The National Pork Board honored Rich Degner, former CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, as the recipient of its Distinguished Service Award during the National Pork Industry Forum in Atlanta. This award recognizes Degner for his outstanding leadership and lifelong contribution to the pork industry.

“Rich has provided extraordinary leadership to the pork industry,” said National Pork Board President Jan Archer, who is a pork producer from Goldsboro, North Carolina. “Through the years, he worked tirelessly for the advancement of pork producers, as well as for the industry in Iowa and across the United States.”

The National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) also presented Degner with the inaugural Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award, which was developed cooperatively by the Pork Board and NPPC. The award recognizes the outstanding leadership and commitment of state pork executives and was named after two top leaders – Don Paulson, past Minnesota state pork executive, and Rex Whitmore, past Wisconsin state pork executive.