John Miller
John Miller, founder and former President of Oxbow Animal Health, will be recognized as the 2024 Block and Bridle Club honoree. Since 1938, the Block and Bridle Club has recognized individuals who contributed to Nebraska agriculture through leadership, service, youth projects, community activities, and involvement with the university. The candidates are nominated by industry leaders and selected by the club officers and advisors.
Miller, a 1972 University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate with a degree in Agricultural Engineering, and his wife, Pat, returned to Murdock, Nebraska following his uncle’s passing in 1973. The Miller farm was a traditional grain, hay, and livestock operation, but John’s interest in marketing and value-added agriculture led him to start Oxbow Hay Company in 1980. After researching the pet food and products market and evaluating the feasibility of marketing his premium alfalfa hay to this segment of the industry, Oxbow Pet Products was established in 1992 and its Alfalfa Nibbles product was introduced into the pet food marketplace. The increasing use of the internet allowed for direct sales from business to consumer, and Oxbow became the first to market 12 products specifically designed to provide premium nutrition to the small herbivore market. Veterinarians treating small animals embraced the premium nutrition provided by Oxbow’s products and were instrumental in helping the Oxbow brand gain placement throughout the U.S. and the world. John’s agricultural engineering background guided company innovations throughout the years, as he designed many of the machines and systems used to produce their products, including the machine used to produce their “Harvest Stacks,” which reduced dust by 80 percent and space used by loose hay by 75 percent.
Miller’s innovation led to rapid growth that now positions Oxbow Animal Health as a global leader in small animal nutrition. Its products are the preferred provider in Petsmart, Petco, and Chewy locations. The company was named the Small Business Association’s National Exporter of the Year in 2006 and was recognized as the 2015 Pet Age ICON Award Winner, which is awarded to pet industry leaders that have shown over 20 years of commitment to the success of the pet industry based on experience, integrity, and leadership.
Youth education and outreach have always been a priority at the company, providing programs such as Oxbow Vet Camps, which provide a science-based curriculum on rabbit and small animal care and medicine, and sponsoring 4-H Youth Development programs to improve rabbit care and husbandry. Its Educational Partnership Program (EPP) in Vet School and Vet Tech Programs is present in 30 veterinary schools and 30 vet tech schools across the country. John continues to be active at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is a member of the Nebraska Ag Builders and previously served on its Board of Directors. He serves on the advisory board for both the Department of Food Science and the Engler Entrepreneurship Program, and programs he developed at Oxbow Animal Health continue to provide scholarships in Animal Science, Food Technology for Companion Animals, Biological Systems Engineering, and the professional program in Veterinary Medicine. Oxbow also offers scholarships to students interested in pursuing careers in the pet industry or the field of animal health and nutrition to high school, undergraduate, vet school, and vet tech students. They also welcome classes to tours of facilities and encourage staff members to provide lectures for university courses. He has provided financial and personnel support to UCARE research projects, has provided discounted access to Oxbow products to Veterinary Medicine students, and has also placed a high priority on filling positions at Oxbow Animal Health with Nebraska graduates.
Miller is also very active in the small animal, hay, and agricultural industries. He was a member of the Nebraska Agriculture Leadership Council’s LEAD program, including serving a term as its alumni association president, is a member of the National Hay Association, and was a founding member of the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association. He currently serves on its board after having previously served as president of the association.
The Block and Bridle Club is part of the Animal Science Department within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.