Animal Science

Everett and Ruby Forkner Livestock Judging Endowment

Everett Forkner, BS Animal Science ’61, was selected as the 2020 inductee to the prestigious Saddle and Sirloin Club! Friends of Everett Forkner have established a charitable endowment to recognize this accomplishment and his undying commitment to the livestock industry. Everett and his wife, Ruby, founded Forkner Family Farms where they’ve been influential in the field of swine genetics and pork marketing, ultimately marketing swine breeding stock to 48 states and 25 countries while being an early adopter of performance testing and genetic evaluation. The Forkners are also known for giving back and are passionate about youth development, having hosted thousands of students over the years at a multitude of livestock judging workouts. Everett Forkner is a leader in his field, having served as the National Pork Board President, as a member of the National Swine Improvement Federation, and on multiple committees for the National Swine Registry, among many other activities, honors and recognitions over the years.

The Everett and Ruby Forkner Livestock Judging Fund will support the MU Livestock Judging Team. Everett attributed much of his professional success to his animal science education and livestock judging experience while he was a student at Mizzou. He believes the critical thinking and oral expression skills acquired in livestock judging and evaluation develop a unique skill set that will be used for a lifetime.