INDIANAPOLIS — Since she was a little girl, Heather Hill has
spent her life around agriculture and pigs, so serving as the president of
Indiana Pork seemed like it was destiny.
She was elected as president last February and will hold the
position until the group’s annual meeting next year.
“Agriculture was a big part of my life, and pigs were
bigger,” she said.
After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in
animal sciences, Hill noted, she married her husband, Mark, and through marriage
became an official pig farmer.
She and her husband grow corn, soybeans and wheat with his
parents, as well as raise about 13,000 hogs for market throughout the year. She
also is the manager of the pork account for Pfizer Animal Health.
“I’m surrounded by pigs every which way you look,” she
said.
Hill added that the hog industry — and agriculture, in
general — is important to her not just from a professional standpoint, but a
personal one, as well.
She noted that if her children one day want to have a future
in ag, it is necessary that she advocates for it now.
That is why she thought it was a logical decision in 2009 to
get involved with the Indiana Pork board.
While serving as president of the organization, Hill does
whatever needs to be done and is blessed to have a great staff to help her, she
said.
Her responsibilities as leader of the group include
presiding over board meetings, helping the board follow its strategic plan and
organizing a convention for members.
Part of the plan is not just keeping an eye on pig farmers
in the state, but reviewing the amount of pork consumption in Indiana, as well,
Hill explained.
At the group’s annual meeting, which is scheduled on Feb. 5
at the Indiana Pork office, elections of new board members will take place,
along with an update from the National Pork Producers Council, she said.