Participation is a choice
Shaping our industry, future leadersBy Scott Hays
A year ago, when I was installed as president of the National Pork Producers Council, my granddaughter asked me an unexpected question. “Grandpa, are you in charge of all the pigs in the universe?” For me, the question took me on a brief journey, thinking through all the steps that led me to this point.
For those who don’t know me, I had the privilege of being on the farm with my dad, grandfather, and great-grandfather. One thing I learned from a very early age is that when you were asked to do something, you did it. You help, you support, you lead.
My involvement followed a fairly traditional path. I served as a county delegate in Missouri and later took the role on the state board. Years later, I served as president of the Missouri Pork Association and eventually got involved in NPPC.
I am proud of NPPC’s work to protect our livelihoods and advocate for reasonable policies that move our industry in the right direction. But I’m also proud of how the organization sees the bigger picture by identifying and building future leaders.
One great example is the Pork Leadership Institute. Each year, a group of individuals are selected to participate in a comprehensive training program that prepares them to spread the pork industry’s story from Main Street to our nation’s capital. I am a PLI graduate.
The program broadened my mind on our political process, the roles of our respective state associations, and the contemporary challenges facing our industry. It empowered me to want to do more.
Through scholarships and internship opportunities, NPPC seeks to identify promising students interested in agriculture. Each year at the National Pork Industry Forum, we award student scholarships, helping empower them to pursue their passion and explore careers in the pork industry. Throughout the year, NPPC offers professional experience to college students, providing them an opportunity to work side-by-side with NPPC staff, both in Des Moines and Washington DC. These individuals are our future and our hope to continue the legacy we’ve all built.
My granddaughter’s question made me reflect on the journey my life has taken. My choice to participate started many years ago and was influenced by others who encouraged me. You never know the impact you can have on someone.
So, I urge those within our industry to actively participate, advocate, encourage and support one another. Learn more about PLI and join us in backing our industry at the local, state or national level. Reach out to the younger generation and help open doors they may not know exist.
We represent an honorable profession – responsibly raising pigs and producing safe, wholesome pork – and we all have a part in ensuring our industry lives on for future generations.
To learn more about NPPC’s leadership training and efforts to support students and future leaders, visit NPPC.org.
Hays is the outgoing NPPC president and a producer from Missouri. In the cover photo, courtesy of NPPC, Hays’ family is gathered for a photo on his Missouri farm ahead of his installation as NPPC president at the 2023 National Pork Industry Forum.
