Ethan Brummer of Millerstown, Pennsylvania will be graduating from Greenwood High School in May of 2019. He will be attending The Pennsylvania State University (University Park) this fall. Ethan plans to major in Agricultural Business Management. Ethan is a member of the Junior American Berkshire Association, and an FFA member. He has been actively involved in his high school in various activities and clubs. Ethan is the 3rd generation of his family to be involved in farming. Ethan became more involved in the family operation after his grandfather decided to retire. Now, Ethan helps with the day-to-day operation of the Angus Herd, the sheep herd and the swine herd. Ethan and his family have chosen to raise Berkshire hogs due to their good meat quality. They sell some of their pigs as show pigs to other 4-Her’s and FFA kids and most of the herd goes towards butcher hogs that they sell off the farm or at the local farmer’s markets. Meat quality is important to Ethan, which is why they participate in the Progeny Test, which gives them information for their customers and helps sell their meat. Ethan plans to come back to the farm after graduation and work with his father on both of his grandfather’s farms.

Marlena Long is from Paris, Missouri and graduated from Paris RII High School while accumulating 61 credit hours of dual credit course work. She has been admitted to the University of Missouri and will pursue a BS degree in a double major consisting of Biochemistry and Agriculture Business. She was actively involved in 4-H and FFA earning numerous state and national awards. Other accolades Marlena has received are being selected as a Youth Ambassador for both, the Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri Pork Association and serving as treasurer of the Missouri Junior Shorthorn Association. Beginning at the age of 9 years old, following in a family tradition her mother began, Marlena exhibited her first Berkshire pigs in 4 H and came upon many early successes that have carried throughout her show career. Knowing the importance of value-added agriculture products, Marlena operates a freezer beef and pork business as part of her FFA-SAE program. Recently, she has bred and raised her own Berkshires to augment the sales of high- quality meat. Actively involved in her family’s farm operation, she has mastered a post-cervical AI technique learned by assisting her veterinarian. Marlena’s technical skills enable her to do contract breeding for other swine operations. Additionally, she has begun her own woodchip business that grossed over $20,000 in sales last year. With medical school plans in her future and a desire to participate in a university level undergraduate research program, Marlena hopes to continue the advancement of research on swine and the benefits and correlation to human health issues. Having a love of science and a passion for agriculture, Marlena Long will certainly be a successful advocate for Berkshires!

Creigh Rourke is from Iowa City, Iowa and graduated from Mid-Prairie High School in 2018. She will be a sophomore at Texas Tech University this fall pursuing an Agricultural Communication BS degree and plans to apply to law school in the future. She was actively involved in 4-H and FFA while in high school serving in many leadership roles and attended the World Food Prize Youth Institute. Additionally, she was selected as a Borlaug Scholar and served as the Iowa State Berkshire Queen. At Texas Tech, Creigh is active with Sigma Alpha sorority, serves as a Texas Tech Agriculture Ambassador and is a member of the Texas Tech Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow club. While growing up on a club lamb operation, Creigh’s grandparents gifted her a few Berkshire sows which developed into Rourke Sisters Genetics. Throughout her 4-H career, Creigh and her sisters have exhibited at Team Purebred shows and participated in career development events like skill-a-thon, judging and sweepstakes. She was on the Iowa Swine Jackpot Series Junior Board serving as show day manager and grand finale coordinator. Today, Rourke Sisters Genetics focuses on producing high quality breeding stock and show pigs. Creigh will always have a special place in her heart for the Berkshire Breed and will continue helping youth involved in the swine project.

Dillon White of Jacksonville, Illinois, graduated from Jacksonville High School in May of 2018. He currently attends John Wood Community College studying Animal Science. Dillon has been involved in 4-H, FFA, Team Purebred, active at John Wood Agriculture Club and Evaluation Club. Dillon is a Boy Scouts earning his Eagle Scout in 2017. Dillon currently raises 12 sows and 8 cows. He has been involved in the family operation since he learned to walk. He helps with the day-to-day operations, breeding choices and marketing of animals from their farm. Dillon started raising Poland China hogs and diversified to Berkshires about 4 years ago. His plans include adding more Berkshires to his herd. Dillon is looking forward to getting his associates degree at John Wood Community College and transferring to Western Illinois University to pursue a degree in Agriculture Science. He plans to stay in the agriculture field and living close to home to continue with his hog operation with his family after graduation.