The next generation of hog farmers

By Chelsea Noding, On the Farm Reporter

Joel Talsma is a local small family farmer. He raises feeder cattle, a small herd of grass-fed beef, sheep, and around 800-850 head of hogs on the family farm. Joel spoke about the importance of diversifying both crops and livestock in his operation, saying “One of the greatest fallacies of modern agriculture is that you have to be specialized to be successful.” The hogs belong to Joel, but originate from and are sold back to Niman Ranch. “It’s a great way to own my own pigs and not have to put all of my money into building a conventional hog facility. I can use the barns that are already on our farm,” Joel emphasized. 

Niman Ranch is a pork production company that supports small family farms throughout the Midwest. Originating in California in cattle production, the company partnered in 1995 with Paul Willis from Thorton, Iowa, to include pork production. The company is “committed to raising all of our livestock to the highest animal welfare standards” (www.nimanranch.com). They boast hormone and antibiotic-free meat, and ensure the animals are raised in cruelty-free, humane environments that follow protocols developed with help from animal welfare expert Temple Grandon. All animals must be cage- and crate-free and have access to outdoor space or deep bedding.  

Joel graduated high school from Southwest Christian in Edgerton, and signed up with the Army National Guard out of Redwood Falls. He served one tour in Iraq in 2006-2007. After his service, Joel attended the University of Minnesota and pursued a degree in Agricultural Education. Niman Ranch offers a Next Generation Foundation Scholarship, which awards scholarships to college students pursuing a degree in Agriculture whose parents are current Niman Ranch producers. Joel, having parents who themselves partnered with Niman Ranch, was one of the Next Generation recipients. After graduation, he worked at Corporate CHS in the Twin Cities, where he earned his broker’s license and worked as a broker. His next career move took him to Luverne, working at the Eastern Farmers Cooperative (now CHS) as a grain originator buyer. 

In the early 2010s, Joel’s parents brought their kids together to discuss the farm transition plan. While all of the kids are now involved in some way, Joel decided to take the opportunity to farm full time. He took actions to get serious about farming by investing in land and buying new herds or flocks of each species of livestock as his dad sold to get out. The pigs are housed on the family’s original building site, just across the road from the house where Joel now lives with his wife, Ellen, and four young children (Nathaniel (8), Micah (5), Anna (3), and Evelyn (1)).

Joel utilizes two different styles of barns to house his pigs. The first is a Cargill style barn that allows year-round outdoor access and smaller pen sizes. This is beneficial when sorting out sick or injured pigs, or when finding and quarantining any individual animals. The second building is a hoop barn that Joel put up in 2018. With a concrete bottom and sides, the hoop barn is set up with deep bedding and mounds on one end of the barn for the pigs to root around in. Opposite the end with the bedding, the feed is kept and sectioned off with partial concrete walls. This helps to keep the feed and manure separated, keeping the pigs cleaner and drier.