At a time when pork producers face rising costs, volatile markets and ever-present disease threats, sixth-generation farmer Brady Reicks says one-size-fits-all risk management won’t cut it.

Speaking at Iowa State University’s annual Swine Day last month in Ames, Reicks urged producers to think be­­yond standard market tools and define their own success metrics before building risk and margin management strategies.

“Everybody’s plan should look different,” Reicks said. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all process.”

Reicks, who helps manage Reicks View Farms in northeast Iowa, offered his views on the modern pressures of pork production, drawing from his personal experience and years of market analysis prior to returning to the farm.

His message: In a business as volatile as hog farming, flexibility ...