trust, communication and a shared vision for what the business can become.
Building what’s next has always been a focus for the Pillen family. As the next generation gets involved, the goal is to build a business they can make their own and continue into the future.
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