ADAMS – Sarah Thome is Mower County’s new Pork Ambassador.

Thursday, March 22, 2001

ADAMS – Sarah Thome is Mower County’s new Pork Ambassador.

But she has to share the spotlight with other family members.

The Gary and Jane Thome family is Mower County’s Farm Family of the Year.

Sarah Thome, a Southland High School junior, was chosen Mower County Pork Ambassador at the Mower County Pork Ambassadors banquet March 12.

Josh Ulland, a Blooming Prairie High School senior and the son of Gary and Marilyn Ulland, rural Austin, was runner up.

For Thome, it marked the third time a member of her family was named Pork Ambassador. Pat Thome, a brother, earned the honor in 1997. Another brother, Matt, won the honor in 1995 and was named the state runner up in 1996.

The new Pork Ambassador has another brother, Peter, an eighth-grade student at Southland Public Schools.

The banquet marked the return of the Pork Ambassador competition after a one-year absence.

A large crowd filled the Sacred Heart Catholic Church auditorium, where the women of the church served dinner and Sue Finbraaten played dinner music. The Rev. Greg Leif, pastor of Sacred Heart and St. John the Baptist Catholic churches, gave the invocation.

Mark Schaefer, president of the Mower County Pork Producers, welcomed guests and introduced Mark Larson, president elect, Bill Blanchard, secretary, Jean Roe, treasurer, and Bob Baarsch, state director.

In addition, other board members include Pat Arndorfer, Ted Frank, Wayne Gehling, Ron Gilgenbach, Vince King, Jon Oehlke, Dr. Steve Olson, Brad Skifter, Matt Thome and Bruce Williams.

Retiring directors were honored. They include Michelle Angell, Bruce Bergstrom, Diane Chapek, Rod Chapek, Larry Gerlach and Dave Wachlin.

Dave Preisler, the Minnesota Pork Producers Association executive director, was the guest speaker. Preisler discussed the impact of the recent decision to reinstate the pork checkoff and what changes it means for the National Pork Producers Council and National Pork Board.

Jean Roe, chairperson of this year’s Pork Ambassador competition, introduced the candidates and announced the winner.

The county’s new Pork Ambassador will help promote Mower County pork producers throughout the year. She presented a short talk on food safety issues for the 2001 banquet audience.

Thome received a $500 scholarship from the Mower County Pork Producers and both Thome and Ulland received gifts, including Chamber Bucks from the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce.

Pat Williams-Lewis, representing the Chamber of Commerce’s Ag Business committee, made the gift presentations and spoke about the newly-reinstated scholarship being offered to students pursing a higher education in an ag-related field. Lewis urged the young people to seek more information about the $500 scholarship from their school guidance counselor or the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce.

Schaefer expressed the Mower County Pork Producers’ appreciation to "Gold Star" members of the organization as well as associate members.

The annual meeting of the Mower County Pork Producers will be held 7:30 p.m. April 10 at Grumpy’s Restaurant, Grand Meadow.

Farm Family of the Year

The Gary and Jane Thome family, rural Adams, was honored by the University of Minnesota March 1.

In the annual salute to Minnesota agriculture sponsored by the University of Minnesota’s Colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Human Ecology and Veterinary Medicine, honorees are nominated by local county Extension Service staffs.

The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Minnesota Extension Service and Minnesota Department of Agriculture are co-sponsors of the competition.

This year, the 21st of the recognition program, 93 families or individuals representing 64 counties were recognized.

The Gary and Jane Thome family was recognized as Mower County’s honorees. They operate a 550 sow farrow-to-wean swine operation, including two farrowing sites, a gilt breeding site and a nursery.

About 335 acres of corn serves as the feed source for their swine and 2240 additional acres of soybeans are farmed as a cash crop.

In 1995, the Thomes formed a corporation with another area pork producer to purchase and raise weaned pigs for market.

The Thomes strong work ethic is reflected in the entire family’s involvement in learning, growing and offering support to other farm businesses in their community and internationally.

The Thomes have hosted groups from Denmark, Japan, Germany and Mexico to tour their operation, hosted a Russian exchange producer who wanted to study their pork production system and a delegation of German meat packers.

Gary Thome was a member of former Governor Arne Carlson’s trade delegation to Denmark.