Taylor County pork producers to receive 2009 Master Seedstock Award
January 27, 2010
Des Moines

(CLIVE, Iowa) - A farm couple from Clearfield has been selected by the Iowa Purebred Swine Council to receive its 2009 Master Seedstock Award.

Doug and Priscilla England will receive the award during tonight's Iowa Pork Congress Banquet at the Des Moines Marriott at 6 p.m.

The Englands raise Berkshire hogs for Eden Farms Berkshire Pork. Doug has been in the pork business for 30 years and has spent 26 years in the seedstock industry. In 2008, 48 litters were farrowed to meet customer demand throughout the year. Nearly all of England's seedstock sales are to producers who require high quality pork to fill their niche orders. The primary focus of the pork enterprise is to improve productivity and muscle eating quality.

The 2009 Master Seedstock Award winners' prowess as purebred producers has been noticed in the show ring at the Iowa State Fair. Doug earned the Premier Exhibitor Award in 2007 and he showed the Reserve Grand Champion boar and received the Reserve Premier Sire Award.

Doug and Priscilla work together as a production team and he receives chore help from Priscilla, which allows him to devote time to serving on boards and committees.

In addition to serving on the Eden Farms board, Doug has sat on Iowa Pork Producers Association committees and made several trips to Japan to promote Iowa pork. He has been president of the Iowa Berkshire Association twice, served two terms on the American Berkshire Board and was the initial chairman of the American Berkshire Gold Pork Quality Committee. The Englands also devote time to the local school board and extension council.

The Englands have four children.

The Iowa Purebred Swine Council has sponsored the Master Seedstock Award since 1958. The purpose of the award is to recognize significant contributions to the Iowa and national purebred industries and for evidence of genetic improvements within their selected breeds for the benefit of Iowa, the nation and, in many cases, internationally.

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Download 2009 Master Seedstock Award