Iowa Pork Congress Banquet Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Putney/MP Media)

The Iowa Pork Producers Association has named Larry and Susan Schott of Riverside as 2025 Master Pork Producers.

Larry and Susan Schott own J. B. Schott Family Farms near Riverside. The Schott family have owned the farm since the early 1900s. The Schotts operate a farrow-to-finish swine operation that includes two sow units, a wean pig contract, and finishing barns. They also farm row crops and operate an on-site feed mill that grinds and mixes all their own feed.

The Schotts own a portion of their production spaces with their sons and daughters-in-law, while contracting out additional sites. Their sons, Tom and David, play a role in the day-to-day management of the farms, while their daughters-in-law handle administrative and operational responsibilities. The farm is slowly being transitioned to their sons as they take on more leadership roles, but the Schotts remain heavily involved.  J. B. Schott Family Farms is enrolled in the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program, and is frequently making improvements to grass waterways, buffers, terraces, and tile. Through Practical Farmers of Iowa, they conduct nitrogen rate studies that support nutrient efficiency and responsible manure use.

The Schotts are active in the local community, and attend St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hills. Larry serves on the board of the Atrium Village Care Center. He also participates in the Eastern Iowa Peer Group. Each year, the group provides pigs to youth through the Single Source 4-H project, giving young people needed hands-on experience in responsibility, as well as livestock care.