Story by Communications Intern Chyann Emerson

One of the many unique aspects of this internship includes getting the opportunity to job shadow professionals within the agriculture industry that interest us. My first job shadow of the summer was earlier this week with Hannah Trujillo, Senior Farm Supervisor at Tyson Foods.

Our day began like any “normal” day on the modern pig farm, which included showering into the “clean side,” placing any items I brought through a UV sanitation box, and changing into designated clothing which never leaves the clean side of the farm; all essential biosecurity measures.

Once on the clean side, Hannah showed me her day-to-day responsibilities. She shared the ins and outs of managing a team, completing office work, and analyzing countless sets of data. Hannah explained that she works with an incredible team of eight individuals who go above and beyond every day. While each day looks different for Hannah and her team, they stay on a routine schedule.

Coming from a strictly show pig background, I was extremely grateful for how Hannah and her team could explain commercial pig terminology in a way that made sense to me. She was an incredible resource in helping me truly appreciate all that goes into commercial pig production. I was so impressed by how the team runs such a high-quality operation with so many moving parts while always looking for ways to improve and push the industry forward.