Five Producers Appointed to Help Drive Industry Progress

Jun 01, 2026

The National Pork Board (NPB) welcomes five appointed pork producers to serve three-year terms beginning in June on the NPB Board of Directors.

Emily Arkfeld, Missouri
Chad Herring, North Carolina
Alayne Johnson, Indiana
Gordon Spronk, Minnesota
Terry Wolters, South Dakota

“The checkoff was built by producers for producers, so their experiences and ideas are critical to keep us moving forward,” says David Newman, Ph.D., NPB CEO. “Board members play such an important role in charting the swine industry course for the future. The checkoff exists to tackle big challenges that producers can’t solve entirely on their own, like disease elimination and increasing U.S. pork consumption. Producer perspectives today help set the direction for the decades ahead.”

The board oversees Pork Checkoff investments in promotion, research and consumer information programs that strengthen U.S. pork and support the industry’s strategic priorities. NPB’s 15-member board is made up of pork producers or importers nominated by Pork Act Delegates at the National Pork Forum and appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Producer input, state pork association collaboration and the We Care Ethical Principles continue to guide NPB’s work. Those perspectives help shape priorities across the Pork Checkoff, from the Taste What Pork Can Do consumer marketing campaign, which highlights pork’s rich flavor and versatility to millennial and Gen Z consumers, to the National Swine Health Strategy, a coordinated, science-based approach to protecting herd health and preparing for emerging challenges.

“I’m honored to serve alongside and welcome talented and passionate leaders on the NPB Board of Directors,” says Gordon Spronk, DVM, NPB president. “The challenges we face are real, but so is the opportunity in front of us to improve them. If we want the future to look different than the present, we must keep advancing animal health, while also continuing to build pork’s relevance with younger consumers. Being producer led and consumer focused means recognizing that a healthier U.S. swine herd and stronger consumer demand are not competing priorities – they are the foundation of a brighter future for pork producers. I believe this industry and our board can build that future.”

Four producers will complete their service on the National Pork Board in June. Thank you to Stewart Leeth of Virginia, Santiago Vazquez of North Carolina, Morgan Wonderly of California and Al Wulfekuhle of Iowa for their dedicated service to America’s pig farmers.

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