From time to time, the Oklahoma Pork Council presents a career achievement recognition known as the Golden Pig Award. This accolade is reserved for leaders who exhibit a longstanding example of character, knowledge, and dedication within pork production. For 2025, two producers who recently finished their distinguished pork production careers were presented the Golden Pig Award at last month's Oklahoma Pork Congress.

Conley Nelson grew up in Goldfield, Iowa, where he still owns a 4,400 head wean-to-finish hog operation and his family’s Century Farm. He began his pork industry career working for Plainview Hogs before the company was purchased by Murphy Family Farms in 1986. Throughout the last four decades, Conley fulfilled various roles within the company amidst mergers and significant changes in the pork industry. Most recently, Conley served as Smithfield Foods’ Midwest General Manager overseeing sow operations, employees, and contract finishing sites throughout Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado, Missouri, South Dakota, and Utah.

In addition to his success within the Smithfield Foods system, Conley has passionately served the broader industry and his local community for decades. He previously served as president of the National Pork Board and chairman of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. After more than 40 years of dedicated leadership within the U.S. pork industry, Conley retired from Smithfield Foods in June.

Congratulations to Conley Nelson on his retirement and this special honor from his peers! Keep following along as we highlight all our 2025 award winners this fall. To check out the full list now, see this Pork Congress awards story in Farm Journal's Pork.