We Support American Family Farmers
The farmers we work with are proud to ensure that the meat they produce is healthy, pure and humanely raised. It’s more than a job. It’s a promise.
VERSAILLES, OHIO
Brandt Swine Farms
What we do takes a lot of animal husbandry, or care for the animals. We keep an eye on them, we know them and it results in happier pigs and overall better meat. It’s certainly not the easy way, but it’s important not only to my family, but to today’s consumer."
Brandt Swine Farms was founded in 1901 in Versailles, Ohio. Today the farm is transitioning to the 5th generation of ownership. Tim Brandt started working with Coleman in 2013 and his son Joe has joined him in the business.
Upon partnering with Coleman, the Brandt operation switched over to a crate free system in both gestation and farrowing, eliminated the use of antibiotics and transitioned to a vegetarian fed diet for their hogs.
“I wanted to really start thinking about preparing the farm for the future, for future generations and overall sustainability of the business. I wanted to build a relationship with a company that was already doing the things I wanted to transition to. By joining Coleman, I felt confident we would be prepared for a sustainable future.” – Tim Brandt
They currently run a 1,300 acre farm that includes a feed mill and a farrow to finish hog operation that sends 30,000 hogs to market each year.
New Athens, Illinois
New Back 40
New Back 40 is a third-generation family farm in Southern Illinois that was started in the 1950s. Today, after spending some time in other professions, Jared Schilling and his siblings Kelli Lubenkov, Michael Schilling, and Megan Ebeler came back to their family business and now run the 5,000-acre farm that consists of hogs and beef cattle, as well as crops of corn, soybeans, and wheat, all of which are used to feed the animals.
From the farm, approximately 40,000 hogs go out to market every year, each raised with comfort and in an environment designed for better health. Since partnering with Coleman in 2016, and steering away from the commodity model, a completely new sow farm was built to provide additional space to meet American Humane Certified and crate free standards required by the Coleman program.
Jared and his family have been around animals their whole life and felt a kinship that made them want to make sure they raised their hogs humanely. “All the animals in the food chain deserve respect and gratitude by being raised a certain way,” said Schilling.
The switch to the Coleman program made being a farmer feel more harmonious with the natural order. As Jared put it, “We liked the general philosophy they had on how to raise and care for animals. We always felt proud to be farmers, but we didn’t really like the commodity model. Coleman felt like the best partner that we found, they take pride in what they do and they’re in it for the long haul.”
We’re just like the average consumer. We want to know where our food comes from; we want healthy, safe, delicious food and we want the animals to be raised with care and have a positive impact on the community and the environment.”
WRIGHT CITY, MISSOURI
The Reckamp Farm
They’re just happy pigs. Happy pigs mean better tasting pork for the consumer.”
Reckamp Farms is a family-owned and operated hog farm in Wright City, MO, run by Dave and Marylin Reckamp, a true husband-and-wife team looking after about 2,000 hogs. The family farm originated in 1953 as a cattle, hog and crop farm. It includes 185 acres, 40 of which are dedicated to produce, including pumpkins. On the Reckamps’ farrow-to-finish farm, hogs are raised crate free and without the use of growth promotants or antibiotics. Sick animals are treated and removed from the program, then sold to commodity markets — never to Coleman.
For several generations, the Reckamps farmed crate free; a partnership with Coleman seemed like a perfect fit. “Coleman has the same philosophy we do,” said Dave Reckamp. “They care about how animals are treated and understand that you get better quality pork when hogs are raised naturally.” Not only do Dave and Marylin partner with Coleman, they also provide their local community with a variety of in-season products.
GREEN, KANSAS
The Roth Farm
The Roth family raises about 6,000 pigs a year on a 3,000-acre farm. Two generations of family members now work on the farm, each person lending a unique set of experiences.
The Roth family’s commitment to animal welfare includes running a crate-free farm in both gestation and farrowing stages, feeding pigs an all-vegetarian diet with no animal by-products, and never using growth promotants or antibiotics.
Farrowing pens on the Roth Farm offer animals space for free movement. Pens measure 9 feet by 6 feet, giving the animal inside 54 square feet of room – over 50% more room than in traditional farrowing crates.
Keeping the pigs comfortable… allowing sunshine and exercise and happiness… is a big part of economic success, as well as just doing the right thing.”
