Farms.com Home   News

Ingris Rivas: A South Dakota Master Pork Producer

Ingris Rivas was recently named a 2023 Master Pork Producer at the 55th Annual South Dakota Pork Congress in January. Ingris’s journey began in August 2017, marking the start of her career in swine production at PIPESTONE. South Dakota Master Pork Producers are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the state’s swine industry.

Starting as a Swine Technician at Thunder Ridge, Ingris wasted no time showing off her skills and love for the industry. She quickly climbed the ranks, becoming the Farrowing Lead at Fox Run by January 2018. Then, in June 2022, she took charge as the Site Manager of Fox Run. Ingris and her team of 15 worked together and had the farm running like a well-oiled machine.

Under her watch, Fox Run consistently landed in the top 10% of PIPESTONE managed-farms boasting stellar sow mortality rates and was one of the top farms in pigs weaned per sow. November 2023 saw Ingris stepping into yet another new role, overseeing five farms in the west region as a Production Supervisor.

The best part is how she works with people. “Ingris finds the strengths in every individual,” comments Pedro Bordes, VP of Production for the West Region. Human Resources Director, Rochelle Remund agrees, “She is great at developing employees, advancing their skill sets so they are ready to take on leadership roles.”

Ingris isn’t just a Master Pork Producer – she’s a force to be reckoned with. Congratulations Ingris, here’s to many more victories ahead!

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Video: Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Identifying challenges in swine production and turning them into solutions through research and team development is the focus of this episode. Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics shares insights on herd health, biosecurity and trial work to improve pig performance. She also discusses her team’s research philosophy, how they evaluate rate of investment and how they gather feedback from employees to address challenges and maintain herd health across all phases of production. Dr. Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms discusses the growing complexity of swine production, especially as technology increases and employee interaction decreases. He also shares how their workforce is shifting toward more specialized roles to support herd health and efficiency.