Becker family receives honor
Kylie Saari — Staff WriterArticle Photos
NORTHROP - It is time for the Becker family of Northrop to start rearranging the office wall.
The family members, who run LB Pork, will need to make room for their newest award: Martin County Farm Family of the Year 2008, bestowed upon them by the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
The plaque will join recognition such as Environment Stewardship Award 1999, Supplier Excellence Award 2008, MN Pork Family of the Year 2002, Lynn J. and Julie Becker's Master Pork Producers 2001 and Julie Becker's MN Pork Promoter 2007.
Herman Becker began the farm in 1920, raising dairy cattle, chickens, hogs, crops and beef cattle. The business was handed down to his son Walter, who discontinued the dairy portion of the operation. He then passed the farm down to Larry. It was when Larry's sons returned from college that they decided to specialize in hogs and crops.
LB Pork currently produces more than 50,000 pigs for market, tends to 1,500 acres of soybeans and corn - used for feed - and employs five full-time workers, 5-7 foreign student trainees, and a few part-timers.
Larry and Linda Becker currently run the operation with their sons Lynn J. and his wife Julie, and Lonny and his wife Lynn M. The Beckers also have two daughters - Leslie Crissinger, who helps with odd jobs on the farm beside teaching sixth grade in Truman, and Leah Wilkinson, who lives in Austin, Texas.
Linda says she wasn't surprised her sons decided to come back to the farm after college. "They worked side by side with their father and grandfather on the farm," she said. "It was entirely their own choice. They were always very willing workers."
LB Pork is currently bringing up the fifth generation, Leanna, Levi, Luke, Larissa, Lance, Leyton, Joni and Lincoln.
The older kids are already beginning to work, completing age-appropriate chores and learning about their business.
"Leyton will be out tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock weaning pigs," Lynn J. said.
"We are looking forward to the youngest generation being more active and coming back together," he added. "That's the best kind of help you can find."
Lynn J. hopes his kids and his brother's children will follow in the family footsteps, and the family plans to make that an easy choice for them.
"Just like our folks did for us, it is our goal to be able to support as many families as want to remain on the family farm," he said.
"There is really nothing better than working with your family," added Linda. "There's nothing better than working together with my husband and sons and now my grandkids."
The operation is in the process of growing again, and Lynn J. attributes the success of LB Pork to each family member having specific and separate job responsibilities and the company's commitment to community involvement.
"We support the industry and community that support us," he said. "We have always been a big believer in that. We have all been and currently are active in community, church and church stuff. We feel we are preparing ourselves to be long-term players in the industry and in Minnesota and our community."
"We are just looking forward to the future of the pork industry and where it is going to lead us," Linda said.
