Thomas Titus, Illinois, was named one of eight finalists in U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA) Faces of Farming and Ranching. This was part of nationwide search to find producers could help serve as the “face of agriculture” for consumers throughout the country by sharing their stories and experiences through media interviews, public appearances and events.
“Advocating for agriculture is something that I am extremely passionate about,” Titus says. “This opportunity springboards rebuilding connections to our consumers.”
Applications were received from farmers and ranchers throughout the country. Beginning Oct 24, people can visit the USFRA’s Facebook page or website, fooddialogues.com, to learn more about each finalist and vote for whom they believe will best represent the industry. Voting ends Nov. 2 and winners will be announced on Nov. 12 at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Convention in Kansas City.
Over the last 52 years, Titus/Conrady family’s 240-acre farmstead has grown to support four families, three full-time employee families, two part-time employees and is cultivating the 6th generation to join the family farm. Titus primarily manages the operation of Tri Pork, where they market 12,000 pigs annually. With roots in 4-H, the National FFA Organization and youth development, they have 50 sows for showpig production, sale and exhibition. This allows their children to exhibit livestock and helps them develop values.
Titus is actively involved in pork advocacy at the state and national level through National Pork Board’s (NPB) Operation Main Street speakers bureau and NPB #RealPigFarming initiative, which tells his farm’s story through a picture blog on Facebook and Twitter. Titus also is a graduate of the National Pork Producers Council’s (NPPC) Pork Leadership Institute where he learned how to proactively communicate positive messages about the pork industry to those outside of agriculture, including lawmakers, media, etc. He knows about grass roots advocacy and the power of farmers uniting together to tell the story of agriculture.
“As with each passing generation, the person in the seat of the tractor continues to become more of a distant memory and where food comes from becomes a greater question. As a Face of Farming and Ranching I hope to regain that connection with our consumers and bridge the gap between the millennial and the meat counter,” Titus says. “Being able to put a face back to agriculture is extremely important and help to reassure our consumers that we are producing a safe, secure and wholesome product for their families and ours.”