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Farmer highlights the care given to raise pigs, crops

A central Indiana farmer is sharing her passion about the care that goes into raising pigs and crops.

Heather Hill, who recently completed her term as National Pork Board president, manages Hill Farms with her husband and his parents in Hancock County.

“That is what motivates us each and every day— making sure that we are providing the best care possible to our pigs, whether that’s making sure they have the right feed, their water is working, the air-flow is proper, that they’re healthy, and we’re doing the right things there. You can’t take care of another living being without caring for it. I think all farmers can relate to that whether it’s a crop or an animal that we provide that care to. It’s an obligation we feel and so that’s how we start each day. That’s what we want people to know—we truly do care.”

She tells Brownfield farmers are also sustainable and uses their operation as an example.

“We farrow-to-finish and will raise pigs to market from birth. We raise all the crops we need to feed our pigs. All the corn we raise on our family farm is stored here and then we grind it in our feed mill to make our pig’s feed. All the soybeans that we raise we sell to a local soybean processing plant, but then we turn around and buy soybean meal from that plant to mix with the corn we feed our pigs. It’s a unique opportunity to be able to do all those things.”

Hill recently hosted registered dietitians on the farm for “From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate: Exploring the Pathway of Soyfoods,” an event sponsored by Indiana Soybean Alliance and SNI Global.

“My husband and I both learned at an early age from both of our parents the importance of giving back to our communities and being involved,” she says. “We don’t know where our children will land when they’re older and what they’re going to want to do but we feel strongly that we need to be that voice in agriculture for them today if we want there to be a future in agriculture for them. That’s my barometer on if we’re going to get involved in something or not. That’s why, to me, it’s been important to get involved in things like National Pork Board, the Indiana State Fair, and different opportunities.”

Hill says she’ll continue to serve on the National Pork Board in the coming year as past president.