The U.S. swine industry is mourning the loss of Doug Wolf, a pork producer from Lancaster, Wis. Wolf, a past president and board member of the National Pork Producers Council, passed away suddenly this week.

Wolf was a partner in Wolf L&G Farms LLC, which he ran with his wife, Kris, and son Shannon and family. Wolf L&G Farms includes a commercial swine operation, a cow-calf herd and crop operation that produces corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

In addition to his service with NPPC, Wolf was involved with the National Pork Board — most recently as chairman of its Trade Committee — the Wisconsin Pork Association, the Grant County (Wis.) Pork Producers, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, representing NPPC.

At the time of his passing, he also served on the Wisconsin State Board Of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and as a director with People’s State Bank of Prairie Du Chen, Wis., and was involved with Driftless Meats, a USDA-approved processing and retail enterprise in Viroqua, Wis.

“Doug was a great pork producer, a great servant to the pork industry and, most importantly, a great husband, father and person,” says NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “He will be missed.”

National Pork Board president, Jan Archer, a pork producer from North Carolina, says, “Doug Wolf was a warm and genuine man who represented America’s pork producers with grace and tenacity all over the globe. ... He understood the implications of trade relationships and the important role it plays in keeping American farms alive. He took time away from his own farm and family to ensure that the rest of us could sell our products to the world. We all owe Doug a huge debt of gratitude and will miss him terribly.”

Following is the obituary as prepared by the Schwartz Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Lancaster, Wis.

Douglas D. Wolf, age 61, of Lancaster, passed away Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at his home. He was born on Dec. 15, 1954, the son of Robert L. and Marian D. (Keene) Wolf.  Doug graduated from Lancaster High School in 1973. On Aug. 9, 1975, he married his high school sweetheart, Kristine A. Noble at the Lancaster Congregational Church. Doug graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and furthered his education having received his master's from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He taught at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for a short time and later returned to farming. 

Doug, Kris, and their family currently operate Wolf L&G Farms. He served on the Wisconsin Pork Producers Board, National Pork Producers Council, Lancaster School Board and People’s State Bank Board. Doug served on the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

He had a passion to share his love for agriculture which lead him to being elected to numerous boards and committees for which he traveled many different states and countries leaving a legacy in the agriculture industry. Since 2013, Doug and Kris have owned Driftless Meats & More in Viroqua, Wis. 

He was also active in the Lancaster FFA Alumni, Lancaster Congregational Church, and enjoyed hunting trips with family and friends. Doug loved spending time with his five wonderful grandchildren and all of their activities.

Survivors include his loving wife of 40 years, Kris; their daughter, Megan and her daughters: Makenna and Malaina Graney; their son, Shannon (Melissa) and their sons: Mitch, Nolan and Ross; a sister, Jann (Richard) Harms; his brothers: Larry (Pam) and Mark (Rosemary) Wolf; his mother-in-law, Elsie Noble and her family: Terry (Kris); Robert (Diane); Kathy (Rodney) Vogelsberg; Douglas (Amy) Noble; many nieces and nephews.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Marian Wolf; and his father-in-law, Stanley Noble.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Aug. 2 at the Lancaster Congregational Church with Reverend Mark Dieter officiating. Private family burial will be held in Hillside Cemetery, Lancaster, Wis. Family and friends may call on Aug. 1, from 3-8 p.m. at the church and on Aug. 2 from 9:30 a.m. until time of services. In lieu of plants and flowers, a Douglas D. Wolf Memorial Fund has been established. Schwartz Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Lancaster is assisting the family.