Welcome to the CPS Bulletin Board. Please use this board for communication about the purebred swine industry. Try to keep negative posts and gossip to a minimum. Thank you.
Harold Hodson
Posted by Franklin D. Albertsen on September 23, 2018, 7:46 pm
The swine industry lost another legend today with the passing of Harold Hodson. Some of us remember showing Polands against Harold when he was growing up on his parent's farm in extreme southeast Dallas County right near the Polk County line and what today would be in the center of Jordan Creek Towne Center in West Des Moines. At ISU, more of us would get to know him, followed by others with his years at Southern Illinois, and then nearly 40 years (I believe 38)at Swine Genetics International. Many of us breeders respected his opinions on both pigs and breed issues - - especially in the Polands, Spots, and Durocs. At SGI, he built far more than an A.I. stud. His exports of both semen and live animals had a tremendous effect on world pork genetics. But even more far reaching was his importation of foreign resources such as Ulf from Sweden. That boar certainly played a large role in the growth of A.I. in our rapidly expanding integrated operations at that time. A respected mentor for many of us, his consultation services were certainly appreciated in the Pacific Rim countries. His early adoption of frozen semen has enabled long-time preservation of the genetic germ plasma of many proven superior sires of all breeds. And then think of the untold inluence and assistance he has provided so many young 4-H and FFA members in Iowa through the hundreds of thousands of scholarship dollars provided under his leadership in the IFAA. One of the very best swine ambassadors of all time, he always took time to stop and say hello. Despite the severe health issues he's faced the last couple years, he never gave up and fought a good, but difficult battle. The last couple weeks he took time to call some of us and let us know things weren't going as well, but he still talked hogs. I'll try to keep you post on services, etc. Frank
|