From 600 Sows to Prop 12: Health, People, and Practical Growth | Brian Martin

About the Guest Brian Martin is a 5th generation farmer from Northwest Indiana, a husband and father of 3. He has 40 years of experience in Pork industry around the US, and he is Co-Owner and Manager of a 14,000 sow pork production operation. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? How Martin Family Farms grew from ~600 sows to two sow farms—including a 10k-head Prop 12 site—by taking smart, steady risks. Why “health first” drives everything: tight biosecurity, clear processes, and doing what you say you’ll do—every day. How modern sow housing evolved there (early ESF/loose housing, later Prop 12 retrofit) and what actually held up in the real world. What really keeps teams together: frequent personal touch-points, culture-building, and growing long-tenured staff (not just chasing numbers). Brian’s “Golden Nugget”