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Everyone who works in the Schleisman family's pork production system is certified in Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) and Transport Quality Assurance (TQA). "We always keep the well-being of our pigs in mind," said Mark Schleisman, who is shown here inside one of his hog barns.

LAKE CITY — While Mark Schleisman’s ag career has taken him around the world, he’s also made a big positive impact back home in rural Lake City, where his commitment to pork production, his focus on embracing new ideas and his willingness to share best practices have earned him a 2022 Master Pork Producer award.

Schleisman was one of seven Master Pork Producer winners honored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association during the 2023 Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines in late January.

“We believe the bottom line in pork production isn’t just financial,” said Schleisman, 58, of M&M Farms, who finishes 30,000 pigs annually in Calhoun County. “It must include a system that’s safe and efficient at producing high-quality pork product that satisfies the consumer at an affordable price.”

A third-generation farmer, Schleisman has been working with pigs since age 10, when his father, Larry, gave him a runt to raise on his own. It wasn’t long before Schleisman owned a couple sows, the first of which he affectionately named “Beth” after his sister.

“Money from raising pigs helped put me through Iowa State University,” Schleisman added.

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Mark Schleisman, of Lake City, was one of seven Master Pork Producer winners honored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association during the 2023 Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines.

He didn’t go into production ag right after college, choosing instead to start his career as an agronomist in western Nebraska. Then he got involved in the popcorn business, managing production for Conagra. Schleisman came back to pig farming 12 years ago, when his son and son-in-law indicated a desire to farm.

Today, Schleisman and his family farm 5,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and popcorn seed, in addition to running a 320-head cow-calf operation, a 720-head cattle feedlot and a swine operation.

Schleisman is an active member of the Calhoun County Pork Producers, which restarted a few years ago, thanks to renewed interest from area pork producers.

“It’s been great, because I see younger people getting involved and being proud of the pork industry,” said Schleisman, who participated in the 2022 Pork Leadership Institute through the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council.

Farm integrates pork industry’s We Care ethical principles

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It takes a reliable crew to work in the pork production business.Pictured here, from left to right, are Mark Schleisman on the farm with his son-in-law Colby Winter, Lake City; friend/farmhand Collin Miller, Lake City; dad Larry Schleisman, Lake City; son Matthew Schleisman, Lake City; son Landon Schleisman, Lake City; and farmhand Jacob Schultz, Lytton.

Schleisman’s ag leadership has earned him accolades beyond the pork industry. He received the Iowa Soybean Association’s Environmental Leader Award and the American Soybean Association’s 2018 National Conservation Legacy Award.

His latest honor, the Master Pork Producer Award, has a rich history in Iowa. The program began in 1942, thanks to Herb Plambeck, a farm broadcaster on WHO Radio; Elvin Quaife with Iowa State College Extension; and Wilbur Plager with the Iowa Swine Producers Association.

In the early years, the program was designed to stimulate pork and lard production and assist World War II efforts. Today, the Master Pork Producer Award honors efficiency and excellence in Iowa pork production.

The award also highlights how producers like Schleisman embrace the pork industry’s We Care program. Six ethical principles guide the We Care commitment, which encourages farmers to focus beyond the barn door to benefit their communities and the environment. Here’s a look into Schleisman’s farming philosophy, guided by the We Care principles and explained in his own words:

• Safeguarding natural resources: I serve on the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s Environmental Committee and am passionate about improving water quality and soil health. We farm near the Raccoon River in west-central Iowa in a region that has been under a significant amount of scrutiny from an environmental standpoint.

Our farm is in the Elk Run watershed, a tributary to the Raccoon River. As part of a demonstration project directed by the Iowa Soybean Association, I installed a couple of edge-of-field practices designed to significantly cut nitrate contribution to the Raccoon

River. One of these practices is a saturated buffer. The other edge-of-field treatment

process is a bioreactor. In years past, I’ve seen nitrate levels entering the bioreactor

running 15 to 22 parts per million. It’s exiting the bioreactor at less than 1 part per

million.

I’ve also partnered with the Iowa Department of Agriculture on a water reuse

project and have worked with Iowa State University on a tile monitoring project to

measure nitrates and phosphorus coming out of our field tile lines. My family and I work

with Twin Lakes Environmental Services to develop and maintain our manure

management plans. About two thirds of our crop acres are fertilized with livestock

manure. Our goal is to fully utilize our manure resources, improve the bottom line of our

crop operation and improve our environmental stewardship. We utilize no-till coulter

application of our manure in a strip-till system with cover crops to improve crop

performance and improve soil health.

We’ve also found ways to incorporate renewable energy into our farm. We have

three hog sites that have used solar energy for the past four years. Each site is a 2,499-

head site, and the solar arrays provide 90% of the electrical needs at each site. We also

have the hog site northeast of our place that has included a wind turbine for the past nine

years. This is a 3,400-head site, and the wind turbine generates about 50% of our energy

needs there.

• Protecting and promoting animal well-being: Everyone who works in our pork

production system is certified in Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) and Transport Quality

Assurance (TQA). We always keep the well-being of our pigs in mind. We work with

two primary veterinarians to support our pork operation. We routinely consult with our

local vet on how to best maintain herd health, plus we work with the veterinary staff of

our pig source to better understand the health status and needs of our pigs.

• Contributing to a better quality of life in my community: I’m always happy to share

what we’re doing on our farm so other farmers can see what works, ask questions and

hopefully get inspired to add more conservation practices to their farms. I’ve worked with

Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) to host a cover crop workshop in 2017. I also hosted a

PFI field day on Aug. 23, 2022, to show our water quality projects and explain how we

integrate cover crops into our crop and livestock production.

I like to show rural and urban audiences the progress farmers are making. When I was

growing up, it wasn’t common to see much wildlife around our farm. I was about 17 or 18 before

I saw a wild turkey around the Raccoon River. Today, I see so many more wild turkeys, ducks,

geese and other wildlife around here.

The quality of fishing opportunities has definitely changed for the better, too. When I was

a kid, you mainly caught catfish and carp. My son Matthew recently caught a 27-inch walleye in

the Raccoon River. To me, this speaks to the fact that the wildlife habitat and quality of the water

have definitely improved since I was a kid. This benefits all Iowans, whether you live on a farm

or in town.

My family and I want to keep finding more ways to farm more sustainably and contribute

to a better quality of life in our community and beyond.