The Minnesota producer was elected to head the 15-member board at a meeting held in conjunction with the recent World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa.

"As a producer and board member, I am constantly working to make this industry better for future generations," Ms Richter said. "There's never a short list of challenges in the livestock industry, but we continue to evolve our programs so that the pork products we provide and the way that we operate our farms improve to meet the needs of our customers, consumers and producers."

Richter farms with her family in Minnesota on a wean-to-finish operation with 600 hogs and contracts 3,000 gilts through their feeder-to-finish operation. She also raises corn and soybeans on 600 acres. Ms Richter succeeds Conley Nelson, a farmer and pork producer from Algona, Iowa, who will remain on the board's executive committee as immediate past president.

Ms Richter is in her second three-year term on the National Pork Board. She serves on the Checkoff's Domestic Marketing Committee and Pork Safety Quality and Human Nutrition Committee. She has been actively involved with the Minnesota Pork Board serving as president and secretary, as well on the local level with the Le Sueur County Pork Producers.

Serving belongside Richter for the next year is Dale Norton, a pork producer from Bronson, Michigan, vice president; and Derrick Sleezer, a pork producer from Cherokee, Iowa, treasurer. The three executive officers will serve one-year terms in their positions beginning immediately.

"As we look ahead to this year, the pork industry has versatile, nutritious products that offer great value to consumers," Mr Norton said. "It's important that producers continue to build trust and share our commitment with customers and consumers."