We Are Indiana Agriculture: Bill Temple Farms

By Sarah Mahan of This Farm Family's Life

In 1974, Valerie Duttlinger’s parents, Bill and Angie, started Bill Temple Farms, located in Spencer County.  In 1980, the operation entered into the purebred pork genetics business.  “We serve as one of the genetic nucleus farms for PureTek Genetics, LLC,” Valerie explains.  Valerie and her husband, Ben, also farm about 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans.  They have two sons, Blake, 10, and Jace, 8.

“We supply animals to packers in both Indiana and Illinois.  We also sell some freezer pork into the community as well.  From the genetics side, we touch people from all over the Midwest and the world.”

Pork genetics suppliers are farmers who raise the mother sows to sell to other farmers. Those sows are specifically cross-bred to have the best genetic characteristics that make them good mothers of large litter and produce fast-growing, lean offspring that are well-adapted to environments.

Valerie, like many other farmers, is very passionate about her job.  “Although we are in the swine genetics business, we are also in the business of feeding the world.  It is very rewarding to know that we are doing our part, not only to provide a healthy meal for people, but also through the genetics business. We are able to have an impact on more of the food that feeds the world than what we produce ourselves.”