Hartman Global Intellectual Property (IP) Law protects the rights and innovations of companies in countless industries. From the car you drive to work to the meal you make for your family dinner – there’s a good chance a Hartman Global client impacts your day someway, somehow.
Belstra Milling Company is one of those companies that helps put food on your table. They are involved in the agricultural process from nearly top to bottom, producing feed for dairies, swine farms, show animals, and even family pets. They also operate one of the Region’s largest family and employee-owned pig farms, focusing on running a safe, humane business to “help feed the world.”
“Our mission statement is that we’re founded and grounded in faith and family, moving passionately with integrity, quality, and service,” said Larisa Bontrager, regulatory compliance senior manager at Belstra Milling Company. “Those three words are what we live by. They’re actually words voted on by our employees as our core values. It means providing high quality to our customers and doing the best we can for our community.”
Belstra’s brands and lines of feeds include names such as Action Feeds, Heinold Feeds, Evolution Show Feeds, and NatureServe. Animals from swine, cattle, horses, rabbits, chickens, goats, and more are all raised on feed produced at its DeMotte mill. In 2021, the mill was named the Premix/Ingredient Feed Facility of the Year by the American Feed Industry Association.
“The end impact of this is the meat you’re able to eat,” Bontrager said. “A number of our pigs are sold and butchered here in Indiana. We also have a farm store, and we sell some of our meat directly out of there. You can also buy all of our feed there, so if you have backyard chickens, goats, cows, or things like that, you can stop by and get feed any day.”
Established as a family-owned business in 1954, the company is now co-owned by the Belstra family and the company’s own employees. Together, they put a strong emphasis on doing right by the community in whatever ways they can, be it through service or programs such as the LEAP Foundation.
Short for Learning Education About Pigs, the LEAP Foundation is designed to teach consumers and students around the Midwest about pigs, pig farming, and agriculture.
“We do different virtual farm tours a couple of times a month,” Bontrager said. “It lets students see pig farms, see how the food that they eat is raised, and build a stronger awareness about agriculture and the role of farmers.”
Many students also encounter Belstra’s products when they raise show animals. From the smallest chickens or rabbits to the largest horses and cows – kids (and adults) across the country raise prize-winning animals with Belstra feeds.
“It’s great to see kids getting involved in agriculture,” Bontrager said. “We really try to foster that kind of relationship with kids around the community. It started out with shows around Jasper and Porter County, and now our showcase brands are nationally known.”
Belstra’s products are sold around the world, including countries such as Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. That is where Hartman Global steps in, protecting their name, image, and products even on shelves overseas.
To learn more about Belstra Milling and their products, visit belstramilling.com.
For more information on Hartman Global Intellectual Property Law, visit hartmanglobal-ip.com.
