Niman Ranch, a natural meat brand, honored its network of over 500 hog farmers and, through the company’s Next Generation Foundation, awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships and grants for young farmers and future rural leaders at the 26th Annual Hog Farmer Appreciation Celebration. First held in 1999, the event brings together Niman Ranch farmers, customers and partners to recognize and thank the brand’s network of independent family farmers and their families.
At the 26th annual celebration held August 23-25, the Niman Ranch community toured farms and gathered at venues around Des Moines to network, learn and share ideas. The weekend culminated in the Saturday evening celebratory dinner for 600 guests prepared by renowned chefs from across the country. Each course on the menu featured Niman Ranch pork. This year’s chefs included Brian Fowler of BLACKBARN in New York City; Christy McKenzie of Pasture and Plenty in Madison, Wisc.; Niven Patel from FEAL Hospitality in Miami; Samantha Sanz of Post Hospitality in Phoenix and Andy Teixeira of Newport Vineyards in Newport, R.I.
The highlight of the evening was the distribution of over $250,000 in scholarships and grants to Niman Ranch farm families by the Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation. The grant program funds investments on recipients’ farms for humane livestock production and regenerative agriculture practices, while the scholarships help students achieve their higher education goals. Other high points of the dinner included a keynote address by acclaimed animal welfare expert and autism advocate Dr. Temple Grandin, as well as the presentation of several awards to Niman Ranch farmers recognizing their longevity with the program and their meat quality.
Leading up to the dinner were tours of local Niman Ranch farms on Friday and a full day of educational workshops on Saturday co-hosted by Food Tank, a leading food and agriculture non-profit organization. The education summit featured speakers from the CDC Foundation, Alice Waters Institute, USDA, ButcherBox, National Young Farmer’s Coalition, Harris Teeter and many more. Additional keynote remarks were shared by author and advisor Maisie Ganzler, architect and experience design expert Kevin Kelley and Ertharin Cousin of Food Systems for the Future.
The Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation started in 2006 and over the years has distributed more than $1.7 million to support young farmers. The Foundation is made possible through generous donations from Niman Ranch’s community of customers, business partners and consumers—all who share a belief in Niman Ranch’s model of smaller scale, humane farming practices and supporting the next generation. Top donors in 2024 include ButcherBox, Marczyk Fine Foods, Harris Teeter, the Franklin P. & Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Baldor, Shake Shack, High West Distillery, Wasatch Meats and Mary Ann’s Specialty Foods.
