Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation awards scholarships and grants

Natural meat brand’s Next Generation Foundation awards nearly $250,000 in scholarships and grants.

Niman Ranch

Credit: Niman Ranch

To commemorate Niman Ranch’s 25th annual Hog Farmer Appreciation Dinner, the natural meat brand’s Next Generation Foundation awarded nearly $250,000 in scholarships and grants for young farmers and future rural leaders in Des Moines, Iowa. First held in 1999, the celebration brings together Niman Ranch farmers, customers and partners to recognize and thank the brand’s network of independent family farmers.

Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation logo. Logo courtesy Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation.

For the 25th celebration held Aug. 25–27, the Niman Ranch community gathered at venues around Des Moines to network, learn and share ideas, culminating in the Saturday evening 600-guest dinner prepared by chefs from across the country. Each course on the menu featured Niman Ranch pork. This year’s chefs included Jamey Fader of Marczyk Fine Foods in Denver, Colo., Jo Lerma-Lopez of Luna Mexican Kitchen in San Jose, Calif., Adrian Lipscombe of the advocacy organization 40 Acres Project in Austin, Texas, Pushkar Marathe of Ela Curry Kitchen and Stage in Palm Beach, Fla., and Michael Showers of High West Distillery in Park City, Utah.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of scholarships and grants to Niman Ranch farm families by the Next Generation Foundation. Grants awarded support funding investments on the farm for humane livestock production and regenerative agriculture practices. Other high points of the dinner included a keynote address by Harry Smith, news correspondent and graduate of Central College in Pella, Iowa, as well as the presentation of several awards to Niman Ranch farmers and ranchers recognizing top meat quality and partnership anniversaries.

Leading up to the dinner were tours of local Niman Ranch farms and a full day of educational workshops co-hosted by food systems nonprofit organization Food Tank. The education summit featured speakers from Natural Resources Defense Council, National Young Farmers Coalition, Fast Company, Bloomberg, Shake Shack, America’s Test Kitchen, Axios, Dine Diaspora, ButcherBox, ASPCA and many more. Highlights of the summit were remarks shared by Nina Teicholz, author of "The Big Fat Surprise," and Toni Tipton-Martin, editor of Cooks Country Magazine from America’s Test Kitchen.

The first Hog Farmer Appreciation Dinner in 1999 was the brainchild of Paul Willis, a hog farmer and founder of the Niman Ranch Pork Co. Willis had experienced a 1998 dinner in Berkeley, Calif., at Cafe Rouge where Chef Marsha McBride expressed her appreciation for the quality of the pork he raised. He thought other farmers should be able to feel that same sense of pride, so he worked with Berkeley’s Chez Panisse to bring the dinner to Iowa. It was a success for everyone involved, and the tradition has continued ever since bringing a new group of chefs to Iowa annually.

Willis said the event has taken on a life of its own, becoming a family reunion for the Niman Ranch community. Niman Ranch general manager Chris Oliviero said, “The event is about making connections in our network and helping create an understanding of the role each of us plays. It’s also about recognizing and celebrating the contributions of our farmers.”

Oliviero said, “The way hogs are raised by independent Niman Ranch farmers is becoming a lost art, but we’re supporting future generations so that art continues.” He also said Niman Ranch is committed to at least another 25 years of Hog Farmer Appreciation Dinners.

Niman Ranch and its Next Generation Foundation congratulates the 2023 Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation Scholarship and Grant recipients: