Special to the Times Vedette
Carroll County pig farmer Aaron Juergens has been named the new president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). He assumed the role during the organization’s annual meeting in Des Moines on January 21. Juergens manages more than 100,000 nursery and finishing pig spaces for Sunburst Valley Farms near Carroll.
“It’s an incredible honor to lead this outstanding organization and work alongside such a dedicated board of directors,” Juergens said. “This group has always been a source of inspiration for me. I never imagined being elected to serve on the board, let alone as president. It’s truly overwhelming.”
Juergens previously served as IPPA’s president-elect in 2024. He succeeds Matt Gent, a Wellman pig farmer who now holds the position of past president on the IPPA Board of Directors. Juergens expressed his gratitude for Gent’s leadership, noting his ability to navigate the association through a challenging year. Both Juergens and Gent will serve one-year terms in their respective roles.
“Matt did an outstanding job guiding us through a tough year, and I hope to build on his success,” Juergens said. “2025 looks promising, and I’m optimistic about a great year ahead for Iowa pork producers.”
Juergens has been an active member of IPPA since joining its board of directors in 2020. He has contributed to several committees, including public relations, finance, and producer education. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Iowa Pork Leadership Academy and the National Pork Producers Council’s Pork Leadership Institute. For over a decade, Juergens has served as a speaker for Operation Main Street, a program tied to his recognition as a recipient of the Dale Carnegie Course Highest Award for Achievement.
Beyond his work with IPPA, Juergens is deeply involved in agriculture and his community. He is a member of the Carroll County Pork Producers and has received multiple accolades, including the Iowa Environmental Steward Award in 2009, the national Pork Industry Environmental Steward Award in 2010, and the inaugural Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award in 2011. In 2014, he was named an Iowa Master Pork Producer.
Juergens also participates in several local organizations, including the Carroll County Farm Bureau, Rotary Club of Carroll, Carroll Chamber of Commerce, and the New Hope Foundation, a nonprofit supporting adults with disabilities. He holds a business management degree from Loras College in Dubuque.
Juergens and his wife, Chelsey, reside in Carroll with their three children.
During the annual meeting, the delegates passed three resolutions:
- That IPPA and NPPC have meaningful conversations with USDA and the new Secretary of Agriculture as to why the pork industry is being burdened with USDA’s country of origin labeling requirements for the Federal Nutrition Assistance Programs, particularly in relation to pork coming from Canada.
- That IPPA will work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to continue the engagement of all types for pork producers in the US SHIP, and that IPPA will provide additional resources to enhance the participation in US SHIP.
- That IPPA work in collaboration with NPB, and colleges of veterinarian medicine to develop actionable plans and strategies for when a PRRS outbreak takes place and to develop an evidence-based protocol for producers to use on the farm.
- The delegates passed a complimentary resolution to recognize Matt Gent for his outstanding efforts as IPPA president in 2024.
