Pork Industry Champion Retiring

Don Nikodim, executive director of the Missouri Pork Association (MPA) is retiring in January 2024 after a career spanning half a century in the agricultural industry. He earned his BS in Agriculture and Masters in Education degrees from the University of Missouri in 1974 and 1977 respectively. After graduating in 74, he became a Vo Ag instructor at Odessa and then followed one more year at Liberty, MO. Don then became the Executive Secretary for the Poland China Swine Record Association in Galesburg, Il. There he managed that national organization and traveled across the country interacting with pork producers and allied industry. Upon returning to Missouri, he served as a University of Missouri Extension Farm Management specialist until beginning his role at MPA.

In December 1983, Nikodim was named executive director of MPA. During that 40-year tenure, he has been largely responsible for expanding pork promotion and education programs and spearheading public policy efforts. Additionally, his involvement in Missouri’s Right-to-Farm legislation has led to common sense policies in response to animal activists’ demands. Work in this area also helped in the development of Missouri Farmers Care which continues to be a remarkable joint effort of Missouri’s mainstream agriculture organizations.

In announcing his retirement, the MPA noted, “Don Nikodim has played an instrumental role in advancing the interests of the pork industry in Missouri throughout his tenure as the executive director. Under his leadership, the Missouri Pork Association has achieved significant milestones and made lasting contributions to the state’s agricultural landscape. As he prepares to step down, there is no doubt that his legacy will be remembered with gratitude and admiration by colleagues and industry stakeholders alike.”

Two years ago, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the National Pork Board awarded Don Nikodim with the Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award at the National Pork Industry Forum. The award, named after former Minnesota and Wisconsin Executive Directors Don Paulson and Rex Whitmore, recognizes the outstanding leadership and commitment of state pork organization executives. Receiving the award was humbling, Nikodim said, adding that he was “just doing my job.”

Just Doing The Job

Nikodim has been immersed in the pork industry his whole life. He was raised on a small farm in southwest Missouri and tended to a 30-head sow herd. He attributes the success and achievements he has enjoyed at MPA to a strong, dedicated, capable staff. “I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by people who make me look good.”

“The folks out raising pigs are just phenomenal, it’s a pleasure to work with them and see their commitment to the business, to leadership and the sacrifice they put forth to the organization in making things better,” Nikodim told Farm Journal’s Pork editor, Jennifer Shike. “One of the neat things about being around hog producers is that when you get a group of them together, it’s not a gripe session. It’s usually fixated on what can we do to get better? That positive attitude makes serving the industry such an enjoyment.”

One of Nikodim’s pet endeavors over the years has been to ensure that human and humane touch is passed along to future generations of pig farmers. Missouri Pork Association is a key supporter of 4-H and FFA.

“I’ve always appreciated Don’s dedication to cultivating the next generation of ag and rural leaders,” said Garrett Hawkins, president Missouri Farm Bureau. “He’s been instrumental in supporting MU’s Animal Sciences Youth Leadership Academy, and he did a great job leading ALOT’s Board of Directors. You can always count on Don to be promoting Missouri’s pork industry with a delicious meal at events all over our state, and his service will be missed.”

Missouri ALOT was launched in 1983 as an endeavor to develop the leadership potential of individuals in Missouri’s agricultural community. The mission is to provide advanced leadership experiences that will make a positive impact on the future of agriculture and agribusiness in Missouri and beyond. The two-year adult leadership training program is designed for agricultural producers and rural leaders who are intent on promoting Missouri agriculture and strengthening rural communities. The curriculum has been designed to expose each class member to the dynamics of politics, economics, social norms, communication and agriculture.

Speaking of Politics

Over the last 30 or so years tremendous change in the pork industry has taken place, Nikodim says, referring to production, processing, medical, marketing, exporting, technology and regulatory advances, and other issues. At times he was in the thick of it as pork industry, regulators, activists and advocates faced off. While some parties seemed intent on making noise and presenting unreasonable demands, Nikodim has always been focused on attaining goals using science-based reasoning and implementing a strategy of “seeking smaller gains” toward beneficial compromises.

“Don and I started working together in the late 1980s as pork production systems started to change and the controversial issues revolving around those trends began to erupt,” says Gina Bowman, founder of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City. She and Nikodim collaborated to prepare and organize legislative education meetings, tours and public policy hearings.

“We were trying to encourage cooler heads and reasonable policy decisions,” she said. “It was a very contentious time and I’m so grateful Don seemed so calm and cool through it all.