Iowa Pork producers have a new youth leadership team for the next year as Gracie Greiner of Washington; Carli Grau of Newell; and Isaac Wiley of Walker were named during the Iowa Pork Congress this week. They will spend the next 12 months representing Iowa pork producers and educating others about pig production and pork.

There were seven contestants who participated in the final portion of the contest that included two days of interviews, demonstrations of their outreach skills, and testing on their knowledge of pork and pig production. The top female contestant is crowned pork queen and the top remaining contestants, male or female, are named youth ambassadors.

Greiner, who is a senior at Washington High School, is the 2019 Iowa Pork Queen. Grau and Wiley are Pork Ambassadors. Each receives a $4,000 scholarship and plaque noting their achievement. But according to their predecessors, the most valuable thing they will receive is many growth and leadership experiences. Over the next year, they will participate in public activities promoting pork and pig production from county activities around Iowa to the Iowa State Fair, World Pork Expo and events in Washington, D.C.

Greiner, who is also the Washington County Pork Queen, is the daughter of Shaun and Heather Greiner of Washington. She plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall and major in animal science. Her hopes are to build on that experience and to become a large animal veterinarian serving southeast Iowa.

Grau is a former state FFA officer and is now a student at Des Moines Area Community College. The daughter of Shannon Grau-Quail and the late Gordon Grau of Newell also plans to attend ISU in the fall and study agriculture and life science education. Her plan is to teach high school ag education.

Wiley, a senior at Vinton-Shellsburg High School, plans to study agriculture business this fall at ISU. He plans to use that education to build a career in the pork industry. Wiley is the son of Todd and Denise Wiley of Walker, and has been active in sports, church and 4-H activities, and served as a District FFA officer, too.

The contestants were judged on their outreach skills, community involvement and experience, and knowledge about pork and pig production.

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