Martin Family Farms

Brian and David Martin began raising livestock at the tender age of 6, making $1 per hour. Decades later, they are still raising hogs but on a much larger scale.

Today, Brian and his wife, Janay, co-own Martin Family Farms with his brother, David, and his wife, Melissa. They employ approximately 85 people. In addition to the hog operation, the farm produces corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa in 4 Western Indiana Counties.

An Indiana family farm for five generations and more than 100 years, Martin Family Farms focuses on animal welfare and sustainable production practices.

“Consumers today are more interested in where their food comes from and how the pigs are raised than at any time in the past,” David says. “We are committed to serving today’s customer, and how we house and care for our hogs has changed to meet consumer standards.”

Martin Family Farms is a leader in the pork industry with a tradition of being an early adopter of new technology, building designs and production practices. The family's goals extend to environmental and economic sustainability.

Thirty years ago, hogs were often raised in stalls. That is changing with consumer preferences and Martin’s hogs are group housed with ample room to roam.

The livestock industry has also become more efficient in using resources, including land, water, and nutrients, Brian says.

For example, the farm uses the hog manure to fertilize the crops that its pigs ultimately consume. “We take what the pig puts out and we raise corn and soybeans with those nutrients,” Brian says.

Martin Family Farms raises more than 350,000 hogs annually, producing enough pork to feed the city of Indianapolis for an entire year.

“We are focused on the consumer,” Brian says. “The desires of our end user drive what we do on our farm, such as how the animals are cared for and housed, how we move animals and what end products are created for the consumer market.”

The farm’s production system consists of 14,000 sows located between two farm sites. Animal health and wellbeing are the focus. Martin Farms' sows receive round-the-clock attention to ensure the health of both sows and piglets.

Each week, the farm transports nearly 7,000 weaned pigs to its various finishing facilities throughout the Midwest. After their time at the finishing facility, the farm’s hogs are processed and on to the consumer.

Martin Farms also operates a gilt development unit separately located from its sow facilities, ensuring these future replacement sows are healthy and disease-free.

To learn more about Martin Family Farms, visit TeamMartinFarms.com.