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Past USMEF Chairmen Honored

This week the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) honored Mark Jagels, immediate past chairman of USMEF, with its Ag Achievement Award. Jagels is a fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer and custom cattle feeder from Davenport, Nebraska, and a past NCB chairman.

“Mark’s leadership and commitment to Nebraska agriculture is evident through his service on a local, state, national and international level,” said NCB board member Alan Tiemann of Seward, Nebraska. “He has played an instrumental role in representing agriculture on the international level by helping expand the opportunities for both corn and livestock.”

Jon Caspers, who served as USMEF chairman in 2008-2009, has been inducted into the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place last week at the National Pork Industry Forum in San Antonio, Texas.

Caspers, of Swaledale, Iowa, is co-owner and general manager of Pleasant Valley Pork Corporation, a farrow-to-finish operation. He is a past president of NPPC and the Iowa Pork Producers Association. When announcing the honor, NPPC cited Caspers’ steady leadership and dedication to the U.S. pork industry, as well as his service on numerous NPPC committees and task forces.

Source: USMEF


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