Richard Sorensen
Dick Sorensen was born May 6, 1936, in Wayne, Nebraska. He grew up only ¼ mile from his present home, where he was involved in farming with his father. He now lives with his wife, Judy, and son Steve. All three, along with herdsman Aaron Schuett, work together to make Greenview Farms a successful hog operation.
After attending Wayne High School, Dick served for a time in the army, and then returned to northeast Nebraska to raise hogs with his father. Because of rhinitis problems in their swine herd, he decided to raise Specific Pathogen Free hogs and eliminate this and other disease problems. This would make their quality breeding stock more valuable to both commercial and purebred breeders. Dick raised both Hampshire and Durocs until 1973, and has sine maintained purebred Durocs coupled with about t0 crossbred litters each year, using Yorkshire and Landrace boars. Sorensen utilizes a pasture system combined with confinement to maximize efficiency. Breeding stock is merchandised primarily to commercial producers throughout the Midwest. Because of the demand for healthy SPF pigs, many hogs are also exported to other countries.
Along with making a name for himself in the seedstock business, Dick Sorensen has been an outstanding industry leader. He was a pioneer in laying the groundwork for the Nebraska Swine Council in 1961, and later served as the fourth president of that organization. It is now known as the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. Dick's leadership abilities also carried him to the presidency of the Nebraska SPF Swine Accrediting Agency.
In 1966, Dick was one of a small group of pork producers from across the nation that journeyed to Moline, Illinois, to form the National Pork Producers Council. He was one of a handful of producers that donated "seed money" to get that organization going. It is now the largest commodity organization in the country.
Dick's family has been very supportive of his industry activities, and have kept the home fires burning during his times away from them. Judy Sorensen has been an active partner in industry activities as well. She was a key figure in the initiation of the Nebraska Porkettes, served as one of its very first officers, and remains an active pork promoter today.
Dick was directly involved in the success of the fund drive that resulted in the Housing and Management Center at Concord. He has recently been actively involved with swine pseudorabies legislation.
The Sorensens have hosted many tours and have a long list of civic activities. Because of his self-confidence and wit, Dick is a popular master of ceremonies at numerous banquet functions, always serving as an ambassador of animal agriculture.
Along with donations of time and money, Dick and Judy often provide hogs for roasting, ham sandwiches for traveling high school athletic teams, and have been active promoters of youth.