Tama County Pork Producers Royalty are pictured during the recent Tama County Pork Producers Banquet. Pictured in front are Abby Froleich and Paige Jurgens, 2020 Co-Tama County Pork Queens, and Christy Calderwood of the Pork Queen Committee. In back are Samantha DeWitt, Pork Queen Committee, Dylan Hosek, Jaydee Thiessen and Eric Keller, who will serve as Tama County Pork Ambassadors for 2020.

The Tama County Pork Producers annual banquet was held January 18, 2020, at the Gladbrook Memorial Building. A delicious meal of pork loin and ribs was catered by Spanky’s restaurant in Gladbrook.

President, Phil McKenna, called the meeting to order and introduced all dignitaries in the audience.

Queen committee member, Samantha DeWitt, introduced the 2020 royalty. Samantha first explained the new rules regarding ages for being queen, princess, and ambassadors. Abbigail Froelich and Paige Jergens will share the 2020 Tama County Pork Producer Queen position. Dylan Hosek and Jaydee Thiessen will be our 2020 Tama County Pork Producer Ambassadors.

Tama County Pork Producers sponsored the Tama County K-9 unit again this year. Sheriff Dennis Kucera along with Deputy Sheriff Casey Schmidt and his drug dog, Tyson, were present to receive a donation check for $1,000.00.

Youth educational committee member, Brent Beichley, spoke of the program that was held for this past year. This is a program that involves an aspect of swine production. The program for last year was back to basics. The committee members talked about the proper way to fill out the swine portion of their 4-H record books. They also did a refresher course on ear notching, proper feed and water consumption. Committee member, Jason Gienger, then went over the requirements the 4-H and FFA swine exhibitors must complete to receive their bonus money from the Tama County Pork Producers. He also touched bases with the rules JBS has put in place for them to accept the 4-H pigs after fair.

Owen Koester is pictured with a pie to be auctioned at the Pork Producers Annual Pie Auction.

Eric Keller spoke of his swine grant program he has headed up the past two years. This program is a designed to help new swine exhibitors get started raising hogs for the Tama County Fair. The Tama County Pork Producers and other local sponsors help fund this program each year through purchasing the pigs and supplying feed to alleviate the up-front cost associated with showing pigs. If anyone would like to donate to the swine grant program, please reach out to a Tama County Pork Producer board member.

President McKenna stated there were no scholarship applicants for the previous year. It is required that the applicant’s parents be Tama County Pork Producer members for two consecutive years (Junior and Senior years) before the senior applies. They are asked to fill out an application and go through an interview process.

President McKenna presented Platinum Awards to Dolezal Farm Supply and Brenneman Pork for their part in the swine grant program.

President McKenna discussed the new business of the night. There was a motion for board members Samantha DeWitt, Jason Gienger, Phillip McKenna, Pete Popelka, and Craig Kajer to renew their board position for another 3 years, and for Brooke and Reece Ewoldt to become new board members. The motion was seconded and approved.

The evening concluded with the annual pie auction. Sheryl Jesina was the Grand Champion winner with her apple pie, purchased by P & K John Deere. Megan Gienger won the 1-crust division with her french rhubarb pie, Brent Froelich won the men’s with his apple pie, and Abbigail Froelich won the youth division with her cherry raspberry pie.

Parker Schmidt of Gladbrook is pictured with a pie.

The Tama County Pork Producers thanked all their sponsors for the past year; JBS, Cookies BBQ Sauce, New Century FS, and Hometown Family Market. The Garwin Roughriders and Toledo Techs were thanked and received a donation for helping with the banquet.