The American Berkshire Foundation is proud to announce the 2020 scholarship recipients. The Board will recognize these recipients at the Summer Type Conference, July 6-11 in Des Moines, IA.

Gavin Branderhorst is from Prairie City, Iowa and a graduate of Prairie City-Monroe High School. Gavin has been active in his family farming operation since a young age and has been an integral part in growing the family’s swine herd.  

Gavin has been an active member of the PCM FFA Chapter, where he participated in numerous CDE competitions throughout his FFA career. Additionally, Gavin has been a 4-year member of the Diamond Trail FFA Livestock Judging Team. Gavin was honored with his Iowa State FFA Degree in 2018. 

Gavin’s leadership extends beyond his local community. He is the current Vice President of the Jasper County Farmhands and helps organize the county fair junior swine showmanship to expose pre 4-Hers to swine projects. Furthermore, Gavin is serving as Junior Board Member for the Iowa Swine Jackpot Series. Gavin has enjoyed being able to work with junior exhibitors across the state of Iowa and has been able to grow relationships with exhibitors over the past two years. Gavin has also been an active Team Purebred member exhibiting at the World Pork Expo and Exposition. 

Gavin’s family runs a diversified farming operation composing of row crops and a growing swine herd. The Branderhorst family specializes in raising and marketing purebred and crossbred show pigs, under the Diamond B Showpigs banner. Gavin takes ownership for the swine operation, as he is responsible for making key breeding and management decisions.

Gavin will be attending Des Moines Area Community College in the fall to pursue a career in Agribusiness. Following DMACC he intends to continue to Iowa State University, to earn a degree in Agricultural Studies. After graduation, Gavin would like to return home to help grow the family’s swine operation, and increase their Berkshire herd, to fulfill a demand for Berkshire Pork. 

Adrienne Lipinski is from Eden Valley, Minnesota and graduated from Eden Valley Watkins High School. Growing up on the farm has taught her about life and has contributed to the person she is today. Her passion for the agriculture industry developed through her involvement throughout her high school career.  

Adrienne has been an active member of the Eden Valley Watkins FFA chapter, competing in several FFA proficiencies and holding many chapter officer positions including President. She also held the Reporter and Secretary positions at the Regional level. Adrienne was honored to receive her state degree in 2019. Adrienne was also involved in Speech, Honor Society, Student Council and the school’s newspaper. 

Adrienne’s family started raising Berkshires when she joined 4-H as a clover bud with her gilt named Gold Lady. Adrienne has promoted the Berkshire breed by putting up informational signs by her pens at the county and state fair shows. She informs people interested in buying Berkshire meat, that Berkshires are like the angus of the hog world. They have expanded into other species over the years and now include beef cattle and poultry. She is now involved with the production side and helps out

Adrienne will be attending South Dakota State University to pursue a degree in Agriculture Communication. Upon graduating college, Adrienne plans to continue advocating for the agriculture industry and work in the agriculture communication industry at a company in Minnesota. She plans to continue to raise Berkshires and show at the state level.

Eric Schafer is from Owaneco, Illinois and graduated from Taylorville High School. His passion for agriculture started at a very young age and has evolved into leadership and management roles within the industry and on his family farm. 

Eric is involved in Team Purebred, American Angus Association, American Junior Hereford Association and many other organizations. Eric was also very involved in the Taylorville FFA Chapter, serving as the Vice President. In 2019 he won the Illinois State Diversified Agriculture Production Proficiency Award which included his Berkshire herd and he won the National FFA Agriscience Fair in the Animal Systems area. As a member of the National Champion Livestock Judging Team, Eric had the opportunity to represent the United States at the Royal Highland Livestock Judging Contest in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Eric was also a part of the Illinois 4-H All Star Livestock Judging Team. 

Eric has been building his own show pig herd and is also actively involved with the family’s Angus and commercial beef cattle operation, which includes breeding decisions, working with donor cows on embryo transfer cycles, checking pastures and much more. With this experience and after realizing not everyone can purchase a large quantity of meat, Eric had the passion to start his own niche meat market for their Berkshire pork and Angus beef, which is now known as Farm Family Meats. He sells whole and half Berkshire market hogs to people in the community.  Eric’s goal is to produce Berkshire and Angus breeding stock that can be competitive throughout the United States.

Eric will be attending Butler College-El Dorado, Kansas, to study Agriculture Animal Science and to compete on their collegiate livestock judging team. He plans to obtain his masters and doctorate degree in animal science and to one day coach a livestock judging team at a university. Eric hopes to continue his family’s beef, swine and grain operation and to expand Farm Family Meat to cover a large portion of Illinois. Eric will give back to the Christian County community by mentoring junior livestock enthusiasts, assisting with the county and state fairs and becoming actively involved with national breed associations. 

Ian Shofner is from Weyauwega, WI and attended St. Mary Catholic High School. Ian grew up raising Berkshire swine on his family farm since a young age and has been an active participant in the Team Purebred junior organization.  

Ian has been an active member of Team Purebred, where he is serving as the Vice President on the Junior Board. Ian has enjoyed traveling the country working with the Team Purebred exhibitors and working with his fellow junior board members. Additionally, Ian had the honor to participate in the Maschoffs’ Internship program through his partnership with Team Purebred.  Furthermore, Ian has been a junior member of the American Berkshire Association for the past 8 years. 

Ian’s leadership extends beyond his involvement in exhibiting swine. Ian has been an active student since arriving at Iowa State University. His involvement on campus includes being a member of the Iowa State Dairy Science Club as well as the Iowa State Block and Bridle club where he is a member of Swine Interest group. This past year, Ian received high scholastic achievements by being recognized on the ISU Dean’s List. 

Ian grew up raising swine on his family’s farm. They specialized in show pigs, primarily raising Berkshire swine.  Ian has been active in the family’s operation and takes pride in exhibiting their home raised livestock on the local, state, and national levels.  

Ian is attending Iowa State University pursuing a degree in Animal Science. Following graduation, he intends to continue to graduate school, to earn a degree in Veterinary Medicine. Ian would like to work in a private practice as a large animal veterinarian.