Each award is highlighted in the 2026 Minnesota Pork Congress magazine. Read the full magazine here.
The Minnesota Pork Board recognizes Dale Stevermer as this year’s Environmental Steward of the Year.
At Trails End Farm, environmental stewardship is a way of thinking, one shaped by generations, sharpened by experience, and guided by a willingness to make thoughtful investments to help pigs, people, and the planet. For Dale Stevermer, Minnesota Pork’s Environmental Steward of the Year, the recognition reflects a journey still in motion rather than a destination reached.
Built from Bare Ground
Trails End Farm began with Stevermer’s grandparents, who started the site from bare ground. Breeding pigs were central to those early years, with his grandfather raising purebred Chester Whites throughout his entire career.
“Pigs were always here on the farm,” Stevermer said. “My dad continued that.”
They transitioned to commercial production, and in 1975 the farm built its first barn. Within a decade, all pigs were moved indoors, earlier than some operations, but a move Stevermer says was necessary and ultimately beneficial. He and his father both grew up on the farm, absorbing not just the daily work but the mindset that progress requires adaptation.
After graduating from Iowa State University, where he studied animal science, Stevermer spent several years in agricultural lending. The experience proved invaluable, as he always knew pigs were going to be an integral part of the farm.
When Stevermer returned, he took over the pigs as his father prepared to step back. Together, they formed a corporation to manage farm operations and guide financial decisions. Advice from veterinarians and feed representatives helped inform changes along the way.
Dale and his wife, Lori, have three children. Brett is a mechanical engineer, and his wife, Tressa, is a pharmacist. Brett and Tressa have a one-year-old son, Killian. Adam serves as a 4-H program coordinator in Mower County. Beth recently began her legal career in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lori is the Customer Success Manager for Alltech’s U.S. Pork Business and will be finishing her role as immediate past president of the National Pork Producers Council in March.
A Commitment Passed Down
For Stevermer, this award means so much, especially from the generational aspect as the farm was built by his grandparents with vision and insight into how they can do more with what they have.
“It is fulfilling to receive recognition from fellow producers to receive this award, especially in regard to the time I have committed and resources I directed toward sustainability and environmental stewardship,” Stevermer said.
Stevermer focused on not being afraid to make investments to make not only the farmers’ lives easier but the pigs’ life better as well.
“Dale has always been one to do the right thing, that is simply who he is,” said Brandon Schafer, a fellow Minnesota pig farmer. “His passive wisdom and steady leadership made him a mentor to me in my early years, personally and professionally, and you never have to question whether he has the industry’s best interest at heart. On the environmental side, he does what is right for the pigs and planet, not for the credit, but because he believes in being a good steward.”
Stewardship in Practice
“I had a hand in planning and budgeting for the gestation barn,” Stevermer said. “When we moved the sows, manure handling became a twice a year opportunity to fertilize the soil instead of dealing with it every other day or week.”
If soil conditions allow, manure is injected to reduce disturbance. In the early 1990s, manure management limited progress on the crop side.
“How do you do the least amount of soil disturbance but still get manure on the ground?” Stevermer recalled.
It took decades for technology to catch up, but low-disturbance openers eventually provided the solution.
Manure is typically applied twice a year, depending on weather conditions. This year, a third of Stevermer’s acres will be planted to oats, shifting rotations from a 50/50 corn-soybean split to a more diverse rotation that may also include sweet corn.
Two-thirds of his acres will have a cover crop. Corn going to soybeans will typically feature cereal rye, while oats going to corn will receive a more complex, multi-species mix designed to alleviate compaction, diversify root structures, and improve nutrient cycling.
“Cover crops are designed to alleviate compaction, diversify root structures, and improve nutrient cycling,” Stevermer said. “I’m trying to accomplish multiple strategies at once.”
Letting the Soil Do the Work
Stevermer’s transition to reduced tillage began in 2014 with a single cover crop. By 2017, cover crops were on nearly every acre, and that spring he made the decision to eliminate tillage altogether. With minor repair exceptions, the farm has been no-till ever since.
“I don’t have residue buildup,” Stevermer said. “After rain events, I can walk into the field and not pick up mud on my shoes. It’s more like walking on a lawn.”
Some soil types responded within three years and others took six. Crop type and soil conditions played a role, but the results are clear. Stevermer now relies less on commercial fertilizer, confident that soil biology is making nutrients more bioavailable. From this point forward, 100 percent of his corn acres will receive manure.
The difference is especially noticeable during extreme weather. In the spring of 2025, while hauling manure, Stevermer witnessed one of the hardest rain and wind events he could remember. Yet soil movement was minimal.
Water quality improvements have come through the installation of rock inlets, replacing surface intakes. Over the past six years, Stevermer has steadily converted inlets, improving infiltration and reducing erosion. With no-till practices, the inlets last longer and function more effectively.
“We won’t be the first ones out in the field by calendar,” he said, “but we can be the first ones out after a rain event.”
Innovation in Every Corner
Solar energy represents another piece of the stewardship puzzle. Installed in the summer of 2022, the six panel system produces roughly as much electricity as the site consumes annually.
“I see it as a hedge against energy inflation,” Stevermer said.
Excess production is compensated for, and the addition of an electric pickup, his favorite vehicle to date, has shifted the energy balance slightly. Under the panels, a pollinator habitat was established in 2023, complementing an existing monarch habitat installed in 2018.
Inside the barns, stewardship continues through technology. After transitioning from farrow-to-finish to finishing in 2016, significant changes were required. Central controllers and airflow were adjusted, feeders were updated to wet/dry instead of just dry, and one barn moved from partial to fully slatted floors.
Temperature monitoring systems, water meters, bin-level sensors, and BarnTalk technology now provide real-time insights. Stevermer records water usage daily, watching for trends that may signal health challenges before they arise.
“I’m starting to trust that I can pick up a health problem before it happens,” Stevermer said.
These tools also support the On-Farm Sustainability Report, which Stevermer has completed annually since 2020. Seeing his reports year over year has reinforced that the decisions made on the farm today have lasting impacts on both productivity and sustainability.
“Dale’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident in every decision made at Trails End Farm,” said Todd Selvik, president of the Minnesota Pork Board of Directors. “His dedication to caring for pigs, people, and the planet truly sets him apart in our industry.”
Stewardship Beyond the Farm
Education and advocacy are equally important components of stewardship. Stevermer is open about his practices and welcomes conversation, whether with neighbors, fellow farmers, or consumers at the Minnesota State Fair.
“Going to the state fair allows farmers to engage with consumers, some that may have preconceived notions with what we are doing,” Stevermer said. “Consumers are surprised that we are able to use manure as a fertilizer and produce the crop for the next group of pigs instead of discarding it as waste.”
Stevermer shared that one of his favorite topics to discuss especially with consumers is the nutrient cycle, the “why” behind many farmers’ decisions.
“It takes nutrients to grow corn, we grow corn to feed our pigs, we use manure to grow the next crop, and raise an awesome protein to eat,” Stevermer said.
At the national level, Stevermer served on the National Pork Board (NPB) from 2021 to 2024 and participated in the USDA Advancing Markets for Producers grant working group. His role helped ensure producer perspectives shaped the program.
“What are things unique to pig farms that USDA has not thought about yet?” he asked. “Those were the conversations I was part of.”
That work led to an invitation to represent American pig farmers at the 2023 G7 Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Japan, where he presented on the climate-smart grant and the On-Farm Sustainability Report.
After the presentation, NPB was asked to assist in the creation of a video that could be used by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) as visual tools for building pork markets in other countries. The Stevermers were featured in the video filmed at Trails End Farm.
“I’m deeply grateful for Dale’s steadfast leadership in advancing our industry’s sustainability efforts through the We Care® platform,” said National Pork Board Chief Sustainability Officer, Jamie Burr. “His guidance was key in shaping the On-Farm Sustainability Report and the USDA Advancing Markets for Producers grant. Dale’s impact on our sustainability journey is lasting, and we are stronger because of his leadership.”
Looking Forward
Stevermer views stewardship as an investment in the future, whether or not the next generation ultimately chooses to farm. The agronomic improvements made today, he believes, will leave the land better prepared for whatever comes next.
“The things I’ve done agronomically have improved this soil,” Stevermer said. “If the next generation wants to build on it, they’ll be able to reap the benefits.”
Stevermer’s advice to others is simple: “Do or do not. There is no try.”
He encourages others to commit fully to the process, make informed decisions, seek out trusted advisors, and approach challenges as opportunities to learn and improve rather than setbacks to avoid. Progress, in his view, comes from action, reflection, and a willingness to adapt.
At Trails End Farm, stewardship remains exactly what it has always been: a commitment to doing what is right, one decision at a time. It is an approach Dale Stevermer exemplifies as Minnesota Pork’s Environmental Steward of the Year.
“This is not the end, the journey is not done,” Stevermer said. “Without the vision and insight to do more with what we have, this farm wouldn’t exist.”
