How One Midwestern Family Cares for People, Pigs, and Planet
This story is part of Heartland Voices, a series from Heartland Ventures focusing on the heritage and future of successful Midwestern businesses.
Here we look at Hord Family Farms
Different Kind of Business
Successful executives are often described as having the business in their blood, but there’s something about farmers that makes that description even more apt. This is certainly true of the Hord family, operators of a fifth-generation pork, beef, and grain farm in Bucyrus, Ohio. Led by Janel and Pat Hord and their children, Colleen and Phil, the primary focus of the farm is pigs — about 30,000 of them.
Farming is ingrained in the Hords. As Janel puts it, “this land was always going to be a farm and always going to be in our family.” And, as with most folks lucky enough to make a living doing exactly what they were born to do, they are successful. The operation has grown significantly and now sells to some of the best known and most demanding food distributors in the country.
Constant Care
When your business is in living beings, business is inevitably a bit different. Phil points out, “you can’t just turn out the lights at the end of the day.” The pigs might go to sleep, but they are biological creatures, which means the Hords are responsible for caring for them around the clock, rain or shine. And while you won’t hear the family bragging about it, they go about all their business with the same high standard of constant care — for their people, their pigs, and the planet.
The family and its 200 employees operate 11 birthing farms where sows are bred and grain is grown. They contract with dozens of growing farms within a 100-mile radius to whom they provide piglets along with feed, veterinarian care, and guidance as to how to raise the highest quality pig. Although the Hords spend most of their time outside, this isn’t Old McDonald’s farm. In addition to fostering strategic relationships with high profile distributors and processors, the family keeps a keen eye focused on tech, all in the name of keeping their animals healthy. One example is an IoT solution applying AI with the end goal of improving piglet mortality. They also utilize an app that assesses farm task execution during the birthing experience. The Hords recognize the value of innovation and the opportunities it provides to more efficiently provide the best care to their livestock.
Disconnect between the Farmer and the American Consumer
Non-ag people are often surprised by the amount of tech in farming; this misunderstanding is emblematic of a larger disconnect between what people think farmers do and what they actually do. The same advances in agricultural science, logistics, and supply chains that enable farms to be more productive also create distance between the 1.5% of the U.S. population that grows food and the remaining 98.5% that consumes what’s grown.
The Hords acknowledge the common misconceptions surrounding farming practices and take every opportunity to educate the general public about what they do. They bring groups of school children to the farm and lead initiatives within groups such as the Ohio Pork Council where they spread the word that not only do farmers care about the planet, they have to worry about it every waking hour of the day, because it is literally their livelihood.
This drive to educate the public also goes back to the sense of mission the Hords apply to their everyday tasks. They love what they do and thus enjoy sharing their work with others. Further, as with most businesses, they are increasingly asked about their impact on the environment. Whether it’s consumers wanting to know where their bacon comes from or major companies auditing their supply chain’s emissions, the Hords are on board with a future where they are providing complete traceability to their customers. They know they do good, so why not share more about how they do it with their stakeholders?
One example of this is their commitment to telling the incredible story of the improvement in environmental footprint that has happened over the past few generations. Demonstrating this continued commitment includes a focus on water conservation and working on carbon sequestration with cover crops/tillage practices, as well adding over 1100 KW in solar panels just this year. Because innovation is one of their core values, this will continue to be a focus area of theirs.
A Fake Meat Future?
There are two competing trends among American meat-eaters. On the one hand, there’s a demand for organic. On the other, synthetic meats are gaining more and more traction. While seeing lab-created cell-based protein as further away, the Hords recognize plant-based meat is a sustainable trend. And for them, that’s okay. The important principle here is choice.
Some people can afford to spend $40 on two pork chops, but then there are families of 4 that will spend $40 on their entire week’s worth of proteins. For the Hords, what’s important is that everyone knows how their various food options are produced. The family feels confident that when folks understand the care involved with Hord-bred animals, they will feel good about consuming the product. And while it won’t happen anytime soon, if there comes a day when lab-based synthetic meat can compete on price, it’s likely that a significant market segment will still demand real meat, for it’s organic appeal.
Regardless of what the future holds, the Hords know it will involve change. But if they keep their focus on the mission to care for people, pigs, and the planet, there is a bright future ahead.
_________
Hord Family Farms is a fifth-generation pork, cow, and grain farm located in north-central Ohio. The Hord family raises its animals with care and utilizes advanced farming practices to be efficient and sustainable. For more information, go to www.hordfamilyfarms.com.
Heartland Ventures is a Seed and Series-A VC fund based in the Midwest with an LP base made up of Midwest-based businesses and business owners in logistics, construction, manufacturing, and real estate. For more information, contact anna@heartlandvc.com.
