Pork Queen turned pork scholar prepares for pork profession

SOUTHEAST IOWA — Every year the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Pork Foundation, and the Iowa Purebred Swine council award numerous scholarships to incoming freshmen and returning college agriculture students planning to or currently majoring in an agriculture field with an interest in the pork industry.

This year they awarded $39,000 to twenty-five college students.

Jacob Stukerjurgen, of Salem, and Gracie Greiner of Washington were each awarded returning student scholarships of $2,000 as they continue their education with Iowa State University.

Jacob Eichelberger, of Crawfordsville, was awarded the Jim Ledger Memorial Scholarship of $2,000 as he pursues his education through Kirkwood Community College.

This is not the only scholarship Greiner has received from the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

In 2019, Greiner took home the title of Iowa Pork Queen along with a scholarship of $4,000 as she began her journey at ISU.

As Greiner begins to wrap up her time at ISU with a degree in animal science and a swine certificate, she is looking forward to entering the industry as a young professional.

After all, swine are in Greiner’s roots.

She grew up on a farm just outside of Washington raising pigs with her family, participated in FFA, and spent years in 4-H showing pigs.

Greiner faces her future with the same go-get-‘em attitude with which she began her collegiate journey.

As Pork Queen, Greiner made an impact with her willingness to jump right in and help with a sow’s birth, even while wearing her crown.

“Swine is probably what I am going to stay with,” Greiner said of her future aspirations. “I like the sales side of the industry that attaches sales into it, as well.”

This past summer, Greiner took part in an internship with Zoetis Animal Health.

“It is an animal health company that supplies antibiotics, vaccines, and other feed additives to take care of your animals,” Greiner said.

“I was in charge of a project all summer and I worked with many customers within Zoetis to formulate a plan and sell product to them, as well,” she said.

“I like being more in contact with the farmers and being in contact with the live animals and helping that way,” Greiner said.

According to Greiner, all the different facets of the pork industry work together for the purpose of raising “the protein that feeds the world.”

“A lot of pigs in Iowa are focused on producing a safe source of protein,” she said.

According to Zoetis website, Greiner has hit the nail right on the head.

“Zoetis works to assure a safe, sustainable global food supply from healthy pigs,” the site reads. “Everyone in the pork industry plays an important role in advancing pig health. To that end, Zoetis offers products and services to keep pigs healthy and to treat them when they become sick.”

Greiner is confident she will work to continue these efforts in whichever part of the industry she finds her future career, because she believes in the basic ethical principles of Pork Production outlined by the Pork Producers Association.

These ethical principles include commitments to increasing food safety, maintaining animal well-being, equipping ethical and safe workplaces, considering public health, reducing environmental impact, and supporting communities.

As she looks to her future, she keeps an eye on things like the African Swine Flu (ASF).

“It is very dangerous,” she said. “It hasn’t made it to the United States, but if it did, it would wipe out a huge portion of the swine population.”

For Greiner, knowledge is powerful, however, and she is trusting the biosecurity measures she has learned during her time at ISU.

“When you travel from another country, you have to declare if you’ve been on a farm,” she said. “And there are Border Collies along the border checking for any kind of pork or other animal and plant products that could carry diseases.”

The Iowa Pork Producers seek to equip the next generation of the pork industry as they give back to the community with these scholarships.

Greiner is a realization of this mission, from assisting sows in birth, to her commitment to protecting pork as a safe protein, all the way to a wealth of knowledge pertaining to the current threat of African Swine Flu, she presents herself as well equipped and ready to take her place in the next generation of the pork industry.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com