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Eggheads is the go-to podcast for egg industry professionals who are interested in leadership and innovation in the egg world. Host Greg Schonefeld explores the evolving world of modern egg farming, from the latest in cage-free innovations and organic certifications to navigating the economics of large-scale production. Whether you're an egg producer, supplier, or involved in poultry genetics, this show provides the insights and expert discussions you need to thrive in the industry. Crack open the science, strategies, and stories behind the egg industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities.
Lisa Henning:
The older generation is very aware that we need more people, and more young people, and more diversity. And there's something about sort of when it's your turn to hand the baton over, there's a realization of sharing the knowledge and wanting a legacy.
Greg Schonefeld:
I'm Greg Schonefeld, and this is Eggheads. Back in April, I had the pleasure of participating in the PEAK conference in Minneapolis. PEAK is the largest poultry business conference in trade show in North America. And while running the Eggheads booth, I had the opportunity to talk to so many people doing so many different cool things within the industry. The whole thing had me feeling really energized about the egg world, and also our efforts at Eggheads to shed light on the innovative things going on inside of it. And so I wanted to talk to Lisa Henning. She's in charge of organizing the PEAK conference. Lisa has a real passion for eggs, and she comes by it honestly.
Lisa Henning:
So, Henning started in 1924 with my great-grandfather, Lars, and he was a brick mason. And he and his brother were really more known for doing clay tile barns in Franklin County, Iowa.
Greg Schonefeld:
The business grew over the years, and it was once her dad Jeff got involved that they went from a general contractor to really specializing in agricultural construction.
Lisa Henning:
I would say our specialty niche is more obviously doing a lot of layer barns and hatcheries and feed mills now today for egg farmers all over the United States.
Greg Schonefeld:
Despite the success of the business, growing up, Lisa never felt like construction or agriculture was for her.
Lisa Henning:
Yeah, my degree was in English Lit and communication studies. And I was working in Chicago, and I wanted to work for Cheerbean company and I did get the opportunity to work for them for several years. And then 9/11 happened and a lot of people lost jobs.
Greg Schonefeld:
After that, her father came to her with a proposition.
Lisa Henning:
That is when my father came to me. He had a bunch of things written on a yellow sheet of paper, and said, "I need someone to do all this. You think about it and you can make it what you want." And that was really the beginning of now 20 plus years working for Henning companies.
Greg Schonefeld:
And what a career it's been. On top of her work with Henning, Lisa sits on several industry boards, which is how she got involved in organizing the PEAK conference. At this point, she's done so much to lift all of us up, and she's had the opportunity to view the industry from so many different vantage points. We were thrilled to sit down with her and pick her brain about the future of PEAK recruiting young people into the egg world, and how we could all do a better job selling the industry.
So, that conversation with your dad led to this career with Henning. And that's led you to be on several boards including the Midwest Egg Consortium Board, the Midwest Poultry Federation and the American Egg Board. Can you talk about the work that you do, or that you've done on those different bodies?
Lisa Henning:
Yeah. I was super intimidated at first, and then just really honored to be asked to represent the industry in those different ways. And I think for me, the people in the industry that I've worked with on those boards have been incredibly supportive, and it's just been a very positive experience. So for instance, the Midwest Poultry Consortium, they raise money for the center of Excellence, and they give poultry scholarships. So obviously, that's a great avenue for our industry to cultivate people coming in and taking jobs. And we try to raise money from companies in the industry to support that program.
And then the Midwest Poultry Federation Board is the board obviously that helps put on the trade show PEAK. And I have the pleasure of being the current president of that organization. And I remember I joined that board, it was right before Covid. It was like 2019, and we had the show ready to go. And then we had a week before the world closed down, and we needed to pivot, and we ended up doing that show virtually. And that was the first time we'd ever tried to do anything like that. And it was very eye-opening and educational, and not a great success, but at least it was something. And people had some type of virtual platform to try to learn some education, but nothing obviously can compare to in-person connection and relationships. But that was a wild ride.
Greg Schonefeld:
I mean, talk about just a major challenge thrown at you, and of all the things to try to go through in Covid, I would say organizing a mass in-person event in a very short period of time, what can you do?
Lisa Henning:
And at that point, a lot of that money, it had been spent, right? I mean, because it was a week right before the show. So, we had to recover from some loss financially, but now are in such an amazing position. So, that's I think for me been a really wonderful thing to see, going from having to have a challenge and overcome it and try to find, be results oriented, and creative with a virtual show, to then trying to live in a world where people are told not to be in person, and then try to advocate for people to be back in person obviously during Covid was another mental hoop to jump through for everyone, and then bird flu on top of that. So we kept having these industry challenges that weren't really advantageous to getting people to come to a trade show and be all together in a room.
But I will say that the numbers today are so exciting. Where we are with that show and how it's grown. This year, for instance, we had the most exhibiting companies, and we had 41 new exhibiting companies. We had to move out of St. Paul, which was a really lovely charming destination for our show. But we outgrew that space. And we even tried to cobble together different side rooms and whatnot, and we're like, "No, okay, we really need a bigger space." So we ended up going back to the Minneapolis Convention Center. And we were in the basement for a few years, because we had to work our way back up to the main level. And in fact, next year we're taking on a little bit more show floor space because we have a wait list of people that want to be exhibiting.
And so I also feel that there's a special place with that show where we don't want to get too big. We always say we're different from Atlanta, right? Because Atlanta's such a huge show, and PEAK is different in that way. It has a different sort of ambiance and a different feel, and that's what makes us special, and we like that. So we were trying to keep that feeling, but also continue to grow a little bit. But it's a balancing act as with all things.
Greg Schonefeld:
I will say, just from my personal experience, that would be one of the reasons why it's one of my favorite, if not my very favorite conferences, because it does just have a feel of community, I guess, when you go there. And then of course, there's kind of the conference, away from the conference, as I call it, which is the Hilton bar, it seems like.
Lisa Henning:
Oh, yeah.
Greg Schonefeld:
I don't know if you plan that, or if that just, kind of a natural pull to get there.
Lisa Henning:
I think that that's poultry people. I think that that's just the nature of our egg peeps, as I like to call them. We are social people, and Unhatched is also a result of that, right?
Greg Schonefeld:
Oh, yeah.
Lisa Henning:
What was a small sort of short little welcome to drink ticket scenario, evolving into more of a real live band, have some food, don't go out to dinner that night, come make the Unhatched event, the thing you're attending that evening. I think that sometimes these trade shows and conferences, they're serious, obviously, you're doing business, but you also want to be in an inspiring environment where you can have fun with people and make memories in a way that move your relationship forward.
Greg Schonefeld:
I think that's a great concept, and probably something that does set this conference apart, I would say, because like you said, poultry people always have a way of finding fun, I think. But to really incorporate it into the event and encourage it, I think says something. And I will say that I've noticed that event seems to grow each year.
Lisa Henning:
This year we sold out. Again, it was one of the first times that that's happened. So a lot of fun firsts in terms of growing and progression in PEAK that is great to see.
Greg Schonefeld:
And you said 2025 is record exhibitors. And by the way, side note there, my first time exhibiting with any company and we did one with Eggheads, and that was a great experience too.
Lisa Henning:
Yeah. Well, first of all, thank you for being a new exhibitor.
Greg Schonefeld:
Oh, of course.
Lisa Henning:
I had the chance to come by your Eggheads booth and you guys seemed like having a lot of fun, and had some fun interactive experiences for people that were visiting your booth, which I think is always a winning combination. So thank you. I got some swag for myself from your booth.
Greg Schonefeld:
Excellent. I'm glad to hear. No, we did have a ton of fun.
Lisa Henning:
Good. Then yeah, I will just say, give a shout-out, we had 70 different sPEAKers for our educational track, which I'm really proud of. We a couple of years ago integrated a new business leadership track. So, I think that that's still sort of trying to find its legs, but I think it's an important addition to our education opportunities. You want people on the show floor, so it's hard sometimes to get them to go to the educational tracks, but I would just encourage anyone who's listening to this to give the business leadership educational sessions or talks a try, because everyone that I have had the chance to talk with that have been in those, have walked away with learning something new, or being able to take something back to their team or their business. And I do think that that's a very worthwhile endeavor.
Greg Schonefeld:
Yeah.
Lisa Henning:
But then I also wanted to say that we put the show on and then the money after all the bills are paid, it goes back to the industry. Yes, you're coming and you're meeting with your customers, and hopefully you're learning some new knowledge and you walk away feeling like it was beneficial, but also the money at the end of the day goes back into the industry. It goes back to the state associations, and goes back to things like the Center of Excellence and supporting FFA. And it's just this great loop of rising tides.
Greg Schonefeld:
Having talked about PEAK and the future of the conference, I wanted to switch gears and get Lisa's take on some of the broader trends and changes she's seen in the industry, as someone who's been plugged in at so many different levels.
Lisa Henning:
Well, one of the biggest ones would obviously be animal activism and animal welfare, and the whole transition from conventional housing systems to cage-free, and aviary, and free-range. So, obviously that has really impacted the way producers raise their hens and the environment in which they raise their hens in. And my frustration, I would say rather, especially having served on the American Egg Board, and obviously they advocate for consumer knowledge and telling the truth about different housing styles, choose what you want to choose in the grocery store, but do it based on the truth. There's truth about why something is, and then there is the story someone else wants to tell about why one might be better than the other. Understand what it is you're purchasing.
So, I enjoy having those conversations. They could be challenging conversations, but I do get asked a lot about the color of the yolk, about the shell color of an egg, about why one bird is brown and one is white. And I mean, I think there's just still a lot of consumer education to be had.
Greg Schonefeld:
When it comes to getting this message to consumers, is there something that industry is doing or should be doing to help improve things on that front?
Lisa Henning:
Yes, I think that there's always something more we could be doing. But I do think that we are doing a lot more than what we used to do. So, I do think that farmers are telling more of their own story. I do think there's more of a presence on social media. I do think that producers have realized that if we're not telling our own story, someone's telling a story for us that we may not like. I've never met anyone in this industry that isn't really passionate, that doesn't really want to take care of their animals, regardless of the size of the farm.
So, I think that's also a misconception, that, oh, if you have a very big farm, you don't care as much. The size and scale of farms is bigger today than it used to be, but that doesn't mean that those people and all the individuals working there aren't doing an incredible job at taking care of the animals, and want them to live their best life and produce a safe nutritious product.
So, I think it's just the idea of what farming looks like is just this utopian, the red barn and the small flock running around. And I don't know where we all get that from, if it's movies, or if it's from stories being told from our grandparents, but that's just not the reality today. The way we produce food today is much larger scale. And we don't even produce enough. We're talking about a food security issue. We literally don't have enough people that want to be in farming and produce food.
Greg Schonefeld:
Speaking of this idea of getting messages out from the industry, you've talked about the need to attract talent to agriculture. Why do you think it's been such a challenge to recruit people to the industry, and what do you think we can do about that?
Lisa Henning:
I think that a lot of people that aren't in that traditional track of, either that didn't grow up around farming, or didn't go to an ag school like Iowa State or Indiana, Ohio, whatever core Midwestern university that has some agricultural farming influences, if you didn't have exposure, why would someone think about working in our industry? I think those are the things we have to try to think about. How do we get outside of the people that already know, and find the people that are looking for jobs? I mean, that's the other issue. I mean, just the labor force in general is smaller. Everybody is vying, and we can't find enough workers.
Greg Schonefeld:
Yeah. I was laughing as you're talking because I went to an ag school, Texas A&M, but I studied accounting and finance. Didn't think about agriculture at all. Then eventually went to work for my dad, who's been putting up agriculture buildings now since the mid-90s. But my dad did construction. In my mind, I didn't think he's in agriculture, even when I joined his business. And eventually, I realized, "Hey, we're part of this ag picture and I want to know better how we fit into that." But it's really interesting to hear you talk about that there are different paths in accounting, and finance, and marketing. I mean, all those kinds of jobs exist in agriculture. And why go do that for another industry versus ag, and maybe there's somehow a strategy that could be taken there.
Lisa Henning:
And I feel like to the grand extent, our industry is very supportive like that. We cheerlead younger people. We believe in sharing knowledge and passing the baton, and there's only one way of doing that, right? You're learning on the job, or you're learning from someone else sharing their knowledge. But that's the journey. I mean, I think that that's the wonderful part of being able to come up to somebody else and say, "Hey, I want to know more about what you do, and share with me what your tips are, and what makes you successful, and your path." I think it's all of us having those moments of sharing each other's paths and journeys that is special.
Greg Schonefeld:
Well, one more note on the idea of attracting talent and growing within the industry, one thing you've been passionate about is getting women involved in the industry. And can you talk to a little bit of what you've seen on that maybe over the years, how much women have been involved, or how that's changing over time?
Lisa Henning:
Yeah, it's really good to see more women in the industry, obviously, whether you're talking about construction or farming, both could be set as a traditionally a male-dominated industry. But I've had the pleasure to be around some really groundbreaking women that opened doors. Koke Anderson, for instance, was one of the first women on the American Egg Board, and really opened a lot of doors for others. And so I think it's just us continuing to talk and share opportunities. And I've had the ability to be part of one of our egg farm operations, we have an employee resource group called Women at Versova Excel, it's called WAVE. And I was asked to chair that with several other female employees on a steering committee.
And so we've been doing that for the last, I guess it's been like three or four years now at this point, but to really try to think about women in our company, and that company and the farm entities, and how we could engage them more, how we could bring more educational opportunities, motivational things, helping them to build connections with each other. All of those things help I think with retention and help with empowerment. And I just really strongly think that when you can be part of a group that inspires and motivates and elevates, it's only a good thing because it helps everybody. And I think that that is a good thing for our industry.
But I think that also the older generation is very aware that we need more people and more young people and more diversity. And there's something about when it's your turn to hand the baton over, there's a realization of sharing the knowledge and wanting a legacy. And so I think that there is, as much as a lot of people want to hold on to the job for as long as possible, there's also this duality of, "Oh, I also want to have a legacy and have someone carry this on and share my knowledge."
Greg Schonefeld:
Is there a concerted effort being made to get women in the industry?
Lisa Henning:
What I would say about that is yes and no. I think the answer to that is, yes, we want more diversity, whatever that looks like. But also, you want to hire someone that's qualified, that's the best person for the job. So, sometimes those are the same things, and sometimes they're not, right? So I think it's something that gets better over time, right? That whole thing about, if you don't see it, you can't be it. So if there isn't a woman in your job or in your industry or in your role, how can you imagine yourself there? So, I think it takes women being in the roles for other women to see that and to be like, "Oh, yeah, okay, I could do that." And that happens over time, right?
Greg Schonefeld:
Would you say over your time in the industry that you have seen progress with more women getting engaged and having success in the industry?
Lisa Henning:
Yes, absolutely. Yes. I mean, right now I think about, I know feed nutritionists, I know veterinarians, I know women in construction. So yes, there are definitely way more women than when I first started 20 years ago.
Greg Schonefeld:
Lisa has a great point about the legacy in the egg industry, and the power of setting a good example and passing information to the next generation. And it all starts with attracting talent and telling the story of different opportunities that exist in the industry. Something Aaron Witt shared a great message on a couple episodes ago.
Special thanks to Lisa Henning, who's working hard to maximize the opportunities for egg folks to network, and learn from one another, and creating opportunities for young people to get involved in the egg industry. After covering all that ground, now just a single burning question remains.
How do you prefer your eggs?
Lisa Henning:
I really enjoy eggs Benedict, but I like all different kinds of preparations. Actually, last night I just made a frittata. I made pork and vegetables the night before on the grill, and then I thought, "Oh, this would make a really good omelet, or frittata, or quiche." So I think eggs are such a great carrier for so many different meals.
Greg Schonefeld:
For sure. And I'm a big advocate for eggs for dinner. I love that.
Lisa Henning:
I love it too.
Greg Schonefeld:
Make sure you follow Eggheads on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn too. If you want to be a guest or have topic ideas, please send us a message. Until next time, I'm Greg Schonefeld, and we'll talk to you soon.