Future Focused: Farmers are ready to take advantage of new opportunities

FUTURE FOCUSED

BY BETHANY BARATTA

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH L. MURPHY

FARMERS ARE READY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES

We asked some Iowa soybean farmers to think about the future of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and soybean production in the state. Meet our farmers:

Brent Renner, ISA director in Klemme: soybeans, corn, alfalfa and cattle.

Brent Swart, ISA director in Spencer: soybeans, corn and cover crops; field agronomist for Pioneer.

April Hemmes, ISA director in Hampton: corn, soybeans and hay; United Soybean Board member.

Dean Sponheim, soybeans and corn in Nora Springs; runs a custom strip-till operation and cover crop seed business.

Robb Ewoldt, ISA director in Davenport: soybeans, corn and alfalfa; also has a trucking operation, raises cow-calf pairs and custom finishes hogs.

1. WHAT IS THE ISA BOARD DOING NOW TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT 55 YEARS?

HEMMES: It continues to work with staff to look toward the future through long-range strategic planning efforts in listening to other farmers about their vision of what ISA should look like. This includes putting money away for a “rainy day” to be able to continue projects that have been started. Perhaps most important, forming the District Advisory Council encourages engagement and leadership opportunities in ISA. I like that there are many young farmers involved because they truly are the future of this organization.

EWOLDT: Building relationships with our elected officials and our customers is important in communicating our goals as farmers. That will continue to be vital as the public is multiple generations removed from the farm. We’re always working on trade and developing markets, just as they did in the first 55 years of this organization.

2. WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU PREDICT IOWA SOYBEAN GROWERS WILL SEE IN THE FUTURE AND HOW WILL ISA BE A PART OF THE SOLUTIONS?

HEMMES: Farmers face many challenges now, and they will become even more prominent in the future. Trade, attacks on livestock production, and farming with technology will continue to be a challenge.

But the cost of farming is huge! Getting beginning producers started in soybean production is almost impossible if you don’t have an “in” with a farming operation. Too many young people are not coming back to the farm. Helping those not on the farm understand why and how we produce soybeans will continue to be an opportunity for Iowa’s soybean farmers. The Iowa Food & Family Project, spearheaded by the ISA, is just one example of how we are reaching out to connect farmers with others.

EWOLDT: Profitability. In the short term, market access because of what’s happened with China. It’s a big challenge to develop markets and more uses for soybeans. Regulation and trying to get our own country to understand what we’re doing so we’re not regulated to death. ISA research in crop production will help us understand ways to be more profitable on our farm.

3. HOW WILL RESEARCH BE A PART OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR SOYBEAN GROWERS?

SWART: Research is key to helping develop production practices and find those solutions that continue to make soybeans profitable in Iowa. Continuing research efforts through ISA’s On-Farm Network® and partnerships with Iowa State University and others helps answer growers’ questions about production and management tools to be more profitable on our acres. It also helps determine what products hold the most value to our operations.

SPONHEIM: We can produce a product that farmers can make money on, but research can help us determine how we can have a smaller carbon footprint. As farmers, we’re working on adding cover crops to acres, but we really want to know what we’re getting out of it in terms of water quality, soil health and nutrient reclamation. How do you quantify how much good we’re doing with soil health and water quality by using cover crops in a cropping system? That’s where ISA is coming in. ISA’s environmental programs and water monitoring have been really good, and we need to continue that groundlevel approach.

4. WHAT WILL SOYBEAN PRODUCTION LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE?

RENNER: It’s pretty amazing how much farming has changed in less than 20 years with GPS and autonomous tractors. The soybean itself may look different in the future as end users adjust their preferences to soybeans with higher protein levels or more oleic content. Whether it’s production practices or the product itself, we need to be on the forefront of new finds and opportunities. Then we need to get the information to our growers and allow them to adapt and take advantage of the many different changing markets.

SWART: As a grower, I make decisions to get the highest yield possible in the most profitable manner. But I wonder if, in the future, we’ll still be paid based on yields? Or will our export partners be asking for different metrics, such as protein or oil content of the seed itself to base market prices? Research will continue to look at how soybeans can best be used in aquaculture, cattle and hog production.

SPONHEIM: As much as it’s changed in my short career of 40 years, I don’t know. We’ve gone from adding beans as a second or third crop and not a vital crop on our farm, to soybeans being 50 percent of our business. It’s a big deal. I can see more of us growing soybeans specific to what our customers want. We could be taking crops in and out without being in the tractor and combine, but we still have to produce a product our consumers want.

HEMMES: I always smile when I’m asked this question. My grandfather lived to be 101 and started farming with horses and lived long enough to see an autosteer tractor! Imagine what the future holds for farming and my generation. I think it will definitely have a lot more technology, both mechanical and plant breeding. I have often said we can have designer beans for any market. Soybeans are so versatile in their usage, so there will always be a place for them in the everchanging world of agriculture. The key to all of this is keeping technology affordable for all types of production.

EWOLDT: Maybe soybean production in the future will be more component-based. Maybe we’ll understand soybeans a little more and figure out how to get a little more protein in our product. In 20, 30, 40 years, will it be an oil-driven market? Maybe. Through partnerships with Iowa State University, the Iowa Soybean Research Center and others, ISA will be making sure we get the information out to producers so they understand the research and potential opportunities for growing and selling a different kind of soybean.

5. WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF U.S. SOYBEAN EXPORTS?

HEMMES: U.S. soybeans will always be the best quality and most sustainable source of protein for the world. China is still the biggest market in the world, and I see that continuing. The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) has done a phenomenal job developing markets in countries with fast-growing populations that could benefit from protein found in U.S. soy. Nearterm, I see Southeast Asia, India and Vietnam becoming big players. We also can’t ignore Africa.

EWOLDT: We’re already starting to see a little bit of life after China — soybean prices have softened and it’s bringing some customers back. Long term, I see Egypt, northern Africa, Southeast Asia, Vietnam and the Philippines as major markets. But anywhere we’re not, let’s try to sell beans.

6. HOW WILL ISA BE DIFFERENT — OR THE SAME — IN THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS?

RENNER: My hope is that ISA looks much the same in its structure. A focus on newer products — whether that’s soybeans with a higher protein level or a different amino acid makeup — could cause a shift to take advantage of expanding markets. The organization will still be looking at every opportunity to grow farming operations in a responsible way and take advantage of new and expanding markets.

SWART: The thing I hope that will be the same is the good farmer leadership we’ve had for the last 55 years. As farmers, we can all be proud of our strong organization and its leadership. My hope is that we can continue the soybean checkoff, so we can continue to find solutions to the challenges that farmers face. Farmers in Iowa and nationally need a strong voice for them.

SPONHEIM: The main goals will remain the same: looking out for the producer as well as the consumer. No. 1 is the producer, to keep them in business and remain profitable. We’ll continue to work with customers to produce something they want to purchase. ISA is going to have to be flexible and change according to the wants and needs of producers and consumers, but the organization has been way ahead of the curve for a long time. I hope it continues to be proactive.

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.