Iowa State University student crowned 2018 Iowa Pork Queen

The Iowa Pork Producers Association has selected a young woman from Altoona to serve as the 2018 Iowa Pork Queen and lead the Iowa Pork Youth Leadership Team during the coming year.

Jordan Travis was crowned at the 46th annual Iowa Pork Congress banquet in Des Moines. She is the daughter of Shawn and Darcy Travis, also of Altoona, and is a sophomore at Iowa State University majoring in animal science. Travis has an immense passion for swine and hopes to have a career in human resource management for a large swine company after graduation. She will represent Story County during her year-long reign.

The only two young men among the 12 contestants competing to serve on the 2018 Iowa Pork Youth Leadership Team were selected as youth pork ambassadors. Spencer Cook of Winthrop in Buchanan County and Cole Spain of Castalia in Fayette County will join Travis on the new team.

Cook is the son of Aaron and Trish Cook and is a senior at East Buchanan High School. He plans to study agricultural business at ISU in the fall and looks forward to advocating for farmers and being a voice for the agricultural industry.

Spain is the son of Vince and Stephanie Spain and is a freshman at ISU pursuing a degree in agricultural education. Spain hopes to one day return to northeast Iowa and become an agricultural education teacher, while expanding his show pig herd.

All 12 contestants participated in interview and communications exercises and were judged on their skills, poise, presentation and overall knowledge of the pork industry and Iowa agriculture.

The top female contestant is crowned pork queen and the top two remaining contestants, male or female, are named youth ambassadors. Each receives a $4,000 scholarship from IPPA.

The new youth leadership team members will represent IPPA at various pork promotional and educational events throughout the year.