Zoetis Caregiver Awards 2027 honours unseen heroes in pig welfare and farm teamwork

Zoetis opens nominations for its 2027 Caregiver Awards to recognise daily decision-makers in pig health and welfare, with categories celebrating commitment, teamwork, and mentorship. Winners will be announced at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, highlighting practical leadership and industry collaboration.

Zoetis has opened nominations for its 2027 Caregiver Awards, a programme designed to spotlight the often unseen workers whose daily decisions shape pig health, welfare and productivity. The scheme matters because the pork industry is under constant pressure to improve animal care, retain skilled staff and strengthen knowledge transfer across farms and veterinary teams.

According to Zoetis, nominations will remain open until 28 February 2027, with winners to be celebrated at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. The company has set out three categories: “Caring Is Job One”, which rewards day-to-day commitment to pig welfare; “The Power of Teamwork”, which recognises collaboration across barns, practices and production systems; and “Inspiring the Future”, which focuses on mentors and educators.

Veterinarians may nominate candidates, but they are not eligible for the award themselves. Wes Lack, Zoetis’s national sales director for pork, said that “great animal care starts with great people” and that caregivers make thousands of choices every day that support herd health and operational continuity.

The programme also reflects Zoetis’s broader effort to position itself as an industry partner rather than just a supplier. Last year’s honourees included workers from Tosh Farms, AMVC and Country View Family Farms, underscoring the award’s emphasis on practical leadership, not titles.