Each award is highlighted in the 2025 Minnesota Pork Congress magazine. Read the full magazine here.
The Minnesota Pork Board recognizes Dave and Tracie Mensink as this year’s Environmental Stewards of the Year.
The Minnesota Pork Board recognizes Dave and Tracie Mensink as this year’s Environmental Stewards of the Year.
Environmentally minded, humble, and grateful describes the 2025 Minnesota Pork Board Environmental Stewards of the Year, Dave and Tracie Mensink. Their determination to do the right thing and willingness to make decisions to improve their farm’s sustainability for the next generation is inspiring, deserving to be shared.
An Early Start, Next Generation
Dave, along with his three brothers and sister, grew up near Preston, Minnesota, raising pigs on the family farm. Dave recalls taking out his first loan and buying a few pigs from his dad in high school. Like many family farms, there was not enough farm for all four brothers to come back to after college.
Dave graduated from the University of Minnesota – Waseca (UMW), a two-year technical college specializing in agriculture. It was there Dave made lifelong friendships and built industry connections.
“An education in agriculture trains you for on-the-farm experiences and sets you up to know the right people,” Dave said.
Dave was encouraged by his high school agriculture teacher and college advisors throughout his educational experiences to seek out opportunities.
“If there is not a spot for you at home on the farm, take a look around because there may be somebody that doesn’t have a next generation and they may be looking for someone to be their next generation,” Tracie explains.
The Mensinks explained after visiting with a couple in the neighborhood and in their church congregation, Harold and Pearl Hebrink provided Dave and Tracie with a life changing opportunity. This included a farm to get started and financial support to one day take over their farm. The Hebrinks truly became their family, and grandparents to Dave and Tracie’s two children, Alex and Morgan.
“They filled a great need for us, and we tried to fill a need for them,” Tracie said.
The Mensink family continued to support the Hebrinks as they aged. Dave and Tracie’s deep appreciation and support for Pearl and Harold is one that is hard for them to express in words.
Tracie also grew up in Preston and continued her education at Minnesota State University – Mankato (MSU). She began her career as a nurse at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She retired from nursing and continues to work full-time on their farm.
Mensink Farms is a diversified crop and livestock farm, where they raise pigs, beef cows, and row crops. They also have a feed mill on-site where they manufacture all of their own feed. They feed 100% of the corn they grow to their pigs. The Mensinks also buy some corn from their neighbors.
Dave refers to this process as a sustainability circle: “Corn feeds the pigs, pigs make manure, manure grows the corn.”
Dave and Tracie have two children, Alex and Morgan, who both served as county pork ambassadors and have taken part in Minnesota Pork Ambassador programs and state ambassador competitions. Alex and his wife, Katie, live on the home farm with their three daughters: Penelope, Eloise, and Finley. Morgan and her husband, Thomas, reside in St. Louis Park with their daughter, Eleanor.
Doing the Right Thing
When asked what receiving this award means for the Mensink family, they shared how it takes a village and the importance of the neighborhood.
“Tracie and I are honored to receive this award, but there are so many others that are deserving,” Dave said.
Dave explained how they have a big responsibility to be good stewards of the land since they farm in an environmentally sensitive area, referred to as the Karst region. This region in southeastern Minnesota is known for the layers of limestone that are very close to the soil surface, with areas of shallow bedrock, disappearing springs, and sinkholes.
“In these times when there is an increasing focus on the Karst area and water quality, Dave has been a strong voice and good example for the pork industry,” said Lori Stevermer, National Pork Producers Council president.
To increase their overall positive environmental impact and biodiversity, the Mensinks have installed pollinator habitats surrounding their pig barns. In July 2024, right off the ‘bat’ of its inception, Dave and Tracie got involved in a new program where they installed four bat houses in wood lots around the Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park. The houses create new potential roost trees within upland and riparian forests to achieve the desired summer habitat for forest-dwelling bat species. This is a cost-share program through Conservation Stewardship Program.
Another sustainable practice that they have implemented recently is cover crops. Their cover crops were planted using a drone and a no-till drill this fall. Even with the limited amount of rain this fall, they are still seeing success with the cover crops they planted. Additionally, they apply nutrients at agronomic rates and strive to stretch the manure fertilizer they apply as far as they can. Dave is proud that their highest yielding corn is always where manure is applied.
The area surrounding Mensink Farms places a large focus on water quality, a concern highlighted by the presence of sinkholes around Dave and Tracie’s farm. They have planted buffer strips around the sinkholes, some through conservation reserve programs and some planted voluntarily. They have also installed grass waterways that they bale to feed their beef cows and have worked with neighbors to extend their grass waterways.
In December 2023, the Mensinks had all six of their wells tested to understand the nitrate levels. They were pleased to learn all the water came back within safe levels. This was very important to Dave and Tracie because they wanted to ensure their grandkids’ drinking water was safe and is also reassuring that their farming practices are protecting water quality. Dave and Tracie hope the next generation of the family farm understands the importance of water quality and protecting our natural resources.
“Dave has always been a good role model for the next generation coming,” Tracie said. “If there is a new or better way of doing something, he is open to learning about it.”
Animal health and sustainability go hand in hand at Mensink Farms.
“If we have healthy animals, everyone’s job is easier on the farm and we can focus on animal health,” Dave said.
Focusing on doing the right thing for the pigs allows the Mensinks to manage their barns better and contributes to overall environmental stewardship.
Environmental Legacy
Dave recognizes that one size does not fit all for every farm, however there are many ways to implement new practices.
“Soil erosion is a big deal in the Karst area too, because we do farm a lot of highly erodible land. We do the best we can to do minimum till and not do much deep tillage,” Dave said.
When asked what advice he would give other pig farmers who want to improve their sustainability practices, Dave said, “We as farmers cannot wear all the hats and that we must lean on experts.”
“Embrace the new technology and don’t be afraid to try something new,” Dave said.
He also believes in regular soil testing and ensuring he is following his manure management plan. While there is an abundance of information available, Dave states one must be proactive and actively seek these programs out.
“If you keep doing what you have always done, you will be left in the dust,” said Tracie.
Dave has been involved in three different nitrogen rate plots with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Also, in cooperation with the MDA, Dave has conducted dye tracing in some of the sinkholes and areas where water will come out of sidehills. This can help determine the flow rate, velocity, recharge, and discharge points of groundwater. Dye tracing also helps the Mensinks understand how water moves across their farm, and ultimately the water moving through their farm to the neighboring state park.
Reflecting on years of Dave’s involvement with state programming, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Peterson recalled their collaboration.
“Dave is just an incredible leader. With a lot of the conservation and nitrate issues we’ve had in southeast Minnesota recently, Dave’s been incredibly gracious with his time to share with me as a policy-maker, practices he and his family have implemented on their farm and that’s incredibly important, and it’s a great story to tell,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, Thom Peterson.
Dave volunteered to be involved with a task force specializing in nitrogen management starting the summer of 2024. Dave was appointed to the Southeast Minnesota nitrate studies collaborate work group and continues to represent pig farmers as part of the group.
“We think the rest of the state might have their eye on Southeast Minnesota, because whatever comes out of this nitrate study, might be reflected in the rest of the state,” Dave said. “Compared to twenty years ago, we manage nitrogen so much better than we did.”
Through his ongoing efforts and leadership, Dave remains at the forefront of advancing sustainable practices and shaping the future of nitrogen management in the region.
“Ask me a question, I’m a pig farmer!”
Dave is proud to share his story as a farmer wherever he goes and with whomever he meets. The Mensink family has hosted numerous farm tours for groups from New York City, Nashville, and Houston to name a few. They enjoy answering questions and explaining how pork is raised and how crops are grown. Most of the people that tour the farm have never been on a farm before.
“It is like taking them to Disneyworld,” Dave said.
Tracie mentioned people are fascinated to meet a farmer, as it is becoming increasingly rare. Dave hopes that their visitors will go home and share the story that he has shared with them.
“His involvement in the industry speaks to his passion and commitment to not just other pig farmers, but to promoting the industry with consumers and the general public,” said Lori Stevermer.
Dave has been active on the Minnesota Pork Producers Association (MPPA) Board for several years including serving as President.
“There are so many good people from the time that I was on the Board, that I kept relationships with,” Dave said.
“Dave exemplifies what it means to be a leader and environmental steward amongst his peers. The willingness to consider new perspectives, experiment with new practices and technologies, all while representing and advocating on behalf of his fellow farmers is so invaluable,” said Lauren Servick, director of public policy strategy and sustainability, MPPA. “Farming in Minnesota, and especially in a sensitive area like the karst region of southeast Minnesota, presents unique challenges. I think it’s a true testament to the Mensink family’s approach to doing right by their animals, the environment, and their neighbors and communities where they have grown a thriving, generational family farm.”
Dave and Tracie are very involved in their church and community. Dave enjoys supporting FFA members that come to the field each year for the FFA Corn Drive. He has also enjoyed sharing his story and farming background with the next generation. The Mensinks have seen firsthand that people are very removed from the farm. They have found it is important to educate students and show farm visitors they have fun on their farm.
“I’m really proud of the work that he’s done, but more importantly, the time that he takes to share with other farmers and policy makers like myself,” said Commissioner Peterson. “I can’t say enough about him. I’ve been down in his area about three time in the last year, and Dave’s always there.”
Through their dedication to the environment, carrying on family farming, and supporting their community, Dave and Tracie continue to make a lasting impact on the next generation of farmers and the pork industry in Minnesota.
