Pork Congress 2012 - Iowa Pork Producers Association

2012 Iowa Pork Congress Re-Cap
Randy and Deb Cooklin
Jefferson, Greene County
The Cooklins have been raising pigs for 43 years and they
currently feed pigs on contract at separate sites for two larger
area hog farmers.
Deb operates a 600-head nursery for a local family business and Randy manages a 3,300-
head wean-to-finish site purchased in 2009. The Cooklins provide all of the labor and
management for both sites. Both are very conscious of biosecurity and herd health issues.
Randy and Deb are PQA Plus- and TQA-certified and their sites have been PQA Plus-assessed.
In addition to raising hogs, the Cooklins manage a cow-calf herd and farm 500 acres of crop ground.
Both are active in church and community activities and have served as 4-H leaders for more than 25 years. Randy and Deb are
active in both the Greene County Pork Producer and Cattlemen’s associations. Randy has been on the local cattlemen’s board
for more than 20 years and has served as beef superintendent at their county fair for several years.
The Cooklins have three adult children and two grandchildren.
Steve and LaVonne Flygstad
Ellsworth, Hamilton County
The Flygstads have been in pork production for 37 years and
are currently raising hogs on contract with Murphy-Brown, LLC.
In 2004, with the encouragement of Murphy-Brown staff, Steve
and LaVonne leased 20 barns from Murphy-Brown and assumed management of another
24 finishing barns. They have purchased 10 barns and manage the other 29 for a variety
of owners, both local and distant. In 2006, all sites were converted to wean-to-finish.
The Flygstads now operate 39 barns in central Iowa with their daughter, Lisa, and two
employees. LaVonne and Lisa start each group while Steve is responsible for finishing and building maintenance. They
all assist with receiving weaned pigs and market swine load-outs.
Steve, LaVonne and all of their employees are PQA Plus-certified. All of the production sites are PQA Plus-assessed and
have manure management plans. Manure is applied on adjacent land or sold by the building owners.
The couple is active in their local church and community. They also have hosted a number of foreign and supplier visitors
who want to understand modern U.S. pork production.
The Flygstads have two adult children and three grandchildren.
March 2012
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