Posted: April 22, 2025
Daniel Baum, Elizabethtown, has been selected as the 2025 Animal Science Distinguished Alumni by Penn State's Department of Animal Science. Dr. Lisa Holden, Interim Head of the Department of Animal Science, presented the award to him at Penn State on Friday, April 11, at the Stockman's Club banquet and at the Little International Livestock Exposition at the Snider Ag Arena on Saturday, April 12.
Baum is a 1978 graduate in Animal Production, and president of the Daniel Baum Company, born out of a third-generation family business, Baum's Bologna, which is active in manufacturing fermented sausage products. The Daniel Baum Company continues to maintain ties with the family bologna business while becoming a leader in delivering solutions for health, productivity, performance, and wellness for livestock and companion animals around the globe.
While at Penn State, Baum was active in the Block and Bridle Club, showing in three Little International Shows. He also wrestled for Penn State from 1974 to 1978. He lived and worked at the Meats Lab.
Dr. Lisa Holden, interim head of the Department of Animal Science, said, "We are very pleased to recognize Daniel Baum as our distinguished Animal Science alumnus. Dan is a leader in animal agriculture who has given back to Penn State to support our faculty, staff, and students. We are truly grateful."
Baum said, "I'm truly honored and humbled to be the 2025 recipient of this award. I look forward to continuing a relationship with the Animal Science community at Penn State and throughout the Ag community worldwide."
A true entrepreneur, Baum has led the development of over 50 products for use in cattle, poultry, equine, porcine, pet, and cervid nutrition and health industries, and the company has been recognized around the world for providing outstanding customer service and top-quality products.
Baum's Bologna has produced tasty Sweet Bologna for over 100 years. The Daniel Baum Company was founded in 1984 after the discovery of a new process to speed up the fermentation of their sweet bologna, which revealed exciting new applications in animal agriculture. Baum has led the development of over 50 products for use in cattle, poultry, equine, porcine, pet, and cervid nutrition and health industries. DBC Ag Products and Nutri-Core poultry line provide health and nutritional solutions for the poultry industry from the hatchery to the laying house. Along with his brother Tom and other collaborators, they began Head Gear LLC, which provides advanced nutritional science and animal health technology for wild and farm deer.
He is married to fellow Penn Stater Jennifer, and they live in Elizabethtown, where they raised three children and have six grandchildren. One granddaughter carries on the Penn State tradition as a freshman at University Park!
