Leading the Armbrecht Way

April 1, 2026

By Darcy Maulsby

If you spot Dr. Paul Armbrecht on the road, there’s a good chance he’s driving to a farm in his used, high-mileage Cadillac. You might also see him in a school classroom or county fair show ring, helping non-farm Iowans make the farm-to-fork connection. 

“In the last 20 to 30 years, there has been a big shift in Iowans getting farther removed from the farm,” says Armbrecht, who lives at Twin Lakes northwest of Rockwell City. “Even when I visit schools here in Calhoun County, the odds are less than 10% of the kids live on a farm, and fewer of those have livestock.” 

Armbrecht has played a key role in advancing Iowa’s ag industry for more than 50 years, first as a full-time veterinarian and now as a leading swine veterinarian consultant. At 78, he continues to devote his time to improving livestock production, in addition to sharing agriculture’s story. 

“When I’m with a non-farm audience, I’ll ask, ‘Do you like bacon cheeseburgers?’ If you do, you’re supporting three industries in Iowa — beef, pork and dairy,” Armbrecht says. “Imagine what would happen if these farmers weren’t here.”

6 keys to success in farming and life 

These are the kinds of things Armbrecht shares with his own grandkids, who live in urban areas around Des Moines, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Baltimore. As a grandfather, a veterinarian and a mentor, Armbrecht embraces six non-negotiables that lead to success in farming and life: 

1. Invest in “bucket time.”
When he was growing up on a farm near Colo, one of Armbrecht’s pigs earned grand champion honors at the 1958 Story County Fair. “That was my first success with livestock, but it also tuned me in to realizing this isn’t about the trophies,” Armbrecht says. “It’s about the care of the animals.” After graduating from Iowa State University’s (ISU) College of Veterinary Medicine in 1971, he joined a veterinary clinic in Lake City in 1973. As farms grew larger through the years, Armbrecht reminded clients about the value of “bucket time.” Sitting quietly on a bucket and observing animals in their environment. It’s a strategy he still uses to troubleshoot animal health issues.

“We can have streaming video and all the latest technology, but it still doesn’t tell us everything we need to know,” says Armbrecht, who serves independent pork producers across Iowa, including some whom are the fourth generation of their family to work with him. “Somebody needs to be in the barn, observing in real time what’s going on and taking notes. Asking the right questions is vital.”

2. Stay curious.
Never stop learning. “Read a lot,” advised Armbrecht, a U.S. Army veteran who has participated in the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Foreign Animal Disease Committee. “Too many people waste way too much time with the ‘one-eyed idiot box,’ also known as a smartphone.” 

3. Tell the truth.
Armbrecht’s passion for people and pigs came under fire when he testified in 2007 as an expert witness in an animal welfare case in Ohio. While the judge ruled the hog farm was innocent of cruelty and inhumane treatment charges, animal rights activists bombarded Armbrecht with harassing phone calls and threatening letters. “This backlash wasn’t going to sway me,” Armbrecht says. “If you stand for something, you’re going to be challenged.” 

4. Give back to your community.
From his leadership roles at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Lake City to his volunteer work with local youth, Armbrecht is a familiar face throughout his local area. “If you’re going to live in a community, it’s important to be available to people,” he says. Armbrecht has helped countless FFA and 4-H livestock exhibitors at the Calhoun County Expo learn the importance of animal care and biosecurity basics. Armbrecht has also served as a judge for the Bacon Buddies show at the Expo since 2023. 

Bacon Buddies helps young people with special needs experience agriculture hands-on by partnering with 4-H and FFA mentors who exhibit livestock at the fair. Participants have the opportunity to speak with a livestock judge in a public setting and earn a blue ribbon for their efforts. 

“One little girl was fearful of the interview portion of the Bacon Buddies event, but we helped prepare all the participants for this before they entered the show ring with a pig,” says Armbrecht, who noted that several of the Bacon Buddies had never touched a real pig before the show. “After participants give it a try, they’re so excited.” 

During the school year, Armbrecht volunteers with the Calhoun County Farm Bureau’s annual Ag Career Day to help local middle-school students learn about veterinary medicine and other ag careers close to home. He also visits the South Central Calhoun (SCC) elementary school in Rockwell City to help kids learn more about production agriculture. 

“Dr. Armbrecht is always willing to help,” says Kari Case, an SCC second-grade teacher. “I love how he brings real-life examples of items he uses as a vet. He’s animated, gets right down to the kids’ level and is so good at holding their attention.” 

5. Stay humble.
Armbrecht has received many honors during his long career, including Iowa Honorary Master Pork Producer, Iowa Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year, American Association of Swine Practitioners’ Swine Practitioner of the Year, and “Master of Pork Production” by National Hog Farmer magazine. He and his wife, Marlene, were inducted into the Iowa State 4-H Hall of Fame in 2007. But despite the accolades, he remains humble and committed. “Having a supportive spouse and family is key to getting things accomplished,” Armbrecht says. “Also, provide service to people, and nobody can replace you. Those are the correct things that will stand the test of time.”

6. Help the next generation.
Armbrecht speaks to ISU veterinary students and encourages them to consider growing their practices in rural Iowa. “He provides great perspectives on how a veterinarian in a rural community can add value far beyond animal health services, and he shares the rewards this community engagement brings, both personally and professionally,” says Dan Grooms DVM, PhD, the Dr. Stephen G. Juelsgaard Dean of Veterinary Medicine at ISU. 

A recent American Veterinary Medical Association study found that fewer than 4% of veterinarians nationwide practice primarily in food-animal medicine. Armbrecht supports a new program at ISU — the Production Animal — Veterinary Early Acceptance Program (PA – VEAP). “This allows students to complete vet school faster than a traditional vet med program,” says Armbrecht, who recently wrote a letter of recommendation for a local student who has been accepted into PA-VEAP. 

All this ties back to the values Armbrecht was raised with. He appreciates a newspaper editorial his maternal grandfather, Leon Wengert, wrote in April 1953 about the joys and responsibilities of farming.

“Truly, stewards of the land are ever mindful that they are co-partners with God,” wrote Wengert, a Story County farmer. “I wonder, as we enjoy the fruits of the soil and the labors of our farmers, whether we pause long enough to ask the Lord and Giver of all good things to give our farmers wisdom and divine guidance in supplying the entire population with the necessities of life.”