INFLUENTIAL INSIGHTS HOW I STARTED IN PORK In the 1990s, John and Joe “dabbled” in pork
OUR GROWTH PHILOSOPHY In the 1990s, most production had nurseries on sow farms, then the pigs would be moved to grow-finish barns; off-site weaning was such a new idea that John and Joe couldn’t find an existing Midwest contract to use as a template with producers, so they wrote one. FACING NEW DEVELOPMENTS Businesses don’t improve by focusing on how good they are, but on their vulnerabilities and where they need to improve. Innovation is critical — such as when Schwartz worked out a deal with processors post-Prop 12 to build or retrofit some facilities to be compliant in a short time period.
production in the Midwest, a region the brothers felt offered more resources: abundant corn, proximity to meatpacking, and more cropland to receive the manure. So, they went all-in on pigs, even drawing up the first farrow-to-wean contract in their state. HOW I SEE LEADERSHIP If a business supports its employees and partners, they will do almost anything for it. He notes a good leader shares success and doesn’t look to delegate blame; and a good company leader strives for more than just profit, by investing back into the communities where its people live. INDUSTRY TRENDS OF NOTE Elected to keep the business focused on live pig production; he would rather be a preferred supplier to multiple meatpackers. He also remains serious about continuing to produce more pork with fewer resources — “That’s the definition of sustainability.” WATCH CEOS OF THE INDUSTRY
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