Family of the Year
Each year the Illinois Pork Producers Association recognizes a pig farming Family of the Year.
The 2018 Illinois Pork Producer Family of the Year is the Bradshaw Family from Griggsville, Illinois.
Philip and his wife Linda are the proud owners of Bradshaw Farms. Philip and son, Todd, currently farm 1200 acres of corn and soybeans and operate a 5,000 head wean-to-finish hog farm.
The Bradshaw Family history in Pike County goes back over 127 years. In 1889, Philip’s grandfather arrived in Griggsville after walking from Greenville, Kentucky in search of work cutting trees and hewing railroad ties. As the demand for railroad ties increased, his grandfather had the gumption to establish a saw mill and was able to produce enough railroad ties to start a successful farm in Pike County.
Philip’s interest in the pork industry became a career when he started farming full-time in 1963 and raising hogs. He was later encouraged to get more involved in the organizational side of the industry and became the first president of the Pike County Pork Producers in 1968. Pike County Pork Producers is also credited with spearheading the first Pork Day at the St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch Stadium presenting then ball club manager, Red Schoendienst, with a live pig.
During these early years, Philip worked tirelessly on the “Nickels for Profit” campaign where farmers sold a market pig and contributed one nickel to the national organization. His challenging work and dedication to this effort led to our current check off program that thrives today. Later in 1971, Philip was elected to serve as the Illinois Pork Producers Association President and served until 1974. During his tenure as IPPA President, Philip helped create several noteworthy promotional campaigns with the St. Louis Cardinals and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by helping create the Fighting Illini Pork Club.
Philip and wife Linda, have three grown children, two daughters, Cindy and Lisa, and a son, Todd. They also have seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren with the fourth due in August 2018.
Cindy and her husband, Richard Willard, have two children, Brock and Christy. Cindy works as a Counselor at Robert Young Mental Health Center in Rock Island. Richard works in sales at Bradshaw Custom Pumping. Richard also currently serves as the chairman of the Walk to Emmaus three-day movement in the Quad Cities area. Their son, Brock, continues to help on the farm part-time and daughter, Christy, is now married to Darrell Dempsey.
Philip and Linda’s daughter, Lisa, currently works for WIN Production, LLC and has two daughters, Kasey and Rashelle. Lisa also has three grandchildren, Kason, Ayla and Jude.
Son Todd is married to Carrie and they have three children, Ben, Jonah and Luke. Todd currently oversees the Bradshaw farm. He serves as the Director and Past Chairman of the Board for Farmers National Bank of Griggsville, Secretary of Griggsville/Perry Fire District, Treasurer of Fishhook United Brethren Church and is currently the Griggsville/Perry High School Basketball coach.
In addition to Philip’s leadership in the pork industry, he has held a variety of roles at the state level in other agriculture organizations. These included Chairman of the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board, Chairman of the Illinois FFA Sponsoring Committee and he was also an integral part of the successful lobbying efforts for the creation of the University of Illinois Meats Lab.
Nationally, Philip served as the Chairman of the National Pseudorabies Committee, Chairman of the Livestock Conservation Institute, now known as the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, President of the US Animal Health Association, Director on the US Meat Export Federation Board, Chairman of the United Soybean Board and Vice President of US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. Bradshaw also chaired the US Secretary of Agriculture Committee on Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases.
Bradshaw has received several awards throughout his career including, the Conservation Farmer of the Year Award in 1999 from the Pike County Soil and Water Conservation District, USDA/APHIS Animal Health Service Award, a Honorary State FFA Degree, Alumni Achievement Award from the Western Illinois University Alumni Association, Pike County Pork Producer Distinguished Service Award, Illinois Farm Bureau Charles B. Shuman Distinguished Service Award and the Special Meritorious Award from the American Soybean Association.
Like many good pork producing families, the Bradshaw Family has always been active in promoting pork and the pork industry. Bradshaw Farms has participated in several community led programs over the years including, Pike County Pig Days and the Pike County Golden Boars program, where producers cooked and promoted pork across the Midwest. The family has also hosted multiple farm visits sharing their love and passion for this industry.
Philip & Linda are active in the local Rotary club with Philip previously serving as President. Philip also serves as the President of the New Philadelphia Association, the first African American town surveyed and plotted by a free slave. Philip and Linda attend the Detroit Christian Church.
Over the years, the Bradshaw Family has strived to adapt to changes and grow their business, while being good stewards of the land, caring for their animals and being active members of their community.
Previous Illinois Pork Producer Family of the Year Award Winners:
| 1989 | Carl (Mary Lou) Behme | Carlinville |
| 1990 | Erval (Betty) Borgic | Nokomis |
| 1991 | Wayne A (Marlene) Maschhoff | Carlyle |
| 1992 | Hilding (Joann) Allen | Princeton |
| 1993 | Barb (late Art) Drach | Saunemin |
| 1994 | Mark (Sherly) VonHolten | Lyndon |
| 1994 | Norm (Sue) VonHolten | Sheffield |
| 1995 | Donald (Saundra) Huftalin | Malta |
| 1996 | David (Linda) Duncan | Mendon |
| 1997 | Paul (Judith) McClure | Newton |
| 1998 | Craig (Marilyn) Janssen | Lyndon |
| 1999 | Don (Lenora) Peter | Quincy |
| 2000 | Wilbur (Alice) Paulus | Lincoln |
| 2001 | George (Ruth) Brauer | Oakford |
| 2002 | Wayne (Garnet) Schlueter | Rock City |
| 2003 | Russell (Mary) Jeckel | Delavan |
| 2004 | Richard (Venita) Baker | Liberty |
| 2005 | Rick (Barb) Dean | LeRoy |
| 2006 | Jim Scheetz Family | Niota |
| 2007 | Roy (Fran) Weitekamp Family | Raymond |
| 2008 | John (Jan) Kellogg Family | Yorkville |
| 2009 | Nelson Family Farm | Lynn Center |
| 2010 | Keller Grain & Livestock | Willow Hill |
| 2011 | Gary (Marietta) Dunkirk Family | Morrisonville |
| 2012 | Scholl Family Farms | Polo |
| 2013 | Haag Family Farm | Emington |
| 2014 | Gerald (Nancy) Hartmann Family Farm | Maple Park |
| 2015 | Eldon Gould Family Farm | Maple Park |
| 2016 | Dave Conrady Family Farm | Elkhart |
| 2017 | Curt Zehr Family Farm |
Washington |
| 2018 | Bradshaw Family | Griggsville |
