SR0097 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0097 LRB104 12059 LAW 22154 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate the Phil and Karen Borgic family of Borgic Farms, Inc. in Raymond on the occasion of being named the 2025 Family of the Year by the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA); and

WHEREAS, Each year, the IPPA honors a pork producing family who has contributed to the long-term success of the industry through leadership and pork promotion on the local, state, and national levels; and

WHEREAS, Phil Borgic and his wife, Karen, are third generation farmers who have been involved in the Illinois pork industry since before they were married in 1982 and have striven to maintain the tradition of quality and family focus of Illinois farmers; today, Phil serves as president and CEO of Borgic Farms, Inc., and Karen serves beside him as the office and finance manager; they both have become mainstays in the industry over the decades; and

WHEREAS, Phil and Karen Borgic graduated from Lincolnwood and Morrisonville High Schools in 1974, respectively, before attaining their associate's degrees from Lincoln Land Community College; Phil then earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Illinois; after graduation, he returned to Montgomery County and began working at the family farm full-time, primarily running the crop operation; after marrying in 1982, he and Karen took over the family farm after his parents, Erval and Betty Borgic, retired in 1991; and

WHEREAS, Phil and Karen Borgic continued to grow and evolve Borgic Farms, which was originally established when his parents started a diversified farm of crops, dairy, beef, chickens, and pigs in Montgomery County in 1952; during Phil and Karen's management, the farm reduced its focus on crops and expanded the hog operation in 1994, and it shifted from farrow-to-finish to a farrow-to-wean farm in 1999; under their guidance, the farm has grown since the early 2000s to include two sow farms, two wean-to-market farms, and over 50 grower partners across Illinois, marketing 450,000 pigs annually along with a 1,200-acre grain operation; over the years, their team has also hosted over 40 farm tours to help educate the public about the pork industry; they and their team celebrated the 50th anniversary of Borgic Farms' incorporation in 2024; and

WHEREAS, Phil and Karen Borgic have been heavily involved with the pork industry throughout the world; Phil was a member of the IPPA Board from 1998 to 2014, serving two terms as president in 2008 and 2009, and he was a two-term member of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020; he has also served on multiple committees for NPPC, the National Pork Board, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and multiple legislators; Karen has been involved in both county and state pork producer groups, helping with fundraisers, pork stands, and Illinois Pork Expo hospitality rooms, and she was a previous recipient of the Elanco Bell Ringer Award; they recently received the honor of serving as a featured family in the U.S. export standards video that is shared with foreign countries as a model for the health and wellness standards of U.S. pork; and

WHEREAS, Phil and Karen Borgic not only serve and maintain Borgic Farms but also remain actively involved in their community through assisting local churches, food pantries, the Central Illinois Food Bank, and countless other organizations; and

WHEREAS, Phil and Karen Borgic are the parents of Mike, Kevin, and Michelle, who have all been involved with the pork industry through internships and careers on the state and national levels, and they are the grandparents of Grayson and Ava, who serve as the unofficial mascots of Borgic Farms; and

WHEREAS, Phil and Karen Borgic continue to grow their legacy throughout their family and community while instilling pride in their team at Borgic Farms, inspiring the organization to continue to grow and evolve with an eye toward the future; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Phil and Karen Borgic family of Borgic Farms, Inc. on being named the 2025 Family of the Year by the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), and we thank the family for their hard work and dedication to their community and the pork industry; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Phil and Karen Borgic as an expression of our esteem and respect.