Randy Hutton Jr., a third-generation farmer, has always envisioned raising his family on a farm. Having worked in the Chesapeake Bay watershed since the early 2000s, he now works full-time with his son, Matt, cultivating corn, soybeans, and wheat, while also humanely raising pigs. For Hutton, farming offers a sense of personal responsibility, freedom, and a unique challenge that he finds deeply fulfilling.
Over the years, the Huttons have established a small-scale, diversified farming business that supports the next generation financially. However, this success is not typical for most family farmers in the United States. The agricultural sector has seen significant consolidation, making it increasingly difficult for small, independent farms to survive. Between 1935 and 2023, the number of farms in the U.S. decreased by 72 percent, while the average farm size nearly tripled. Today, just 4 percent of U.S. farms control two-thirds of the total agricultural land. In 2022, 40 percent of American farmers worked over 200 days off the farm, highlighting the struggle that many small-scale farmers face to make ends meet.
In the face of these challenges, Hutton chose a different path. Instead of pursuing poultry farming, which became prohibitively expensive due to rising infrastructure costs, he turned to pig farming in 2016. The Huttons joined Niman Ranch, a network of over 600 small to mid-sized, independent U.S. family farmers and ranchers. Niman Ranch upholds high standards of sustainable and humane farming practices and offers a stable, premium market for its pork products. This partnership allowed Hutton to diversify his income without incurring significant debt. By using existing infrastructure or building barns that could be repurposed for other ventures, Hutton was able to begin pig farming in a realistic and affordable manner. The venture quickly generated income, allowing Hutton to hire his son, Matt, full-time on the farm.
The principles of environmental stewardship promoted by Niman Ranch aligned perfectly with Hutton’s existing farming practices. Growing up in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, Hutton had always focused on building soil health through methods such as no-till farming and cover crops, as the region’s soils are typically low in organic matter. Raising pigs allowed him to further enhance soil health by applying nutrient-rich solid manure to the grain fields, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. This practice not only benefited the environment but also proved financially advantageous for the farm.
Pig farming has brought Hutton closer to the consumers who purchase his products, a connection that was missing from his grain farming experience. While grain farming is rewarding, it offers little direct interaction with consumers. Raising pigs, however, has given Hutton a sense of purpose and fulfillment, knowing that his work directly impacts those who will eventually consume the food he produces. This sense of connection to the end consumer has changed the way Hutton views his farming work, giving it a renewed sense of importance.
The integration of livestock into his farming operation has also changed the way Hutton approaches his work on a daily basis. While grain farming operates on a distinct seasonal cycle, pig farming requires daily care and attention throughout the year. This constant responsibility has deepened Hutton’s connection to his work, creating a sense of wholeness as he cycles through the process of feeding his grain crops to the pigs, who in turn produce manure that nourishes the soil. This cyclical process has made Hutton feel more connected to the land and to the people who enjoy the products he produces.
Through his partnership with Niman Ranch, Hutton hopes to inspire a greater awareness among consumers about where their food comes from. He believes that by fostering a stronger connection between farmers and consumers, people will begin to realize the effort and care that goes into producing the food they eat. This awareness, he hopes, will help reverse the trend of disconnection between food producers and consumers, ultimately benefiting both farmers and the environment.
