Kyle Baade, Plymouth (Producer): Kyle and wife, Laura, own and operate Baade Genetics, an 80-head sow herd. Their operation specializes in raising purebred and crossbred show pigs and breeding stock, as well as an on-farm boar stud operation utilizing herd sires for on–farm use, as well as semen sales.
Karen Grant, Meadow Grove (Producer): Karen and her husband, Bruce, operate a farrow-to-finish pig farm near Meadow Grove. She has served a six-year term on the NPPA’s board of directors, is currently on the NPPA legislative committee, and for the past two years has served on the investor and relations committee with National Pork Producers Council. In 2015, she was recognized as the Ag-ceptional Woman of the Year.
Chad Johnson, Norfolk, (Allied): Chad is the plant buyer for Tyson Fresh Meats in Madison, and has been with Tyson/IBP for 23 years. He is a PQA and TQA advisor, has served as a alternate director for the NPPA, and has been a member of the legislative committee for the past year.
Ryan Preister, Humphrey (Producer): Ryan and his wife own and operate his family’s fourth-generation pig farm near Humphrey. The farm also raises corn and soybeans. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he holds both PQA Plus and TQA certifications.
Jennifer Ruby, Howells (Allied): Jennifer lives on an acreage with her husband, Justin, and son, Brock. She has been in swine production for 14 years with seven years in production in boar stud-to-finishing operations. She now is sales manager for PigEasy, LLC. She was in the first Nebraska Pork Leadership Program and served on the National Pork Board animal welfare committee.
Mark Wright, Fremont, (Allied): Mark is the assistant manager of Wiechman Pig Company’s Fremont division as well as the animal handling and welfare coordinator for all Wiechman Pig Company’s locations. Currently he serves on the NPPA’s legislative committee and is a member of the Pork Leadership Institute program, a joint program of the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council. Through the PLI program, he has represented Nebraska pork producers in Washington, D.C.