For our last award spotlight celebrating accolades from the 2025 Oklahoma Pork Congress, we want to highlight the latest recipient of Oklahoma Pork's Ambassador Award. Created in 2006 by the Oklahoma Pork Council Board of Directors, the award recognizes individuals who do not work directly in swine production, but who have made a significant impact on our state’s pork industry as a loyal promoter of what our farmers do.

Founded more than 20 years ago, the Made in Oklahoma (MIO) Coalition serves as a collective voice for more than 100 Oklahoma-grown food and beverage companies. This non-profit organization is supported by both public and private dollars in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF). The MIO Coalition seeks to strengthen and diversify Oklahoma’s food supply chain by assisting locally owned businesses of all sizes with marketing and promotion on various levels.

Member companies of the MIO Coalition employ more than 50,000 Oklahomans, including many proud partners of the Oklahoma Pork Council. Leaders within the MIO Coalition have been active collaborators for several Oklahoma Pork Council outreach priorities in recent years, including: our annual Give-A-Ham Challenge; grocery store Shopper Sweepstakes across the state; and, additional community outreach efforts like emergency response feeding events after natural disasters.

Much of the MIO Coalition’s work complements efforts done by Oklahoma pork producers, and their proud advocacy of Oklahoma agriculture benefits us all! So, one more shout out to our friends throughout the MIO Coalition as we celebrate their continual partnership with the Oklahoma Pork Council. To learn more about the Made in Oklahoma Coalition (and many of their familiar members to pork production), click here!