Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: University of California, Davis

Title of entry: How Generations of Pig Farming Lead to Sustainable Solutions

About this entry: This video was created for broad public audience–including consumers, policymakers, students, and agricultural stakeholders. The strategic goal was to communicate how generational pig farming integrates sustainability, animal care, and environmental stewardship while highlighting the role of research and collaboration in advancing responsible food production. By focusing on a real farm family, the video aimed to humanize complex agricultural and environmental issues and build trust between producers and public.

This short documentary-style video tells the story of the Spronk family, multi-generational pig farmers in Southwestern Minnesota and combined on-farm cinematography, interviews with multiple generations of the family, and expert context from UC Davis CLEAR Center Director Dr. Frank Mitloehner plus representatives from the Minnesota Pork Board.

The storytelling focused on three core themes: generational knowledge, animal welfare, and sustainable resource management. Through interviews and visuals, the video illustrates how practices such as precision manure nutrient management, responsible animal care, and integrated crop and livestock systems help farmers protect natural resources while producing food.

Our goal was to translate complex sustainability practices into an accessible narrative. The story centers on the lived experiences of farmers and the legacy they hope to pass on.

• YouTube: 66,740 views

• YT Shorts: 134,000+ views

• Instagram: 14,000+ views

The video strengthened the CLEAR Center’s mission of connecting research with real-world farming practices by showing how sustainability innovations are implemented on farms. It also provided partner organizations, including the Minnesota Pork Board, with a compelling storytelling asset to communicate responsible pork production.