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Economist and Educator Recognized with Distinguished Service Award

Career Focused on Building Understanding Makes Significant Impact on U.S. and Global Pork Industry

Dr. Ron Plain, professor emeritus and extension economist in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Missouri- Columbia, was recognized as National Pork Board’s Distinguished Service Award recipient at the 2023 Pork Forum.

A Passion for Education and Helping Pig Farmers

Plain, who started his career as a high school agricultural education instructor, spent most of his professional career focused on helping producers understand the economic forces related to their pork production business.

Plain’s career in academia began just before the farm crisis and the major changes to the pork industry. During his 35 years as a professor and extension economist, Plain made more than 2,100 presentations to U.S. farm audiences and also traveled internationally, sharing his insight on how to manage pig farming as a business.

Missouri Pork Association Executive Director Don Nikodim, who grew up with Plain and taught agricultural education with him, said Plain made an incredible impact on the industry.

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John Prestage, Swine Web Hall of Fame induction interview on behalf of Bill Prestage

Video: John Prestage, Swine Web Hall of Fame induction interview on behalf of Bill Prestage

John Prestage from Prestage Farms joins us to honour his dad the late great Bill Prestage as we welcome him to the Swine Web Hall of Fame.

We discuss Bills journey/career from his beginnings and how he built Presage. We learn about Johns's role in the company, and what this recognition would mean to Bill and the Family. We learn about stand out memories, best teaching moment, key to longevity and wrap on an untold story and final thoughts about Bill.

About our guest John Prestage is the Sr. Vice President at Prestage Farms, Inc.