Story Written by Presley Pullen
Integrity. One word that summarizes the work proud pork producers exercise every day without even realizing it. My name is Presley Pullen, a summer intern for the Oklahoma Pork Council, and I am thrilled to get a front-row seat to witness the integrity each of you bring to your toil. I am currently going into my junior year at Oklahoma State University, pursuing dual degrees in Agricultural Communications and Animal Science.
Growing up on a 2.5-acre plot of land right outside of my hometown, Stratford, Oklahoma, being directly involved in agriculture was not exactly something in the cards for me. However, I was fortunate enough to have friends and mentors eager to teach me the ways of the show pig world and help me kickstart my journey in agriculture. Each year I was able to convince my dad to add a few more pens to the barn, and it quickly became a family affair.
During the winter and spring months I dedicated my time and focus to caring for my show pigs, falling in love with every sector of the industry. Come summer, I spent my days travelling to farmers markets, pedaling peaches and working in my family’s peach orchard, nicknamed Pullen Peaches. Through both of these commitments I learned the value of integrity: doing the right thing in a reliable way. My animals depended on me to feed, exercise, and give them proper care. Peach customers depended on me to provide a safe and quality product. Through hands-on experiences, I quickly realized that no industry values integrity like agriculturists do.
Since attending OSU and being involved in programs like Pork Industry Group, I have gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for commercial pork producers. While I grew up involved in the show pig industry, I had no idea of the immense commercial sow farms Oklahoma boasts. Through a sow farm tour at Seaboard Foods near Guymon, Oklahoma, this past November, I was able to see a sliver of the integrity pork producers must have. Being dedicated to exercising proper biosecurity measures, keeping the pigs’ best interest at heart, and working hard to meet global demands for pork, each of you producers are truly the backbone of our world. You are committed to serving others and doing it with a high level of integrity. As a pork consumer, I thank you!
I am extremely excited to embark on this internship with the Oklahoma Pork Council team and have longed for this opportunity for quite some time. I hope to hear each of your unique stories and positively promote pork in my future career. I will serve this role with integrity!