If you have visited the Pork Place at the Missouri State Fair, there is a chance you met Jeff Sims. Jeff visits with guests who come to enjoy pork at the Pork Place restaurant at the Missouri State Fair, volunteering to share with fairgoers that he is a fan of the product he raises. “Pork burger is an amazingly versatile product. Its mild flavor allows it to pair with many seasonings to make great burgers, great tacos, or great Italian meatballs,” Jeff said. He influences the way consumers experience the Pork Place as the chairman of the marketing and promotions committee for the Missouri Pork Association. Jeff’s loyalty to pork has been building for decades.

As a teenager straight out of high school in 1996, Jeff had no experience in agriculture.  He was working at a local Subway where he regularly served lunch to Ham Hill Farms employees who eventually persuaded him to come work with them. Over nearly thirty years, Jeff has worked as a general farm hand, cleaned, sorted and moved pigs, and has been responsible for barns and employees. Today, he oversees Ham Hill Farms as a Vice-President of Pork Productions. Ham Hill Farms is a century farm owned by the Sandidge family located near Marshall in #Agri-Ready Designated Saline County, is home to 3,500 sows. Ham Hill employees care for the sows and the piglets they produce until they are ready for market as delicious, nutritious protein. “It is awesome to be a part of producing pork that has fed millions of consumers over the years,” Jeff said. The 60,000 hogs Ham Hill Farms sells each year produce enough pork to feed 250,000 people annually. 

“I wish more people understood how much Ham Hill is a true family operation,” Jeff shared. “I have had a great experience working for a local family and the pork industry.” He recalled that the family-owned business has always had a good reputation for being a great place to work and for giving back to the local community. Besides working with members of the Sandidge Family who are still involved in the daily operations, Jeff has watched many young people begin working for Ham Hill right out of high school just like him. The average employee retention for the farm is eleven years, so he has seen many employees get married and watched their kids grow up with his own. Several local families rely on Ham Hill and the impact the farm makes on the local economy. Saline County agribusinesses including Ham Hill, create more than 6,000 jobs and generate $523.1 million in household income in the #Agri-Ready Designated County residents according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study produced by the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Jeff is proud that Ham Hill pork is sustainably produced. “The farm grows most of the grain that feeds our pigs which help feed a hungry world. The byproduct of that production, the manure, is applied to the crop land to help next year’s grain grow and the whole process begins again. There’s nothing more sustainable than that,” Jeff said.

The fact that he is a die-hard Kansas City Royals fan has not dampened Jeff’s excitement to serve as a member of the 2024 Race to the Plate Farm Team with the St. Louis Cardinals. Jeff has participated in radio and video campaigns to share agriculture with Cardinals fans throughout the season. “Pork is a healthy protein. I want to showcase the industry that welcomed me in and gave me unlimited opportunities. I’m proud to give back,” Jeff said. “The Race to the Plate campaign is well done through Cardinals radio network and in the stadium. It does a great job promoting pork and Missouri agriculture.” Fred Bird will visit Ham Hill Farms to learn about daily life with pigs. Jeff is looking forward to emphasizing Ham Hill’s healthy and clean pork production facilities during the visit. He will also introduce Fred Bird to the Ham Hill employees and his two grandkids. Jeff will participate in Race to the Plate activities during September in Busch Stadium with his family and fellow Missouri pork producers when they connect with Cardinals fans in Ford Plaza.

Jeff and his wife, Hadley, proudly raised their four kids in the strong agricultural community of Marshall, where good opportunities and experiences have helped the family find success. Jeff serves on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Pork Association, a partner of Missouri Farmers Care.