NPPC Celebrates Future Leaders with Annual Scholarship Awards at National Pork Industry Forum

NPPC Celebrates Future Leaders with Annual Scholarship Awards at National Pork Industry Forum

KANSAS CITY, Mo., March 6, 2026 - The National Pork Producers Council proudly announced the recipients of the 2026 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship, the Neil Dierks Scholarship, and the inaugural U.S. Pork Center of Excellence (USPCE) Swine Legacy Scholarship during the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. Sponsored in partnership with CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation (NPIF), the scholarships recognize exceptional students preparing for careers in the U.S. pork industry.

"These young leaders represent the very best of our industry's future," said Duane Stateler, outgoing NPPC president and Ohio pork producer. "At Forum each year, we are reminded the strength of U.S. pork is not only in our farms and businesses but in the people who are stepping up to serve it. Their work ethic, integrity, and commitment to agriculture give me great confidence in where we are headed. NPPC is proud to support them as they carry this industry forward."

"We have proudly supported NPPC and its commitment to the pork industry and its next generation of leaders through the Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship since 1990," said John Ricci, managing director and global head of agricultural products at CME Group. "We congratulate this year's recipients and applaud their success and ongoing dedication to the field of agriculture."

Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship

The 2026 winners of the $2,500 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship are:

Sponsored by CME Group and NPIF, the Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship is awarded to undergraduates in a two-year swine program or a four-year college of agriculture program. The scholarship was introduced in 1990 and renamed in 2006 in honor of Lois Britt, a former NPPC board director. A lifelong supporter of agriculture, Britt spent 34 years with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and later worked 15 years with Murphy-Brown LLC, now Smithfield, in public and government relations. She was inducted into the NPPC Pork Industry Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Pork Council Hall of Fame and received the North Carolina 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award.

Neil Dierks Scholarship

The 2026 recipient of the $5,000 Neil Dierks Scholarship is:

Founded in 2021 and administered by NPIF, the Neil Dierks Scholarship is awarded to current or incoming graduate students in a swine-related program. Dierks served as NPPC's CEO for 20 years and retired in December 2021 after 31 years with the organization. He helped establish NPPC as a leading advocacy organization and the global voice of the U.S. pork industry and was inducted into the NPPC Pork Industry Hall of Fame in 2022.

USPCE Swine Legacy Scholarship

New this year, the 2026 recipients of the inaugural $5,000 USPCE Swine Legacy Scholarship are:

Administered by NPIF, the USPCE Swine Legacy Scholarship was established in 2026 following the decision to sunset the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence after 20 years of service as a public-private partnership supporting the pork industry. Through a competitive proposal process, the organization's remaining financial assets were granted to NPIF to create an endowed scholarship program. The scholarship supports students pursuing careers in research, education, or veterinary science with a focus on the swine industry, awarding one graduate or professional track student and three undergraduate students each year. Designed to continue for the next 40 years, the program carries forward the Center's legacy by investing in the next generation of industry leaders.

To learn more about the scholarship application process, click here.