Passionate aptly describes Dr. Tom Gillespie. Whether it is the pigs, production challenges, pork producers or global industry colleagues he can be counted on to help make pork production more efficient, safe and valuable. He is always ready for the next challenge.
Source: National Hog Farmer, May 22, 2018. Link.
For Gillespie, communication is one of the major challenges of the job. The days are filled with people and pigs. No matter the trials of the day, it is essential to remember you are working with people with varying knowledge, personalities and responsibilities on the farm. When he started his practice, all the decision-makers were in the barn at once. Today, the conversations in the barn are about recognizing, encouraging, educating and motivating workers. And then you turn around and have a discussion by phone, email or text with production managers or owners, presenting information and data. “Getting everyone on the same page when the waters are pretty rough is one of the biggest challenges,” he explains.
Also see: Meet the 2018 Masters of the Pork Industry, May 2, 2018. Link. Tom Gillespie, DVM; Hord Family Farms; Earl Dotson; Larry Jacobson named as Masters of the Pork Industry for 2018.