Dairy Impact August 2022

Aug 30, 2022

By CASSI WORSTER

A carcass show for livestock and dairy youth, where they learned about meat quality assurance and meat production. This effort is designed to teach youth how their dairy-beef, beef, and/or swine project fits into real-world agriculture, improving farm business viability while protecting food safety.
Planning and development of a series of short videos for dairy farmers, managers, herdsperson, and employees in collaboration with Soaring Eagle Dairy. The goal of this effort is to provide short training video clips to teach individuals research-based industry practices, improve fresh cow wellbeing, and welfare to increase farm business viability while protecting food safety.
Planning for a bilingual dairy workers newsletter for on-farm dairy employees in collaboration with Language Access and Office of Access, Inclusion, and Compliance. The goal of this effort is to provide a dairy resource to an underserved audience in order for them to gain new knowledge and best management practices to incorporate on the farm to help maintain and grow economic viability.

Video: CEOs of the Industry: John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems

CEOs of the Industry, Jim sits down with John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems, one of the most quietly impressive 26,000-sow operations in the U.S. John shares how he grew from operator to partner, how Pike built a people-first culture with long-tenured managers, and why they’re committed to weaning bigger, stronger pigs at 25+ days.

John breaks down how Pike stays efficient in a tough economic environment, the power of their shareholder-owned farm model, and how their work with PIC and a 240-head boar facility drives genetics and health outcomes. He also opens up about the innovations Pike adopts — and how they decide what’s truly valuable versus industry hype.

From Prop 12 and labor challenges to trade, consumer expectations, and sustainability, John chooses a hot-button issue and shares how Pike is preparing for the future. The episode closes with a rapid-fire “Fast Five” — mindset, leadership, daily habits, and three words that define Pike Pig Systems in 2025.

If you want a look inside a people-driven, purpose-driven, quietly elite pork system, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.