Glenn Muller named Agribusiness Citizen of the Year
Glenn Muller, this year’s Agribusiness Citizen of the Year, has been Executive Director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council for more than 14 years. Photos by Wendy Sweeter.
Glenn Muller, Executive Director of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council, has spent most of his life in the pork industry.
Muller has been selected as the 2025 Agribusiness Citizen of the Year by the Agribusiness Division of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, recognizing his decades of commitment to agriculture and the pork sector.
Muller grew up on a farrow-to-finish swine operation near Davis, where he and his family continue to reside today. After graduating from high school, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education from South Dakota State University (SDSU). His career began in Inwood, Iowa, where he taught vocational agriculture in the West Lyon Community School District for three years before returning to the family farm.
His diverse career in agriculture education and finance included teaching the veterans farm program at the University of South Dakota and spending three years with First American Bank in Canton. He later taught adult farm management at Southeast Technical College for a decade and gained risk management experience at Smithfield Foods. Muller eventually took on leadership in the pork industry, becoming Executive Director of South Dakota Pork in August 2010—a role that builds on his earlier tenure as President of the organization in 1991-92.
“I found this position unique, in that we collectively as the organization can do for the producers what they can’t do for themselves individually, whether that be in the form of research or policy management or those types of things. That’s why I migrated to this position,” Muller explained.
At South Dakota Pork, Muller leads a team of three full-time staff members and additional contracted help. Their work ranges from promoting pork at grocery stores and events to providing pork recipes online and advocating with legislators, ensuring they understand the issues that impact pork producers. Over the past 14 years, Muller has witnessed significant changes in the industry, including the expansion of swine operations, advancements at the SDSU Swine Unit, and a more positive public perception of pork production in South Dakota.
“We’ve seen some tremendous growth in the state since we have a lot of assets in properties that are utilized by the pork industry, including lower cost feed ingredients and biosecurity,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges during Muller’s tenure was the ballot initiative aimed at banning any new harvesting facility in Sioux Falls.
“We were very concerned about that because we have only one plant in the state that commercially harvests pigs,” Muller said.
The other challenge he has seen is in zoning and trying to get people to understand that modern agriculture is not the enemy. Muller said modern swine production allows producers to produce pork more efficiently and economically, which benefits the consumers.
The South Dakota Pork office has been housed in Sioux Falls for more than 30 years. Muller feels it is important to be in the state’s largest city because Sioux Falls has the largest consumer base and the only commercial pork harvesting facility in the state. Muller and his team at South Dakota Pork are active with different aspects of the Sioux Empire Livestock Show, such as helping at the swine show and contributing to the scholarship auction and Sale of Champions. They also assist the Minnehaha County Pork Producers during Ag Appreciation Day at the Sioux Empire Fair.
Pork production remains a vital component of South Dakota’s economy, adding value to agricultural products and meeting local demand. Muller recalled the increased interest in local pork supply during the COVID-19 pandemic, when consumers sought direct connections to producers.
Agribusiness Citizen of the Year
Glenn Muller
Career: Executive Director, South Dakota Pork Producers Council
Family: Wife: Joan; Children: Sarah Voegele (Shannon), Scott Muller (Amie Larsen), Shelley Altena (Cory), Steven Muller (Amy). Grandchildren: Cash and Sage Voegele, Kinsley and Keilahnny Altena and Shaden and Shally Muller.
Education: South Dakota State University
Activities: Serves as an elder of Chancellor Reformed Church; stays active with 4-H and FFA through children and grandchildren.
“We had many consumers concerned about the availability of the product, and they were looking for producers to supply them with the product, which was beneficial,” he said.
Muller’s leadership in the South Dakota pork industry has left a lasting impact, from supporting producers and advocating for policy to educating the public about modern agriculture. As the 2025 Agribusiness Citizen of the Year, his dedication reflects not only his personal commitment, but also the strength and integrity of the state’s pork producers and the hard work of his exceptional team. Through his work, Muller continues to foster a thriving industry that strengthens South Dakota’s economy and supports its communities.
