Borgics named Illinois Pork Family of Year

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Phil and Karen Borgic family was recently honored as the Illinois Pork Producers Association Family of the Year.

Each year, IPPA honors a pork-producing family that has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion on the local, state and national levels.

The Phil and Karen Borgic family, of Raymond in south-central Illinois, has been involved in the Illinois pork industry since before their wedding 42 years ago.

As president/CEO of Borgic Farms Inc., Phil has been a mainstay in the industry for decades and Karen has been at his side throughout as the office and finance manager.

The farm celebrated its 50th anniversary of incorporation in 2024 but has been around since 1952 when Phil’s parents, Betty and Erval Borgic, started a diversified farm of crops, dairy, beef, chickens and, of course, pigs in Montgomery County.

After graduating Lincolnwood and Morrisonville high schools, respectively, in 1974, Phil and Karen attended Lincoln Land Community College where they attained associate degrees.

Phil continued to the University of Illinois and earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics.

After graduating from the U of I, Phil moved back to Montgomery County and began working at the farm full-time, primarily running the crop operation.

Karen and Phil were married in 1982, and have raised three children: Mike, Kevin and Michelle.

Phil became the farm manager when his parents chose to retire in 1991, and since then he’s continued to grow and evolve the farm in many ways. One prime example was in 1994, when he made the decision to reduce the focus on crops and expand the hog operation.

In 1999, Borgic Farms shifted from farrow-to-finish to a farrow-to-wean farm and continued to expand, meeting the market need for weaned pigs.

Since the early 2000s, the farm has grown to include two sow farms, two wean-to-market farms and over 50 grower partners across Illinois, marketing 450,000 pigs annually along with a 1,200-acre grain operation.

In addition to the farm operation, the Borgics have been heavily involved with the pork industry throughout the world. Phil was a member of the IPPA Board from 1998 to 2014 and served two terms as president in 2008 and 2009. He was also a two-term member of the National Pork Producers Council Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020.

Additionally, Phil has served on multiple committees for NPPC, National Pork Board, USDA and multiple legislators.

Karen has been involved in both county and state pork producer groups, helping with fundraisers, pork stands, Illinois Pork Expo hospitality rooms and is a previous recipient of Elanco’s Bell Ringer award.

They were recently honored to serve as a featured family for the U.S. export standards video that is shared with foreign countries as a model for the health and wellness standards for U.S. Pork.

Educating The Public

Over the years, Phil and his team have hosted over 40 farm tours to help educate the public about the pork industry.

“We have been hosting individuals and groups at our farms for decades,” Phil said.

“I am proud of the pork industry and the production family we have built. If we don’t show others the great things we do every day, our detractors will tell their stories without knowing what really is happening on our farms,” he said.

“I love showing people what we do every day to bring them delicious pork. Our team members like to show others what they do and how much pride they take in doing so also.”

As third-generation farmers, the Borgics strive to maintain the tradition of quality and family focus of the Illinois farmer. Each of their children has been involved with the pork industry on the state and national level, through internships and careers.

The Borgic’s oldest son, Mike, served as the IPPA ambassador/intern in 2002. After college and two years with the Illinois Farm Bureau, Mike joined the staff at the IPPA.

After celebrating his 17th year as IPPA membership and outreach director in December, he left the association to work full-time with his family at Borgic Farms.

Son Kevin, is the director of catering operations at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee., as well as a leadership and development coach.

Kevin served as the Illinois Pork ambassador/intern in 2004 and enjoyed connecting with industry professionals from around the country. He received his bachelor’s degree in international studies and master’s in hospitality management from the University of South Florida and has been in the catering and events industry since 2009.

In 2020, Kevin started coaching in Leadership and Development and recently began a learning series with the Borgic Farms leadership team.

Daughter Michelle continued the family tradition by serving as the state ambassador/intern in 2010. She married Jerrad Bockewitz in October 2014. They have two children, Grayson, 6, and Ava, 4. Jerrad serves on the school board at St. Louis Catholic School in Nokomis.

Jerrad is a business tech for Consolidated Communications and Michelle is a registered nurse for the State of Illinois, working with the Department of Human Services. Michelle has also taught emergency training and provided CPR certification for both sow farm locations.

Jerrad, Grayson and Ava often enjoy going out to the farm to check crops and help where they can. Grayson already says how he cannot wait to work on the farm when he gets older. Ava and Grayson are the unofficial mascots for the farm, bringing smiles to the office when they visit.

The legacy of Phil and Karen Borgic is strong and continues to grow throughout their family and community.

Their passion for community is evident by their active involvement with their local churches, food pantries, Central Illinois Food Bank and countless other organizations. The pride they instill in their team is palpable and inspires the Borgic Farms organization to continue to grow and evolve with an eye toward the future