A 2000 graduate of Texas Tech's Department of Agricultural Education and Communications has been named the '2014 Producer of the Year Award' by the Texas Pork Producers Association. Josh Krohn of Lamesa received the honor on Thursday (July 12) at the Texas Pork Producer Conference and Youth Symposium in Kerrville.

According to the Texas Pork Producers Association, Krohn's main goal is to produce show pigs that are functional, well-designed and competitive, but he doesn't forget the purebred roots that started Krohn's company, DL Showpigs. "We congratulate him on these accomplishments and it is our pleasure to honor him," officials noted.

Despite starting out as a Midwesterner, Krohn has established firm roots on the Texas plains. In 1998, a 20-year-old Krohn travelled for what he thought would be a temporary move from Winamac, Ind., to Lubbock. He had completed junior college in Indiana and was offered a livestock judging scholarship at Tech while pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary agriculture. He earned that degree in 2000.

While a member of the Texas Tech's Livestock Judging team, Josh met Donald Love and struck up a friendship that would be the start of his future in Texas. After working for Love for eight years, Krohn purchased the livestock that made up DL Showpigs. Today, DL Showpigs consists of 180 sows, and a 20-head boar stud. Krohn resides in Lamesa with his wife Bridgette King Krohn (B.A. '06) and daughter Kenley.

Even with his hands full on the farm, Krohn has made time to carve out a place in his community. He serves on the board of the Dawson County Livestock Association and assists local chapters of the Future Farmers of America. He's also active with the Texas Pork Producers, for whom he has judged shows, as well as the National Swine Registry.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Steve Fraze, chairman, Department of Agricultural Education and Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2816 or steven.fraze@ttu.edu

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