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Jump In With Both Feet: Q&A with Ohio Pork Council’s President

An open book – that’s how Ohio Pork Council president Nathan Schroeder defines himself. The leader of one of the most active state pork organizations in the country, he believes strongly in the power of communication.

“They are getting a leader who likes to communicate,” says Schroeder, a 46-year-old pig farmer from Leipsic, Ohio. “I like to share what we are doing because I’m very proud of what we are doing. I think communication is important. Being able to share what you are doing in an open and honest fashion is key.”

He also says he’s willing to take some risks and is not scared to jump into something new with both feet – whether it works out or not. Schroeder says there are several initiatives in Ohio that have him feeling optimistic about the future.

“We started a young leadership program in Ohio. I’m very proud of that one,” he says. “I attended the national Pork Leadership Institute a few years back, and thought is a really good program. It opened my eyes to a lot of things and how things are done. We decided we wanted to do a similar program in our state.”

Getting new leaders started in the industry is very important to the Ohio Pork Council, Schroeder explains. His best advice? Show up and get involved.

“The young leaders we have are interested in being active in our industry,” he says. “They have ambition for it, want to see it grow and want to see it do good. We are really proud of the safe, quality pork we produce for our consumers. It’s neat to see the younger generations want to grow, do the right things and ultimately, do it better.”

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Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.