We are delighted to announce that Mr. Don VanTine has been bestowed with the 2025 Distinguished Service Award. The department sincerely acknowledges his steadfast commitment to advancing research and education in swine production, his support for Extension programs, and his advocacy for the pork industry in the state of Washington. Mr. VanTine is a board member of the Washington Pork Producers Association and currently serves as the state contact for the organization. Over the years, he has provided invaluable guidance to members of the Student Swine Cooperative, facilitated educational tours of his farm to showcase a functioning swine production facility, and offered students practical experience in piglet processing.
VanTine pursued a degree in general agriculture at WSU during the early 1970s. His comprehensive education encompassed coursework in animal sciences, agricultural mechanics, agricultural economics, soils, and entomology. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974 and then returned to assist with operations on the family farm alongside his father.
The VanTine farm, currently managed by Don and his son, was established in 1883 and has remained under continuous family ownership and operation since its inception. Located in Whitman County, the farm includes a farrow-to-finish swine operation and approximately 1,550 acres of farmland where they grow wheat, barley, and other crops along with 500 acres of pasture and timber. The farm used to finish 1,500 pigs annually but now produces about 800 due to marketing challenges.
The Department of Animal Sciences and our students sincerely appreciate Don VanTine and others like him for their generous support of the university’s mission in education and research in livestock production. Congratulations and thank you, Don.