Member Profile: Sharing a passion for raising and showing pigs

The opportunity to share his passion for raising and showing animals is one of the driving factors for Jared Lamle’s involvement in California Pork Producers Association. 

Jared grew up in northeast Indiana on his family’s row crop farm and was active in showing beef cattle and hogs in 4-H and FFA. He also competed in livestock judging at the collegiate level at Illinois Central College and Western Illinois University, where he earned a bachelors degree in Agricultural Business and Management. The livestock judging team is also where Jared met his fiancé, Mikaela; they are planning a December 2024 wedding.

During college, he broadened his experience by working for farms that raised show pigs and purebred cattle and at a feed company that focused on the show market. He moved to California in 2018 and is herdsman at Sierra Nevada Farms in Visalia. He manages day to day operations with a focus on raising about 175 head of show pig sows, including registered Berkshires, registered Durocs and various other registered breeds and Crossbreds. Sierra Nevada Farms also operates an on-site state inspected slaughter facility and retail pork business.

“California is unique compared to the Midwest in that we have county fairs and shows nearly year round, which means we are working with junior exhibitors and 4-H-ers all year to select pigs and get ready for events,” he said.   

He is also excited about the interest level of young people in the state’s pork industry.

“I had the opportunity to participate in junior board interviews and was impressed with all the candidates and how many want to know more about commercial pork production and the opportunities in the industry,” he said.

Lamle joined the California Pork board in 2022 and appreciates the opportunity to connect with other producers and industry leaders from across the state to share knowledge and resources. He also participated in the task force to develop a strategy plan to guide the organization’s work through 2027 and is now part of the resulting youth expositions task force given his passion for engaging youth to educate them about both industry practices and future potential careers.

“By coming together, we are going to make something stronger,” he said. “There is a lot of value in being in a room with peers to discuss practices, share problems and learn from each other. I believe one of the many ways we can use our collective wisdom is better connection with the youth who already have demonstrated an interest in agriculture.”