Pork honors handed out

SPRINGFIELD – There were numerous honorees at this week’s annual meeting of the Illinois Pork Producers Association in Springfield.

The Illinois Pork Producer Family of the Year award went to the Bradshaw family from Griggsville. Philip and Linda are the owners of Bradshaw Farms. Philip and his son, Todd, currently farm 1200 acres of corn and soybeans and operate a 5,000 head wean-to-finish hog farm.

The Bradshaw family history in Pike County goes back more than 120 years. Philip’s grandfather arrived in Griggsville back in 1889 after walking from Greenville, Kentucky in search of work cutting trees and hewing railroad ties.

Others honored by the IPPA this week include retiring board members Mark DeDecker of Henry County and Curt Zehr of Tazewell County. Mike Borgic was recognized for serving the organization as membership director for the past 10 years while Sami Buckert of Hancock County received the county ambassador achievement award. Lauren Curry of Henry County was named the outstanding county ambassador.

Meg Meeker of Emden will be the 2018 pork ambassador, following in the footsteps of Eileen Urish who is the retiring ambassador from Kilbourne. Urish is a sophomore at the University of Illinois.

IPPA’s 2018 Legislator of the Year honor went to State Rep. Steve Andersson of Geneva. He is credited with adopting a resolution defending bacon consumption which eventually led to “BLT Day” at the capitol.

“Representative Andersson has been a strong advocate of the pork industry,” IPPA executive director Jennifer Tirey said.