Departments

Accounting

The roll of the accounting department is to provide accurate and timely information to the various areas of Eichelberger Farms, Inc.   This allows individuals to make educated decisions in the daily course of business.  This is accomplished by processing accounts payables, accounts receivables, maintaining finishing group inventories, and other general ledger accounting activities.  Financial statements, group closeout and various cost reports are generated monthly.

Animal Health

The animal health department’s roll is to oversee the health and wellbeing of all animals under the ownership of Eichelberger Farms, Inc.  This area works with various departments on biosecurity, vaccination and treatment protocols, and animal well-being audits.  They also provide PQA certifications of employees and contract growers.  They also evaluate new products and other opportunities to improve the health and well-being of our livestock.

Farm Maintenance

The farm maintenance department is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all the buildings and everything in them.  This would include feed lines, fans, curtains, gates, and heating and cooling systems.   Their job often involves welding and minor electrical repairs.  This department is driven to keep all the farms working properly and running efficiently.

Feed Mill Operations

Feed mill operators are charged with the task of making feed for market hogs and sows.  Their responsibilities include receiving feed ingredients, checking ingredient quality, grinding corn, measuring medication, and mixing feed.  This area operates a combination of both manual and computer automated equipment in order to perform their duties.  Feed mill operators ensure that feed is made in a process which meets quality standards that supply all of the pig’s dietary requirements. 

Feed Trucking

Feed truck drivers load, transport, and unload both bulk and bagged feed at production sites.  They must have a class A CDL and operate their truck safely to ensure the safety of the public and themselves.  Feed truck drivers operate a combination of manual and computer automated equipment to perform their duties.  They are responsible for the delivery of the correct feed to the correct group in a timely manner.

Field Staff

The role of the field staff is to oversee the animal care of our market hogs provided by our contract growers.  They are in charge of developing and maintaining relationships with the contract growers, and in doing so, provide guidance, diagnostics, and coaching as needed.  They are assigned to specific growers based on geographic region. 

Grain Procurement

The procurement department works with local farmers to purchase grain to be used in the making of both market hog and sow feed.  Recording daily grain movement, negotiating grain purchase contracts, completing daily grain bids, administering grain payments with farmers and terminals, and maintaining the company's daily grain position are the daily functions.  Monthly market reports and financial statements are generated.  The state of Iowa completes an annual audit on all grain functions performed by this department.  This area also assists the feed mill with the reconciling of feed grade medication and the purchasing of other feed ingredients.

Grounds Maintenance

The grounds maintenance crew is responsible for the general upkeep to the exterior of our farms.  A large part of this is mowing the grass during the summer.  This requires the assistance of several seasonal workers, who are often high school students.  They also provide snow removal during the winter, spreading gravel on the lanes during the summer, providing new compost and removing used compost from farms as needed, exterior building maintenance, and many other various tasks as needed. 

Human Resources

The human resources department performs a variety of roles related to the management of our company’s biggest asset – it’s employees.  Some of the activities carried out within our department are staffing, training and development, benefits and compensation, safety and health, employee relations, and compliance with state and federal state laws.

Market Hog Trucking

This department focuses on transporting market hogs to area harvesting facilities.  Drivers are required to have a class A CDL, be TQA certified, and pass pre-employment and random drug screens.  They use new equipment and animal handling tools to safely and securely load, transport, and unload market hogs.

Marketing

The roll of the marketing department is to observe and estimate animal weights prior to harvest.  Information is received daily to review and assist with this process.   This department is responsible for the identification of these animals at the time of marketing or selling.  Results of the daily harvest are reviewed to ensure weight objectives are achieved.  

Production Records

The production records department is responsible for entering and maintaining accurate, up-to-date information of sow farm production activities.  These would include gilt placements, breeding, farrowing, weaning, month-end inventories, and other items.  They also provide timely and accurate reports to production management, farm managers, and others.

Seasonal Grain Harvest Help

Every fall our grain facility is in need of additional grain harvest help.  Seasonal workers inspect grain, monitor storage, and operate all necessary equipment, such as the grain dryer and grain handling system.  They are responsible for the intake of corn and soybeans primarily during the fall.  They aid in ensuring that the commodity received is in good condition, handled correctly, and receipts are recorded correctly.

Site Development

The site development department is responsible for coordinating all company-owned construction projects from start to finish.  They evaluate bids, assess building sites with contract growers, and are the point of contact when speaking with building companies.  They also work with leadership in developing project plans for future sites.  This department spends time both in the office and at the construction sites.

Sow Farms

Sow farms are where the pork production cycle begins.  Sow farms consist of two areas – gestation and farrowing.  In the gestation area, breeding technicians begin the cycle of pork production through the selection of breeding stock and the application of specialized breeding techniques. Once bred, the breeding technicians will follow each individual sow all the way through to the end of their gestation cycle.  Shortly before their expected delivery date, the sows are moved to the farrowing area.  Farrowing technicians and day-one care specialists work to ensure the safe delivery of every piglet.  Once born, every piglet will receive iron and vaccinations to prevent illnesses and to ensure a healthy start in life.  Piglets will remain in the sow farm until the day of weaning when they are then transported to wean-to-finish facilities where the second phase in pork production begins.

Truck Mechanics

The truck mechanics department is responsible for routine maintenance and repairs on vehicles.  These include semi-tractors, livestock trailers, feed trailers, utility trailers, skid loaders, and pickups.  Routine maintenance is a vital part to the operation to ensure breakdowns are minimized.  Properly maintained equipment also helps ensure employee safety during operation.

Truck Wash

The truck wash department’s roll is to help protect the animals by reducing the spread of pathogens that may cause significant harm to the animals.  This department is in charge of washing, disinfecting, and thermal assisted drying of livestock trailers. They work with the animal health and transportation departments to ensure the cleanliness of the trailers and semi-tractor’s.

Weaner Pig and Feeder Pig Trucking

Weaner pig trucking is transporting weaner pigs from one of our sow farms to a nursery or a wean-to-finish facility.  Feeder pig trucking is transporting feeder pigs from either a nursery or a wean-to-finish facility to a grow facility.  The objective of this department is to transport all pigs safely and securely to their correct location.  Biosecurity is extremely important at these stages as the sow farms need to be kept as clean as possible.