Mark Fuoss has been involved with the South Dakota Pork Producers Council (South Dakota Pork) for 15 years and now serves as the vice president.
With a lifetime of experience in farming and a degree in agronomy, Fuoss cares for pigs and piglets at every stage of their lives, raising thousands of them each year on his farm outside of Armour.
“This is a 100% family operation,” said Fuoss. “It started out as me and my dad, and since then I got two boys that are back helping me now. At this point, we share the chores.”
Fuoss’s farm is totally self-contained and sustained. They grow their own corn for feed, recycle waste from the pigs for fertilizer, wash the properties, and float pigs to clean barns before they’re sent off to market.
“We run a big, full circle,” said Fuoss. “We like to pride ourselves in that we’re pretty self sufficient.”
Fuoss also helps manage a nursery, caring for the piglets, and operates a 150 stock of cattle.
Research, promotional efforts, and quality of life are all considerations made by South Dakota Pork, Fuoss says. South Dakota State University has been a resource for the council, especially after the Swine Education and Research Facility was built.
“I really enjoy working with the Pork Council; they’re a good group of guys and gals. Second to none, all around really great people,” said Fuoss. “It’s a privilege.”
Read more about Fuoss and South Dakota Pork.
HOW MANY BABIES ARE YOU CURRENTLY CARING FOR?
Baby pigs? At my off site there’s 2,400. In fact, this morning we just got 900 in. They’re 14 to 15 pounds, they’re just little guys. Piglets don’t beat you up as bad as the big guys. I kind of enjoy the little ones, but the management’s more intense because it takes a lot to keep them healthy.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?
For day-to-day operations, my favorite thing is probably taking care of them little guys. They’ve got the cute factor going on when they’re babies. Pigs have their own personality. They can be as ornery as the dickens, but every once in a while they give you one of those moments that makes you just laugh.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING ON THE SOUTH DAKOTA PORK PRODUCERS COUNCIL?
We have our executive board meetings, and of course we make some pretty important decisions there, but there’s a huge social aspect to it, too. These are people from across the state you don’t see every day, and we get to do some catching up and find out how things are going and bounce ideas off each other.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE PLACES IN SOUTH DAKOTA YOU WANT TO SHOUT OUT?
In a couple weeks we’re going out to Rapid City to do the Hog Wild promotion. I love it, I love going out there. I love the Black Hills, spending time out there, and the people there are good, too.
For more information, visit SDPORK.COM+
