It’s been more than five years since Swine Web last connected with Ben Wipf of Milford Colony, and in that time he has become one of the most consistent, practical voices in Montana pork production. As the state evolves — with new builds, remodeling decisions, climate-driven barn designs, and renewed interest among younger producers — Ben continues to cut through the noise with real-world insight.
With the Montana Pork Expo coming up on January 14th, we caught up with him to get the pulse of what’s happening across the state today.
Q&A WITH BEN WIPF
- It’s been over five years since our last conversation. What stands out as the biggest evolution in Montana’s hog sector?
The most notable change is how purposeful and well-designed new facilities have become. I’m not claiming to be the top authority, but I follow construction closely, and the progress is remarkable.
Today’s barns are built with clear priorities:
- Worker comfort
- Animal welfare
- Labor efficiency
- Montana-specific climate resilience
Colony builders, contractors, and production teams are collaborating more than ever — openly sharing what’s working — and it has raised the bar statewide.
Key improvements include:
- Functional layouts that reduce labor and improve biosecurity
- Precision environmental controls built for wild temperature swings (−30°F to 100°F in the same week)
- Heavy insulation, strong backup systems, and automated ventilation
- Durable materials that keep maintenance low
- Integrated technology that allows fewer people to manage more pigs with less stress
Montana’s conditions can change in hours, and barns are now engineered to stay stable without burning through excessive energy. Visitors from other states routinely comment on how advanced our barns have become. They’re practical, efficient, and built tough — exactly what Montana requires.
- You’ve become a key voice tracking new construction. What trends should producers understand when building for Montana’s climate and economics?
The biggest takeaway: modern barns are now designed from the ground up for Montana’s extremes, not adapted from Midwest blueprints.
Key trends shaping our builds include:
- Highly functional layouts that make daily routines faster and safer
- Environmental systems that react instantly to massive temperature swings
- Robust insulation and airflow design to reduce heating costs and heat stress
- Modular materials that speed construction and reduce long-term repairs
- Advanced monitoring, auto-feeding, and sensor-driven systems
Weather volatility is our biggest challenge, and today’s barns handle it with minimal energy waste. The result is better pig performance, better air quality, and more predictable operating costs.
Collaboration is driving this progress — and it’s putting Montana on the map as a region with exceptionally well-designed facilities.
- Producers often struggle with whether to remodel or build new. What practical advice would you give?
The honest truth? Most barns are too old and too costly to remodel effectively.
Out of all the operations I’ve seen recently, only two producers made remodels work. Everyone else built new — and for good reason:
- Better long-term economics
- Lower labor needs
- Faster timelines
- More financing flexibility
- More future-proofing
And here’s the number one rule:
Always build new facilities fully Prop 12–compliant (or compliant with your state’s rules).
Retrofitting later is outrageously expensive — and sometimes impossible.
Building it right the first time saves future pain, money, and stress.
- What top operational improvements or innovations have delivered real results?
Here are three that consistently pay off:
- Full slat flooring in both gestation and farrowing
Use full slats — no partials — with cast-iron centers under sows.
Benefits:
- Cleaner, drier environments
- Lower pre-wean mortality
- Less labor scraping and washing
- Healthier, more uniform pigs entering the nursery
- Straight-line hallways (“Elways”)
Wide, uninterrupted alleys from one end of the barn to the other.
The impact is huge:
- Easy animal movement
- Faster sorting and loading
- One person can move groups quietly and quickly
It’s a simple design choice that saves hours of labor every week.
- Pre-training gates in gilt finishing
Install simple training gates or dummy ESF stations at 100–120 lbs.
Benefits:
- Gilts arrive in the breeding barn fully trained
- No stress or chaos at feeding stations
- Better body condition and more consistent first-service targets
Producers who try this never go back.
- How have tariffs, markets, and input cost volatility shaped decisions lately?
Pig prices have held steady for 12–14 months, which has brought needed stability.
But tariffs remain the wild card.
What matters most right now is ensuring trade decisions don’t push our input costs higher or risk retaliatory measures.
In the meantime, Montana has a major advantage:
Our Isowean pigs are in extremely high demand.
Buyers want:
- High-health
- PRRS-negative
- Mycoplasma-negative
feeder pigs — and they’re willing to pay for them.
That health status is money in the bank.
Bottom line:
The best resilience strategy we have is flawless biosecurity.
Zero shortcuts. Zero exceptions.
Protect our health edge, and we protect our price premium.
- Montana’s pork community is more connected than ever. Why is that so important?
Information-sharing has become a competitive advantage.
We need:
- Frequent updates from the Montana Pork Producers Association and National Pork Board
- Consistent communication with both U.S. senators and their ag teams
- Regular briefings, barn visits, and one-page summaries
When trade or tariff decisions hit Washington, Montana must already be on the radar.
The states that speak up early and often are the ones whose producers benefit.
Staying coordinated protects our high-health status and the premiums it brings.
- With the Montana Pork Expo on January 14th, what should producers expect this year?
This year’s Expo is shaping up to be the biggest yet — 40+ vendors and a full house.
It has become the most important annual gathering in the region.
Producers can expect:
- The latest equipment and technology
- High-value industry updates
- Networking with producers, vendors, and industry leaders
- Direct communication with Montana Pork and NPB leadership
If you’re raising pigs in Montana and you’re not there, you’re missing the one day that truly moves the needle for the entire year.
Mark it down — it’s worth the trip.
