INDIANAPOLIS — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of Indiana pig farmer Heather Hill to serve on the National Pork Board.
Hill is a co-owner at Hill Farms in Greenfield, Ind. Hill Farms is a farrow-to-finish operation that markets 32,000 pigs annually. Hill Farms also grows corn, soybeans and wheat.
She is a former president of the Indiana Pork Board, and has been actively involved with the Indiana Pork Board since 2009.
“I am very proud to be raising the 5th generation of pig farmers on our family farm,” said Hill. “It is very important to me that my three children have the ability to have a future in agriculture and specifically the pig industry if they so desire. My husband and I know that if we aren’t willing to stand up for our industry, we can’t expect anyone else to be willing to do it either and that could put our children’s future in jeopardy. To me it would be a real honor to be able to represent and work for my fellow pig farmers as a National Pork Board director.”
“Heather has been an exceptional leader for the Indiana pork industry,” said Josh Trenary, Executive Director of Indiana Pork. “Her knowledge and passion for consumer education and market promotion will serve the nations pork producers well.”
The National Pork Board is composed of 15 pork producers, who are nominated by the National Pork Producers Delegate Body, which is made up of approximately 160 producer and importer members.
The program was created and is administered under the authority of the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985. It became effective Sept. 5, 1986, when the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order was implemented.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity for participating stakeholders.
A list of National Pork Board members is available on the AMS website, or visit the National Pork Board’s website for more information.
— Indiana Pork