ST. ANSGAR — Although it’s headquartered in Denver, Colo., Niman Ranch Corp. is impacting pork production in Mitchell County, giving farmers an alternative to standard mass production.
The Niman Ranch, which requires sustainable farming methods like raising pigs outdoors, began with Paul Willis of Thornton, the initial pork producer for the company.
Willis said his interest in the project began while he was on vacation in California in the late 1980s. He saw free-range chicken was quite common in supermarkets and wondered if free-range pork could become as popular. During his stay, he crossed paths with Bill Niman who was involved in meat marketing. He shared his vision with Niman of selling free-range pork products.
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