AG Mag Southwest Iowa
From
Boom to Burst? Corn and soybean prices are dropping. Local farmers and ag experts discuss whether this is the end of an industry bubble or simply a normal contraction. Drop in crop prices has soybeans on the rise
P.O. Box 126 Creston, IA 50801 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
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Index
AG Mag Southwest Iowa
Publisher Rich Paulsen Advertising Director Craig Mittag Managing Editor Kyle Wilson Magazine Editors Larry Lough, Jeff Rogers
10
Page Design Jeff Rogers Reporters & Photographers Sarah Brown, David Giuliani, Amy Hansen, Mike Mendenhall, Jamee A. Pierson, Bailey Poolman, Jake Waddingham and Kyle Wilson Published by Creston News Advertiser 503 W. Adams St. Creston, IA 50801 641-782-2141 Articles and advertisements are the property of Creston News Advertiser. No portion of the Southwest Iowa Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Creston News Advertiser. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Creston News Advertiser cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Creston News Advertiser cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.
4 Fall 2014
COVER STORY
Money talks Price drops have Southwest Iowa farmers contemplating changes to their operations. Young and wise Bedford High School grad Will Crum has his sights set on a career in swine production.
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AG Mag
5
Index Harvest headliner
20
The annual Fête de Maïs celebration brings a taste of France to Corning, Iowa.
Record crop, and price drop A healthy growing season and dropping commodities prices could result in more soybeans being planted.
28 Cattle calling
32
Southwestern Community College ag students get some practical experience in hosting the Breeder’s Classic, an annual cattle sale.
24
CENTERPIECE STORY
Cost & benefit Southwest Iowa farmers weigh investment in cover crops vs. improvements in soil quality.
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Index The fruits of his labor
37
Steven Wainwright has opened his Ladoga LaBlanche Orchards west of Bedford to the public.
40
FARMERS FORUM
An aerial view
Same farm, different times The Brewbaker family shares their story of life on a century farm in Warren County. Needless to say, much has changed.
42
44
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Does the near future of farming in Southwest Iowa include sending drones over fields? We asked five local farmers.
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Medical Arts Plaza | 1610 West Townline | Creston, IA 50801
He’s Back! Steve Stults, 73, of Creston endures open heart surgery, fully recovers with help from medical professionals at Greater Regional Medical Center.
Steve Stults drew a pitching wedge from his bag last month, squared his stance and lofted his golf ball straight up the hill on hole No. 1 at Crestmoor Golf Club in Creston. It wasn’t a pin-seeking shot. That didn’t matter to Stults, though, who came back to his golf cart smiling. He was just happy to be back. See, that outing — on July 17 to be exact — was the first day the 73-year-old Stults was cleared by his cardiologist to return to the links. Stults said he’s especially relished each day he’s been on the course this summer — given just four short months ago he was on an operating table in Des Moines hoping to survive open heart surgery.
Discovery After 35 years, Stults retired as an optometrist at Creston Vision Clinic in 2000. He’s stayed active since then — walking at least one mile each morning in his neighborhood near McKinley Lake. However, last October he began having chest pains during his walks. “I thought it was indigestion,” Stults said, “but the pains became more frequent heading into the winter months and I noticed they were only occurring when I exercised.” Stults knew he had an annual exam scheduled in April with Dr. Lonny Miller at Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston. “I decided to wait until then,” Stults said. Come April 18, Stults told Dr. Miller about his shortness of breath and the chest pains he’d been undergoing during exercise. Miller promptly ordered a nuclear stress test for Aug. 22 with Patti Walter — cardiac rehabilitation nurse at Greater Regional. “He failed the test,” said Steve’s wife Dee Ann Stults. “She put him on the treadmill for 4 1/2 minutes at a brisk walk. He had trouble. He was exhausted and needed to sit down after about a minute or so.”
Three blockages That testing caused Dr. Miller and Walter to immediately set up an appointment with Dr. James Lovell — one of the cardiologists from Des Moines that see patients at Greater Regional each week. Steve met with him the next day April 23. “Dr. Lovell told us — Patti told him — he wasn’t allowed to leave Creston that day until he saw Steve,” Dee Ann said. “We are so fortunate to have a cardiologist and all the other specialty health care professionals that come here to Greater Regional.” During the appointment, Dr. Lovell remarked that Steve “flat-out flunked” the stress test and predicted he would need open heart surgery. Lovell sent Steve to Iowa Methodist in Des Moines April 24 for further investigation whereby doctors found three arteries more than 90 percent blocked. “My anterior descending artery was 99 percent blocked,” Steve said. Steve was scheduled for open heart surgery the next day April 25 with instructions that night not to get out of his hospital bed or move — for fear he’d have a heart attack. He then spent a total of five days at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines recovering before returning home to Creston.
Returning home Steve continued to recover at home in Creston for just more than one week before starting cardiac rehabilitation with Walter at Greater Regional. They met three times per week for a month and a-half. “We started with light exercising the first week — five minutes on the bike and treadmill each,” Walter said. “We talked about reducing stress and focusing on healthy-living behaviors. He wore a heart monitor when exercising with me and we continually checked his numbers. By the time he was discharged, he was walking and biking for more than 30 minutes each session. He was a model patient.” Stults also met with Ginny Lents — dietary director at Greater Regional —
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641-782-3887 for more information or to schedule an appointment today! during his one-month cardiac rehabilitation. She gave him a “whole packet of information” on how to create a heart-healthy diet. Steve continues to strengthen his heart with his new diet. And, he also walks for a half hour five to six times per week. He said — while the past four months have been stressful and somewhat dramatic — he’s beyond thankful for all the community support and the excellent care he’s received at Greater Regional Medical Center. “I received 90 percent of my care in Creston,” Steve said. “I’ve done everything at Greater Regional except the open heart surgery and a catheterization. We are so lucky to have these health professionals right here for us. Looking back now — the way they worked so quickly — they may very well have saved my life. And, if I had advice for others, it would be to pay attention to any chest pain. Just get it checked out.”
AG Mag
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Jake Waddingham/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Aaron Saeugling, extension field agronomist for 14 counties in Southwest Iowa, said lower farmland values and commodity prices will result in a few changes in farming practices.
TIME TO BE CONSERVATIVE?
Prices could influence minor changes to farm practices
A
BY JAKE WADDINGHAM AND DAVID GIULIANI For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
lan Piper of Greenfield has spent his entire life involved with farming. He remembers the switch to no-till practices in the 1980s as farmers started to realize the benefits of the new farming method. “We were to the point where we sold all our
10 Fall 2014
plows and discs,” Piper said. “I bet I haven’t turned any of the soil over since the early 1990s.” Piper transitioned in the 1990s from a diversified farm of row crops, cattle and hogs to only row crops as prices and farm values struggled. “Farm prices on a whole were so poor, it was hard to make a living,” Piper said. “I even had to take a part-time job in town.” CONTINUED ON 11
U.S. corn yields Yields have increased dramatically over the past century: Year ................... Bushels per acre 2014 ....................................... *172 2013 ........................................ 159 2012 ........................................ 123 2011 ........................................ 147 2010 ........................................ 153 2009 ........................................ 165 2008 ........................................ 154 2007 ........................................ 151 2006 ........................................ 149 2005 ........................................ 148 2000 ........................................ 136 1995 ........................................ 114 1990 ........................................ 119 1985 ........................................ 118 1980 .......................................... 91 1975 .......................................... 86 1970 .......................................... 72 1965 .......................................... 74 1960 .......................................... 72 1955 .......................................... 42 1950 .......................................... 38 1945 .......................................... 33 1940 .......................................... 29 1935 .......................................... 24 1930 .......................................... 21 1925 .......................................... 27 1920 .......................................... 30 * estimated Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Farmland values Average 2014 farmland values per acre in Midwestern states, with Iowa and Illinois being the first and second highest nationwide, respectively: Farmland value % increase per acre 2013-14 Illinois $7,520 5.9% Indiana $6,950 8.6% Iowa $8,500 10.4% Michigan $4,700 9.3% Minnesota $4,750 10.5% Ohio $5,550 8.8% Wisconsin $4,400 7.3% Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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What followed were years of increasing land values and strong grain prices. But recent projections have forecast lower numbers for farm values and commodity prices, Piper knows changes could be ahead, but he is not worried about them. “With this being our first year with poor prices, I don’t think it will have much of an effect yet,” Piper said. “If the prices stay here for two or three years, then I think we could see some problems.” Piper works with 320 acres in Adair County that he has divided evenly between corn and soybeans. “The lower farmland values and commodity prices will have a few changes in farming practices,” said Aaron Saeugling, extension field agronomist for 14 counties in southwest Iowa. “We will see a conservative approach to farming practices.” Farmers are storing more of their previous year’s crop in on-farm storage facilities, which could lead to trouble with a bin-buster harvest. The crop forecast yield is up to 185 bushels per acre, up from last year’s 165 acres. “Commodity prices are definitely having short-term effects on inputs,” Saeugling said. “Land prices have yet to hit the market, so we will have to wait and see how land prices are affected in the next 6 to 12 months.” Piper said he had enough storage for 90 percent of the harvest, and had sold enough of his corn and soybeans in advance that storage would not be an issue for him this fall. “The lower corn price makes raising cattle easier, but for the strictly corn and soybean farmers that will have to be tighter [in the future],” said Alex Maeder, a farmer in Adair County and recent graduate from Iowa State University. “For buying inputs, we will have to look at all aspects.” Piper agreed and said local livestock
Increases since 2010 A look at increases in average farmland values since 2010 in Illinois and Iowa: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Illinois $4,720 $5,390 $6,210 $7,100 $7,520 Iowa $4,350 $5,410 $6,530 $7,700 $8,500
‘‘
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Commodity prices are definitely having short-term effects on inputs. Land prices have yet to hit the market, so we will have to wait and see how land prices are affected in the next 6 to 12 months. Aaron Saeugling, extension field agronomist
’’
producers have commented how the lower feeding costs could allow for solid profits in the livestock sector.
‘Softness’ in farmland prices According to a study in the spring, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that Iowa and Illinois had the highest-priced farmland, on average, nationally – at $8,500 and $7,520 an acre, respectively. In Iowa, where the state says one of six jobs is directly related to agriculture, the average farmland price has nearly doubled since 2010. In parts of Illinois and Iowa, though, some farmland prices are starting to see declines. But Dale Aupperle, president and founder of Forsyth, Illinois-based Heartland Ag Group, said increases in rural land values over the past decade don’t represent a bubble. “One of my favorite expressions is that ‘Farmland is what it earns,’” said Aupperle, whose company advises farmers. “The earnings stream has supported farmland values for the last 10 years. That takes away from it being a bubble. Now that the earnings stream is threatened with lower commodity prices, you expect to see some softness in land prices.” Although corn and soybean prices are down, he said, demand for those crops is stable. He said one expert he knows likes to say, “The best cure for low prices is low prices.” “I believe that with $3 [a bushel] corn and $10 soybeans, that is creating new markets as we speak,” Aupperle said. As corn prices decline, that means feed costs less. “The livestock guys are enjoying this,” Aupperle said. “That’s stimulating demand.” He said he hadn’t seen a dramatic reduction in land values. Since 1970, he said, the upward trend in farmland prices has been interrupted just three times. Two of those interruptions were corrections of less than 10 percent, he said, while the last one, in the 1980s, saw a 50 percent drop. “That was a period of extreme speculation, high inflation, and a severe rise in interest rates,” he said. That’s not the case now. Compared with much of the rest of the economy, Aupperle said, farmland is considered a good long-term investment. “Right now, money on the sidelines is waiting,” he said. “If farmland is producing a diminished return on investment, money managers will look around. Can I do better elsewhere? Now we’ll stand the test of scrutiny with our investments and be competitive.” CONTINUED ON 12 AG Mag
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CONTINUED FROM 11
‘More like a balloon’ Chad Hart, a crop markets specialist and professor at Iowa State University, said corn and soybeans are experiencing record demand. “You have the ethanol industry working at a strong pace. You have good but not great export demand,” he said. Meanwhile, the livestock industry looks strong, with 25 percent of pork being shipped overseas, Hart said. “There are a variety of countries we’re sending pork to,” he said. “China is a big player. So are the Middle East and the countries all along the Pacific Rim. Russia has been a big market for us in the past.” He, too, sees no bubble in farmland prices. “I would describe this more like a balloon,” Hart said. “It’s not going to be bad investment. Most hold onto it for 20, 40 or 50 years.” Corn yields are estimated to hit a record 172 bushels an acre this year nationally, according to the USDA. The last record was in 2009 – at 165 bushels. For decades, yield numbers have risen. Since 1975, corn yields have more than doubled. “There’s a big debate within agriculture nationally: Do we have continued room for growth in yields?,” Hart said. “You look at state-level numbers, you
Jake Waddingham/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
The 2014 harvest started in late September, with most area farmers running beans by the beginning of October.
‘‘
I would describe this more like a balloon. It’s not going to be bad investment. Most hold onto it for 20, 40 or 50 years. Chad Hart, Iowa State University crop markets specialist
see well over 200. Somewhere in the 200s is where I think we can plateau.” For the time being, the money is on the livestock industry, which is maximizing returns with low feed costs, he said.
’’
“We’re seeing a return to normalcy on the crop side,” he said. “We’re seeing tight supplies for livestock, and that will mean good profit opportunities for the next year and half for livestock.”
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Cost cutting might mean more bean acres A
BY DUSTIN JOHNSON For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
nyone following the price of grain knows that it has been an ugly third quarter for farm profitability. December corn futures fell 25 percent during this time, while November soybeans fell 21 percent. This sets the stage for heavy cost cutting in 2015. The corn-soybean ratio for next year ended the quarter at 2.56, which means beans already have a large price incentive built in. A few private sector estimates are forecasting a rather substantial acreage swap from corn to soybeans in 2015, including Informa economics. It is probably not a bad idea to run your own cornsoybean comparison analysis to see what opportunities you have for your own operation. Keep in mind that markets are usually perfect and this ratio may be suscepti-
ble to change as it prices in a potential acreage swap. The opportunity may disappear long before the first acre of 2015 is planted. If you plan to switch some of your own acres to soybeans, it Dustin might not be a bad Johnson idea to lock in the Says those price using forward switching cash sales, futures, put some acres to options, or a combina- soybeans might tion of these hedging want to lock in tools. This premium the price beans hold to corn may not last, especially if South America has a good growing season with the record bean acres being projected. With the world soybean stocks-to-use ratio expected to grow to 35.8 percent this year, we see the potential for an oversupply in soy-
beans bringing the ratio back toward 2.0 next year. For those who store a large portion of the 2014 corn crop on farm, you might want to consider selling forward to ensure the carry is collected. Of course, nobody can predict the future, but we do know what the opportunity costs are to selling forward compared to selling at the market now. We see a large potential for unpriced grain to lose that value through the winter even during a sideways market. It has been a long time since we have had a carryout this size, and we have to remember that rebuilding demand usually takes time and low prices. With that said, the best cure for low prices is low prices, and we see the potential for opportunities to come out of this recent downturn. Dustin Johnson is a senior analyst for AgYield.
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ALL-STAR STUDENT Will Crum pursues swine production at Iowa State BY SARAH BROWN For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Contributed photo
You could say he was born to do it. Will Crum, 21, of New Market, Iowa, is completing pre-veterinary studies in the animal science program at Iowa State University. His goal: a career in swine production. Crum graduated in 2012 from Bedford High School and completed 2 years at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Raised on a ranch in Texas before landing in Iowa, Crum said his work with his father’s swine operation influenced him to pursue a degree with the goal of working in swine production.
Will Crum of New Market, Iowa, credits his ag instructor and FFA experience with directing him into studying pre-veterinary science at Iowa State University.
CONTINUED ON 18
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“I did load-outs, managed power-washing, and did all the vaccinating,” Crum said. In high school, he participated in FFA all 4 years. His first three were completed in Winner, South Dakota, before his family moved to Iowa in 2011. Crum, a talented and gifted student, also excelled in football, basketball and wrestling. He attended allstate choir for 2 years, and competed in speech and drama for 4. As an FFA student, Crum held positions of sentinel, secretary, treasurer, vice president, president and District IV treasurer. Additionally, he received first place in extemporaneous and swine placement for the state of South Dakota. In 2011, he and his team placed fourth in ag sales. “He was a well-rounded student,” said Scott Neth, ag instructor at Bedford Community School.
Will Crum Age: 21 Hometown: New Market, Iowa Parents: Eddie and Lowree Crum Education: Studying animal science at Iowa State University; studied previously at Northwest Missouri State University FFA titles, awards: Held the positions of sentinel, secretary, treasurer, vice president, president and District IV treasurer; placed first in extemporaneous and swine placement for state of South Dakota; team placed fourth in ag sales in 2011 Crum credited Neth, his high school ag instructor, for guiding him into animal science. Neth said he has no doubt that Crum will excel in anything he does in life. “It’s a difficult program to do in college,” Neth said. “But, he has the determination.”
AG Mag
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A tradition with taste Iowa foundation presents annual harvest dinner BY BAILEY POOLMAN For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Bailey Poolman/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Jan Willett (left) and Ellen Seaton, both of Corning, Iowa, separate candied walnuts fresh out of the oven at Boz’s Kitchen in Corning for the Fête de Maïs. Willett and Seaton were two of 10 volunteers who prepared the meal in October.
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French cuisine is something different in southwest Iowa, thanks to French Icarian Colony Foundation. The foundation hosted its fourth annual Fête de Maïs last month in Corning, Iowa, to celebrate the historical colony’s traditions. “The Fête de Maïs is a celebration that the Icarians always held on the last day when they completed their corn harvest,” said Saundra Leininger, director of French Icarian Colony Foundation. “Fête de Maïs means harvest of corn.” CONTINUED ON 22
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AG Mag
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CONTINUED FROM 20
Fête de Maïs
Bailey Poolman/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Kathy Ennis of Corning, Iowa, slices mushrooms for the Coq au Vin sauce in October. Ennis and other volunteers prepared the Fête de Maïs at Boz’s Kitchen in Corning before they served the meal.
22AG_Mag_Hlfpg_Horz_Gabe_Adair.indd Fall 2014
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According to Leininger, Icarians would invite everyone who participated in picking corn to a large feast. In the modern world, Fête de Maïs is a four-course French dinner held at the historical French Icarian colony in Corning, Iowa. “We do French recipes, a French fourcourse supper,” Leininger said, “and we research the recipes and we try to use food that we know they [Icarians] would have grown on the site, that they would have had.” French Icarian Colony Foundation partnered with Corning Meat Processing, Hy-Vee, Boz’s Kitchen, and Strand Lutheran Church to host the meal. Diners were treated to appetizers such as apricots and Camembert cheese and French garlic sausage. For the entrée, diners enjoyed Coq au Vin (chicken with wine) and a fall pear salad. For dessert, apple cake with caramel sauce was served. A small presentation was given during dessert by local elementary students.
Preparation Leininger said she and the other volunteers researched the recipes and prepared the meals before deciding on the
final menu. French Icarian Colony volunteers met at Boz’s Kitchen in Corning the morning of Oct. 3 to prepare the meal. “It’s been fun, but we’ve been just so busy with everything,” said volunteer Kathy Ennis of Corning. “We go from one job to the next, either preparing things for the dessert, the appetizers, or for the entrée. Everyone knows what to do, and everybody just pitches in and keeps the ball rolling.” The foundation also has its own garden from which produce was used for the meal. Currently, rhubarb, asparagus and herbs are grown on the grounds of the historical colony.
Icarians “It was the longest-lived, nonreligious communal experiment in the history of the United States,” Leininger explained. “The Icarians welcomed people from all religious backgrounds.” French Icarian colonists brought different foods with them, such as grapes, asparagus and rhubarb. The colonists also raised cattle, hogs and sheep, and sold the animals at markets in Iowa. Throughout their time near Corning, Icarians never built kitchens in their houses. Instead, they held community meals three times a day at a community building.
6/19/14 3:07 PM
Recipes from French Icarian Colony’s Fête de Maïs with mushrooms and keep warm 14. Simmer sauce over medium heat until reduced by a third, about 20 minutes; season with more salt and pepper if needed. 15. Add mushrooms and chicken to sauce and serve To prepare ahead: Recipe can be made three days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold. Cover, keep chilled. Re-warm before serving.
Coq au Vin
2 T. olive oil, divided 1/2 T. butter 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs Koscher salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 oz. thick-cut bacon, cut cross wise into 1/3 inch slices 3 carrots peeled and chopped 3 celery stalks, minced 1 onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, mashed or minced 4 C. dry red wine, such as Burgundy, divided 1 quart chicken stock 12 sprigs thyme, tied together with rosemary 6 sprigs rosemary 16 oz. mushrooms, cleaned, cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups) Steps: 1. Preheat oven to 350º 2. Season chicken with salt and pepper 3. Heat 1 T. oil in an over-proof pot over medium-high heat 4. Add bacon and sauté slowly until lightly browned 5. Remove bacon to side dish 6. Place chicken in hot oil (do not crowd pan), brown on all sides (five to six minutes per side) and transfer to a plate 7. Add carrots, celery and onion and bacon; cook until onion is translucent
Apple cake w/ caramel sauce
Contributed photo
The tables are set for diners at French Icarian Colony Foundation’s 2014 Fête de Maïs in Corning, Iowa.
(seven to eight minutes) 8. Stir in one cup red wine, tomato paste and garlic; simmer for two to three minutes 9. Add remaining three cups of wine and boil until wine is reduced by half (15 to 20 minutes) 10. Return chicken to pot 11. Add chicken stock and rosemary/ thyme sprigs to pot, bring to a boil and cover pot; transfer to oven and braise until chicken is tender, about one and 1/4 hours 12. Heat remaining one T. olive oil and 1/2 T. butter in a large pot; add mushrooms and sauté until browned, approximately five minutes 13. Transfer chicken from sauce to pot
2 C. sugar 1/2 C. butter 2 eggs 4 C. chopped apples 2 C. flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. salt Steps: 1. Cream sugar and butter until fluffy; add eggs and mix well 2. Add the dry ingredients and mix; stir in apples 3. Place in 9-x-12-inch pan, bake 325º for 45 minutes 4. Serve with lemon or caramel sauce Caramel sauce 1 C. brown sugar 1/2 C. butter 1 C. half and half 1 tsp. vanilla Steps: 1. Mix all ingredients except vanilla together and cook until light consistency 2. Remove from heat and add vanilla 3. Serve warm over apple cake
AG Mag
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BY SARAH BROWN AND DAVID GIULIANI For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
T
he use of cover crops continues to gain popularity, according to some farmers in southwest Iowa. Of those who use cover crops as part of their sustainable farm practices, many see the benefit in soil quality despite the increase in investment, management and time. “Soil health is key,” said Wayde Ross, district conservationist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ross, whose family has used cover crops for Wayde Ross 10 years on the Orient, Iowa, farmer says family farm state’s nutrient reduction strategy near Orient, increases interest Iowa, said there in cover crops is more interest in the practice throughout the Midwest because of the Iowa nutrient reduction strategy – to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous impact on local waterways. For more than a half century, farmers have been encouraged to plant cover crops between growing seasons as a way to manage soil erosion, preserve soil fertility and quality, and help ward off diseases. In Illinois and Iowa, known for their high-quality, deep topsoil, cover crops are rarely used. That’s not the case in some other states.
Nationally, cover crops, which include cereal rye and clover, are planted only on a small fraction of farmland, but their use is increasing. 24 Fall 2014
TAKING COVER
I ( r o
Cereal rye cover crops grow among rows of Swiss chard at Wimmer Farms in Arispe, Iow because of the cover crops. “You don’t have to fertilize as much,” he said. “It also adds o
G R
From 2012 to 2013, cover crop acreage jumped by 38 percent nationally, according to a survey funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Iowa, 1.6 percent of its cropland is cover crop, said Tom Tom Kaspar Kaspar, an agronomy “Right now, we’re professor at Iowa not doing enough State University. to have an impact “We’re heading in on water quality the right direction, or water erosion,” but slowly,” Kaspar Iowa State University said. “There’s a lot agronomist says more interest than there was years ago. I think the state of Iowa and commodity groups are putting a lot of emphasis on cover crops from the standpoint of reducing nutrient losses. Right now, we’re not doing enough to have an impact on water quality or water erosion.”
Iowa farmers (and soil) reap benefits of cover crops
‘We need to use that time’
Sarah Brown/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
spe, Iowa. Denny Wimmer said the quality of the soil on his farm improves yearly o adds organic matter to the soil, which is important and keeps improving the soils.”
As it is, 60 percent of Iowa’s cropland is rented or leased, which may reduce the incentive to use cover crops, Kaspar said. Landowners, he said, need to understand the long-term benefits of such crops and then ask their renters to use them. “We have seven months of the year when nothing is being grown,” Kaspar said. “We need to use that time.” Even flat land is vulnerable to erosion, Kaspar said, as can be seen during the spring or after rainfall. In other states, cover crops are more popular. Jim Hoorman, a cover crop specialist and professor at Ohio State University, said such crops are gaining steam in Ohio, where state officials are advocating them. He ticked off the cover crop acreage numbers in a number of Ohio counties, a couple of which are closing in on 10 percent of farmland. “You have the best soils in the world [in Illinois and Iowa],” Hoorman said. “Guys are happy with their results. We have a lot less organic matter in our soils. We have a lot of heavy clay soils. Guys are worried about compaction and soil structure.” Even in areas with great soils, Hoorman said, the need for cover crops will eventually become evident. “At some point, they won’t have that soil,” he said. “People who are really hurting try to find ways to make it better. Farmers who are struggling tend to find solutions.” CONTINUED ON 26
AG Mag
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Farmers, he said, should know they can’t plant a cover crop for just one year and see benefits. It takes at least three years, he said. Mark David, an environmental sciences professor at the University of Illinois, said cover crops are used more as “you get out of mainstream agriculture.” “When I drive around Illinois, how often do I see green fields [after harvest]? Almost never,” he said. “Cover crops are not embraced. “There is a cost to having a cover crop. You have to plant it. You have to kill it in the spring. You have to till it. It’s not something that happens for free. You may get some benefits like less erosion, but it’s hard to make the absolute argument that you should use it.” It costs about $30 or $40 an acre to have cover crops, he said.
Sarah Brown/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Ray Gaesser of Lenox, Iowa, plants cereal rye cover crops between rows of corn to build nutrients in the soil and reduce soil erosion.
‘One of those chicken-and-egg things’ In Illinois, David said, farmers have a short window for planting cover crops, and they won’t see much growth if they are planted in November. They are easier to establish in central Illinois than either northern Illinois or Wisconsin, he said. One hurdle for cover crops is that seed companies haven’t done much in the way of breeding them, said Kaspar of Iowa State. “There’s no incentive or economics for the big seed companies to get involved in cover crops,” he said. “Right now, we’re using whatever is available. The future of being able to use improved plants designed specifically to be cover crops has a lot of potential that we’re not seeing today. It’s one of those chicken-and-egg things.”
‘‘
There is a cost to having a cover crop. You have to plant it. You have to kill it in the spring. You have to till it. It’s not something that happens for free. You may get some benefits like less erosion, but it’s hard to make the absolute argument that you should use it. Mark David, University of Illinois professor
CONTINUED ON 27
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‘Gets better every year’ Paul Ackley of Bedford, Iowa, said he started to dabble in cover crops in the 1990s to stop or seriously reduce erosion. “Even though we were no-till, we were still getting gullies that had to be filled,” Ackley said. Ackley said $5 to $10 an acre on cereal rye cover crop was well worth his investment, compared to the cost Paul Ackley of labor. Plants “Then you begin to cover crops in see the value in the Bedford, Iowa soil,” Ackley said. “As far as benefits, in the fall, they talk about soil health,” said Colten Catterton of Corning, Iowa.
‘‘
‘‘
You don’t have to fertilize as much. It also adds organic matter to the soil, which is important and keeps improving the soils. Denny Wimmer, who plants clover and cereal rye cover crops in Arispe, Iowa
Catterton, a recent graduate of Northwest Missouri State University, completed his master’s thesis on cover crops and currently works for Green Seed Cover, a cover crop seed dealer, and has worked with farmers in 48 of the 50 states. “Almost everybody talks about how easy and smooth the soil is – how mellow the soil profile is,” Catterton said. Denny Wimmer of Arispe, Iowa, who plants clover and cereal rye cover crops, said he has noticed a drastic improvement in the quality of his soil. “It gets better every year,” Wimmer
Almost everybody talks about how easy and smooth the soil is – how mellow the soil profile is. Colten Catterton, a seed crop dealer from Corning, Iowa, and a recent graduate of Northwest Missouri State University
’’
’’
said. “You don’t have to fertilize as much. It also adds organic mater to the soil, which is important and keeps improving the soils.” Ray Gaesser of Lenox, Iowa, who has been using cover crops since 2010, said they helped to keep nutrients where they belong. Gaesser said he has witnessed a notable difference in erosion during significant rain events – more than 4 inches in an hour. “We see a lot of value right now,“ Gaesser said. However, with the benefits, cover crops also have some disadvantages. “Cost, time, labor, more management – all those things,” Gaesser said. With less risk capital available and row crop farming less profitable than previous years, Gaesser said he fears fewer farmers will be willing to try something new. Gaesser still believes cover crops are worth it. “It’s something that’s worked well for us,” Gaesser said.
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Soybeans winning ...
for now Southwest Iowa Ag Mag file photo
Ron Gordon unloads soybeans from his 1710 Case combine near Creston in 2011 – the last year until 2014 that weather cooperated enough for farmers to produce decent yields in Southwest Iowa.
28 Fall 2014
Farmers reduce purchases as grain prices fall BY DAVID GIULIANI For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Has the growing season met expectations? In spades. And then some. That’s thanks to nearly perfect weather during the growing season, with cool temperatures and rain at the right times. That has meant a record crop, which means declining soybean and corn prices. For now, the drop in the soybean price has not been as great relative to corn. So, many observers expect farmers to plant more acres of soybeans next year. “There is that potential,” said Darrel Good, a retired agricultural professor from the University of Illinois. “The market will have to answer the question, Do we need more soybeans at the expense of corn this next year? If farmers were to plant today, the market calls for more soybeans. The question is, How will those prices change when the planting decisions are finalized?” Soybeans, he said, are seeing great demand, part of which is seasonal. “Whether that can be maintained or not depends on how the South American crop unfolds,” he said. Dale Aupperle, president and founder of Forsyth, Illinois-based Heartland Ag Group, arrived at similar conclusions.
Crop acreage A look at corn and soybean acreage in Illinois and Iowa (in millions): Corn Iowa Illinois 2014* ................. 13.2 ............. 12.0 2013 .................. 13.1 ............. 12.0 2012 .................. 13.7 ............. 12.2 Soybeans Iowa Illinois 2014* ................. 13.2 ............. 10.0 2013 .................... 9.2 ...............9.4 2012 .................... 9.3 ............... 8.9 * estimated Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
“These things could change,” Aupperle said. “There is an acreage battle going on for farmers. For planting next year, soybeans look like they are winning the battle at this point.” When corn prices went up, so did the cost of farm equipment, said Rock Katschnig, who has farmed in the Prophetstown, Illinois, area for nearly four decades. “Suppliers wanted a piece of the pie,” he said. Now, that crop prices are down, “The suppliers don’t want to drop their prices.” So how will farmers deal with the new circumstances? Katschnig said they may look to reduce the amount of fertilizer on their crops. And
he said seed companies know that farmers will look for better prices on seed corn. “We could save $20 or $30 an acre with certain seed varieties,” he said. Seed giant Monsanto has already cut its profits forecast for next year. With corn prices down, the company told the media, it will be harder to raise seed prices, especially when farmers are expected to reduce corn planting next year. John Deere is already reporting declining sales of farm equipment. “From everything I can see, farm equipment sales are slowing down,” Good said. “Farmers have made a lot of purchases the last couple of years. A lot of them are saying that there is no urgency to invest.” Randy Faber, a farmer from Sublette, said soybeans look like the more profitable crop next year. But he said his contract with Pioneer, a seed company, will largely determine his crop rotation. “The gross cost of putting in a soybean crop is a lot less than corn,” he said. For Faber, a diversified portfolio helps. He runs a cattle operation, which has benefited from low corn feed prices. Starting in the cow-calf business now is a good move, he said, thanks to the highest prices he has seen for calves. “There is record profitability,” Faber said. “[But] it’s ... a 365-a-day-a-year job.”
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Hillaker: Weather ‘way, way better’ for farmers in ’14 BY KYLE WILSON For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
The combination of cool summer temperatures and timely rainfalls will likely produce record-breaking corn and soybean yields across the Ag Mag area for 2014. Harry Hillaker, state climatologist in Iowa, said most farmers in southwest Iowa and northern Missouri benefited from persistent rains in June after crops were planted. August was also friendly to farmers, as they received 6 to 14 inches of precipitation. “The weather for this growing season was way, way better than the previous two years,” Hillaker said. “But, 2012 really isn’t too hard to beat.” Severe drought conditions the past two years depressed yields, with 2012 being Iowa’s worst corn production year at 137 bushels per acre.
“2012 was the worst – by far,” Hillaker said, “but rainfall this year replenished soil moisture Harry across Hillaker Iowa. That was much needed. The only exceptions to that are in far northwest Iowa and far eastern Iowa where they didn’t receive as much precipitation.” Farmers did benefit from cool temperatures throughout the growing season, especially during July – considered a critical month for crop maturity. Hillaker said temperatures were below normal in every month except for June in southwest Iowa. CONTINUED ON 31
This chart shows long-range weather predictions made by Farmers’ Almanac for temperature and precipitation in Iowa from November 2014 through October 2015. CONTINUED FROM 30
Tracey Cameron, agronomist for Taygold Cooperative in Clearfield and Lenox, said he’s been recording data for 37 years, and some of the “big crop years” like in 2004 and 2009 were aided by cool summer temperatures. “Cool summers are less stressful on the crops and allow the crops to recover and grow in the evening to make yields,” Cameron said.
2015 predictions Farmers’ Almanac’s long-range forecast for the heartland shows warmer-
than-normal temperatures for April and May. Summer months should be hotter and drier than normal, with the hottest period in mid-tolate June and July and most of August, the forecast says. September and October are expected be slightly cooler than normal, with above-normal rainfall in the Midwest. Hillaker said National Weather Service is predicting temperatures being close to normal in the Midwest for 2015. He added that NWS has made no predictions regarding precipitation for next growing season. “Regardless, the good news
Jamee A. Pierson/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Paul Hjortshoj harvests his soybean field south of Monroe, near Lake Red Rock in Marion County. heading into next year’s anywhere between now and growing season is farmers next year. They’re certainly will enter with plentiful soil going to head into next year moisture,” Hillaker said. much better off than the “That moisture isn’t going past two years.”
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SWCC students host annual cattle sale BY BAILEY POOLMAN For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, this month hosted the Breeder’s Classic, an annual cattle sale put on by the college’s agricultural students. The sale is a project for SWCC students who are part of the livestock merchandising class in the fall. “The students actually get to do everything, from getting the donations to helping with the advertising,” said Erika Blair, agriculture instructor at SWCC. Students begin by getting donations and consignments from around southwest Iowa and areas where students are from. “It’s a student-ran activity, but it takes the support of the community and the communities where the students come from,” Blair said. “The students are happy to work very hard to put this together, but people in the community really help them to succeed.” Between 150 and 200 people attend the annual event, with about 30 animals for sale. CONTINUED ON 34
Contributed photo
ABOVE: Southwestern Community College students stand in the ring during the Breeder’s Classic in 2013. The cattle sale has been an annual event at the Creston college for more than 10 years. ON PAGE 32: These cows, lined up at the SWCC ag site in October, were among 30 animals sold at the college’s Breeder’s Classic on Nov. 9.
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“A lot of people show cattle in southwest Iowa,” Blair explained. “It’s a very big market in this area, so it’s preparing [students] if they want to have that kind of future. It kind of preps them, This is what you should expect.” Austin James of Bloomington, Indiana, a freshman at SWCC who is majoring in livestock production, particiErika Blair pated in the Breeder’s Classic this semester. “It’s been very hands-on,” James said. “We have a list of duties that we have throughout the semester. I was responsible for talking to different people who have donated in the past.” Collin Cory of Bondurant, Iowa, is a sophomore majoring in livestock production. He participated in the sale project during the fall 2013 semester, and consigned his own cattle for the sale the past two years. “It was a lot more than I expected with how much more work it is,” Cory said.
Sale The day started about 5 a.m., when students fed and prepared cattle for
Contributed photo
Creston Classic Project: Breeder’s Classic School: Southwestern Community College, Creston What: Student-organized cattle sale Why: To teach students how to set up a cattle sale, and the steps involved in getting the cattle and event ready for the public sale at 1 p.m. at the college’s ag site. People started showing up about 10 a.m. to view the calves before the sale began at 1 p.m. “The students will be on the block with me and the auctioneer,” Blair said. “They may be in the ring, they may be taking money. They all kind of split up and take care of all the different duties.”
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According to Blair, SWCC is unique because it hosts the sale. “Not many schools have a cattle sale,” Blair said, “and certainly not one that’s ran strictly by the students, especially at the community college level. It’s a unique opportunity for them to learn and have added hands-on experience here.”
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management, grain and forage crops, precision farming, integrative pest management, and horticulture. Typical careers include seed representatives, row crops, corn genetics. Livestock production provides a blend of animal science courses and practical application. During the program, students obtain knowledge to raise, produce and market livestock. Classes specific to this program include animal health, animal nutrition, animal breeding, genetics,, and reproduction. This program is considered suitable for students who are interested in working at a local co-op, raising their own cattle, or becoming a livestock nutritionist. Agricultural business combines business and agricultural science courses. Classes specific to this program include the essential accounting, economics, farm business management, marketing, and agricultural courses. CONTINUED ON 36
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Agriculture Education Area School Directory CONTINUED FROM 35
Blair said this is a degree for students interested in ag-related marketing, advertising, journalism, communications, and working more in the business sector. Agriculture major, associate of arts, is a general education degree for students transferring to a four-year college or university.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Bailey Poolman/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA CPHB, Suite 300 145 N. Riverside Drive, The University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242 http://cph.uiowa.edu/ (319) 335-4415 Graduate programs in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health
These calves, pictured at Southwestern Community College’s ag site in October, were among 30 animals sold at the college’s Breeder’s Classic on Nov. 9. M.S. in agriculture safety and health Agricultural safety and health M.S. students gain skills for anticipation, diagnosis, exposure assessment, treatment and prevention of agricultural illnesses and injuries in the fields of education, health care, insurance, and agribusinesses as agricultural safety and health specialists.
Ph.D. in Agriculture Safety and Health Agricultural Safety and Health Ph.D. students will receive specialized training at the doctoral level to prepare individuals for academic, research and policymaking careers in occupational and environmental health with a specialty in agricultural safety and health.
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Iowa orchard offers fresh fruit, refreshing service BY JAKE WADDINGHAM For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
A southern Iowa man is working to make the fruits of his labor profitable and give visitors a tranquil experience on his 10-acre orchard. Steven Wainwright, 69, of Prescott, Iowa, has maintained Ladoga LaBlanche Orchards – 7 miles west of Bedford on state Highway 2 – for more than three decades. For the past 2 years, he has opened it up to the public to share the experience of harvesting the freshest apples, pears, cherries and peaches in the area. Wainwright is pastor of Prescott Christian Church, and his wife, Cynthia, works full time at Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, Iowa.
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“I have found that people come here and find this a very peaceful place, almost like an outdoor sanctuary where people can get away from the stresses of the world,” Wainwright said.
History Wainwright said his great-grandfather, Arthur Wainwright, homesteaded the orchard in 1875. He planted hundreds of trees and would take his harvest to the Ladoga Train Depot, about 2 miles northwest of the property. After the original orchard died out in the late 1930s, it was resurrected by Wainwright and his father, Edgar, in 1981 when a tornado severely damaged the property. He has more than 1,000 trees and replants about 150 trees each year to keep the orchard thriving. “I think because of my great-grandfather and my dad’s experience with orchards, and him going to the orchard near here [as a child], it kind of got in my blood,” Wainwright said. Wainwright added a red one-room schoolhouse in 2013 in honor of his mother, Mary Helen Wainwright, who still lives on the property. She was an educator in Taylor County for 60 years, from 1936 to 1996. CONTINUED ON 39
Photos by Jake Waddingham/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
ABOVE: Ladoga LaBlanche Orchards, 7 miles west of Bedford, Iowa, is home to this little red schoolhouse that Steven Wainwright built in honor of his mother, Mary Helen Wainwright, who still lives on the property. She was an educator in Taylor County from 1936 to 1996. ON PAGE 37: Wainwright holds a Cortland apple picked from his Ladoga LaBlanche Orchard. His trees have produced apples as large as 2 pounds, and 16 inches in circumference. Wainwright, 69, has maintained the orchard for more than three decades. For the past 2 years, he has opened it to the public.
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Visiting The site is open Fridays and Saturdays, and by appointment the rest of the week. Ladoga LaBlanche Orchards hosts an average of 400 students each year. They tour the site with Wainwright, learn about the history of the orchard, and get to pick their own apples. “It was Johnny Appleseed’s birthday on the day we visited [Sept. 26], and [Wainwright] dressed up like Johnny Appleseed for the kids,” said Rene Rogers, first-grade teacher at Bedford Elementary School. “He took the kids through all of the orchards, and each kid got to take about half a dozen apples home.” Visitors can see all of the trees in bloom in the spring. Normally, the peaches, apples and cherries are the first to be picked around midJuly. The harvest season continues through mid to late October with a pumpkin patch, pears and late-harvest apples. Apple prices vary from 62 cents to 90 cents a pound. Price is dependent on how large the order is and whether visitors pick the apples themselves. His trees have produced apples as
Photos by Jake Waddingham/ Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
ABOVE: A Granny Smith apple has water droplets from a mid-morning rain shower. Ladoga LaBlanche Orchards covers about 40 acres and is open Fridays and Saturdays, and by appointment the rest of the week. LEFT: Ladoga LaBlanche Orchard has more than a dozen varieties of apples to pick from. There also are cherries, peaches, pears, and pumpkins, depending on the time of year. large as 2 pounds, and 16 inches in circumference. Each year, Wainwright helps to organize a massive harvest for food pantries in northwest Missouri. Members from the United Methodist Church in Maryville, Missouri, and sorority members from Northwest Missouri State University help
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to glean a portion of the orchard. Wainwright is the perfect host, elementary teacher Rogers said. “He went through all the apples and which ones were good for eating right off the tree or better for baking,” he said. “The kids loved picking the apples.”
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Iowa Kansas Nebraska Minnesota Missouri AG Mag
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Farmers Forum WITH KYLE WILSON/SOUTHWEST IOWA AG MAG
Experts predict that by 2025, nearly every farm in Iowa will be using drones to monitor crops and collect data. Do you agree with that prediction? When do you think you’ll begin using drones in your operation?
Brian Mateer
Jeff Pollard
Todd Dunphy
Brian Mateer, 33, Osceola “Drones aren’t cheap. I think market prices will determine the pace of technology over the next 10 years. It would be hard to invest in a drone if corn prices stay at around $3.”
Todd Dunphy, 50, Creston “Drones are like that plasma TV you saw in stores 10 years ago. Oh, it looked pretty, and nobody had one. I think eventually drones will benefit farmers by calculating yields and scouting fields for insect and disease pressure, but I’m going to wait until that plasma
Craig Elliot
TV drops in price and I can get return on my investment.”
Jeff Pollard, 50, Woodburn “Ten years is probably too soon. The average age of the farmer is still well over 50 years old, and we don’t adapt so well to technology. I think drones will first be part of the agronomy services offered. They’ll then be purchased by farmers individually once the price comes down.”
Craig Elliot, 67, Mount Ayr “It wouldn’t surprise me at all if
Raymond Shields
most farmers were using drones by [2025], especially considering how far technology in agriculture has come over the past decade.”
Raymond Shields, 69, Diagonal “They’re a useful tool if they’re used for the farmer to scout fields, find weed and insect problems, or get to places on their land not even accessible by four wheeler. My concern with drones is the possibility the DNR or other agencies will use them to spy on farmers.”
We want to hear from you!
Rich Paulsen Publisher
40 Fall 2014
The men, women and children involved in today’s agriculture are as diverse as they are in any profession. Livestock farmers, grain farmers, specialty crops, ... each agricultural family brings a host of ideas, experiences, concerns and knowledge to the farming table. The Farmers Forum is geared for input. That’s right! We want to hear from you. Your ideas, your suggestions, your concerns – there’s a place on this page for them all.
Each edition of Southwest Iowa Ag Mag will feature a specific question and answers by a group of people involved in agriculture. Do you agree with them? Do you not? How would you have answered this question? Have other comments or concerns? We would like to hear from you. Email your responses to news@ crestonnews.com or send them in care of this magazine to P.O. Box. 126, Creston, IA 50801. It is my pleasure to offer you, our
readers, an opportunity to share your thoughts and comments with others involved in your great industry. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely,
Rich Paulsen, publisher Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Farmers encouraged to use water quality practices Iowa Farm Bureau
Nate Anderson of Cherokee, Iowa, had the perfect spot at the 2014 Farm Progress Show in Ames, Iowa. He was between two large seed company tents and blocks filled with farm equipment. Anderson joined Iowa State University experts and state Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to talk about cover crops and no-till planting – two management tools he uses in his cornsoybean acreage program. “It’s good for farmers to share their experiences and questions, and find out more about management practices they are considering,” Anderson said. “We need to keep talking and encouraging each other.” Northey agrees, saying farmers talking to farmers and learning from each other is going to be the way Iowa ramps up water quality efforts and the implementation of new management practices. “There’s a lot of momentum right now around implementing new practices,”
Northey said. “Iowa farmers, universities and agribusiness have been working on water quality issues for a long time, certainly soil conservation issues, but the last few years we have focused on ramping that up.” Iowa Secretary The best practices of Agriculture outlined in the stratBill Northey egy are reducing the nitrogen and phosphorus loads in water leaving farm lands. Matt Helmers – Iowa State University professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering and extension water quality specialist – said this is an opportune time for farmers to show they can make a positive impact on water quality. “Profitability is important to our farmers,” Helmers said. “Short-term and long-term profitability and economic vitality of agriculture in the state are
tied to our soil resources. If we are not protecting our soil resources, we jeopardize the long-term profitability of our agricultural system.” Water quality initiative funding from the Iowa legislature is enticing farmers to try practices new to them. “We’ll learn more by doing,” Northey said. “We encourage every farmer to find something that works for them – try cover crops in a small way, try no-till or strip-till, look at getting cost share on a bioreactor. We are seeing a great success in farmer participation.” He said the number of acres with cover crops has doubled each of the last few years and there are increasing numbers of farmers trying no-till, striptill and nitrification inhibitors. “Young farmers like Nate Anderson will be part of figuring out what this next generation of conservation ethic is, and how we care for the land, how we improve water quality. It’s fun to join Iowa State in these conversations,” Northey said.
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‘Everything’s different every day’ Brewbakers share story of life on century farm BY AMY HANSEN For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
Photo contributed by Sarah Brewbaker
Mary Brewbaker is pictured with her four sons, (from left) Bill, Jim, Dave and Paul. The Brewbakers have farmed in Spring Hill, Iowa, since 1895. Mary moved to the farm in 1947 when she married Howard Brewbaker. Their farming operation is incorporated, known as Brewbaker Farms. Bill, Mary’s oldest son, is the president and Mary is secretary. Jim and Paul are also stockholders. Dave is a veterinarian.
While the history of the Brewbaker farm might start in the late 19th century, the story really gets going with the appearance of Mary (Elgin) Brewbaker in 1947. Mary married Howard J. Brewbaker in June that year and moved to the Brewbaker farm in Spring Hill, which is west of Indianola, Iowa, in Warren County. “I moved in here on the Brewbaker farm; I haven’t left, yet,” Mary said with a smile. She was 25 years old at the time and had been Howard’s neighbor growing up. Mary grew up on a dairy farm 5 miles northwest of Spring Hill. Milking of the Holstein cows was done morning and night. “I never milked cows, though,” Mary said. “I tried one time. My mother told me to never learn. I’d never have to milk a cow. So, I never did. I’d feed them.” CONTINUED ON 43
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Real Farmland Opportunities. Amy Hansen/Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
The farmhouse on the Brewbaker farm in Spring Hill, Iowa. CONTINUED FROM 42
Mary graduated from Spring Hill in 1939, after Howard graduated from the school in 1937. They both attended Methodist Church in Indianola. Their mothers were good friends.
About the farm The Brewbaker farm was established in 1895, when John Brewbaker and his wife bought it for $6,285. They had been farming near Ankeny, Iowa, but wanted more land for their six children. It now is a century farm with 260 acres. Mary raised four sons on the Brewbaker farm. Her children grew up doing farm work and participated in FFA in Indianola. Their farming operation is incorporated, known as Brewbaker Farms. Mary’s oldest son, Bill, is the president and Mary is secretary. Her sons Jim and Paul are also stockholders. Her son Dave is a veterinarian. Bill said he always knew he
wanted to continue with the farming business. “Everything’s different every day, that’s for sure,� Bill said with a laugh. “You’re outside quite a bit – more than you want to be sometimes.� The family raises steers to at least 1,200 pounds and sells them to Tyson Packing Co., Mary said. “We try to sell a semi-load a week and buy cattle every week,� Mary said. “My husband always went to about five cattle sales a week. Bill goes to about two.� The Brewbaker farm in Spring Hill has always been known as the home farm. Mary’s son, Jim, lives in Clarke County, Iowa, and the family has land in Clarke and Lucas counties. “Down there, we have pasture farm,� Mary said. Now 92, Mary said the independence of farm life might have contributed to her longevity. “I really had never lived anywhere except on a farm until I went to Simpson [College],� she said. “But, I’ve always enjoyed the livestock.�
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Muddying the waters?
Farmers say new EPA rule poses more questions, few answers BY MIKE MENDENHALL For Southwest Iowa Ag Mag
On April 21, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed the Waters of the U.S. rule that the agency says is an attempt to better define federally protected waterways under the 1972 Clean Water Act. What followed, and continues, is backlash from the agricultural community, which has collectively said the rule seems to bring less clarity about what is a protected waterway – and could undermine current farming and conservation practices. The American Farm Bureau Federation began its “Ditch the Rule” campaign after the rule was proposed. Craig Hill, president of Iowa Farm Bureau, said the rule could allow any standing or pooling water on farm fields be declared a federally protected waterway subject to inspection. CONTINUED ON 45
In the photo Prairie City Wastewater Treatment facility operator Chris Clark checks filtering tanks during a public tour of the newly constructed plant. The facility helps keep the small city proactive on new EPA regulations and DNR inspections. Under a new EPA rule released April 21, farmers may be subject to similar regulatory scrutiny with waterway discharge. (Photo by Mike Mendenhall for Southwest Iowa Ag Mag)
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Hill, a farmer from Warren County, said the industry was willing to comply with the Clean Water Act in its current form, and strives for clean waters with minimal farm runoff and discharge. But he worries the proposal could prevent farmers from applying fertilizers and employing current conservation practices such as building buffer zones and terraces. The federal act allows the EPA to regulate bodies that are designated as federal waterways, which currently are defined as navigable waters, wetlands and seas. But industry professionals like Hill are concerned that the new rules give the federal agency broad enforcement powers. Farmers interpret the 371-page, 107,868-word document to not only expand regulations but redefine what is considered to be a federally protected waterway. Hill said that industrial manufacturers and cities have already been hit with stricter regulations, but they can apply for federal waivers to operate wastewater treatment facilities or conduct landscaping projects near waterways. These permits – costing $20,000 to $30,000 for a two-year permit – are difficult for family and midrange farming operations to afford, he said. “As farmers, if they have to build a terrace, build a pond, or line a waterway on their property with grass, it’s at our own expense,” Hill said. “To dig it, seed it, or do things you would do to con-
‘‘
Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau president
trol water movement, under new rule that is an illegal act.” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy published a response Sept. 29 on Huffington Post to defend her agency’s efforts. She wrote that clean waterways is an economic issue as much as environmental. “We know clean water is a health priority, but it’s also an economic necessity,” McCarthy wrote. “Our communities, schools, businesses, and farms can’t run without it. A cleaner Boston Harbor has meant higher property values, more shipping, and more jobs. In 2012, more than 50,000 jobs in Boston were tied to port activity – from cargo and seafood processing to cruises and harbor tours. To have clean water downstream in our rivers and lakes – and enjoy the economic growth clean water brings – we need healthy headwaters upstream.” On its “Ditch the Myth” website, the EPA responds to the Farm Bureau. “The proposed rule actually reduces regulation of ditches because for the first time it would exclude ditches that are constructed through drylands and don’t
have water year-round,” the agency says. But the uncertainty the rule puts in the minds of ag professionals is driving the protest. John Lawrence is the associate dean for agricultural and natural resources extension outreach at Iowa State University, which last month submitted public comments for the new water rule. Ag educators see a more regulatory role for the Natural Resources Conservation Service if the rule is enacted. “It changes the role for them,” Lawrence said. “It was never supposed to be a regulator. If a farmer builds a terrace or does something on their land for conservation purposes, does the
NRCS have to approve it? What if the NRCS does not work with the contractor who built the terrace or waterway buffer strip? Do I have to have NRCS come out and sign off? They likely wouldn’t sign off unless they design it.” Lawrence said EPA rules typically articulate what farm professionals cannot do, but the WOUS outlines 56 items farmers cannot do on their lands. Lawrence said this is what generates the uncertainty. The public comment period for the rule was extended in early October to Nov. 14, giving individuals, companies and education institutions more time to weigh in on the potential effects.
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1211999 AG Mag
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‘A film for anyone who eats’ ‘Farmland’ doc now playing on Hulu Iowa Farm Bureau
Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Moll’s feature length documentary “Farmland” can now be viewed on the free, ad-supported Hulu and Hulu Plus subscription service. During its theatrical debut this year, “Farmland” was shown in more than 170 theaters across the country including Regal Cinemas, Marcus Theatres, Carmike Cinemas, Landmark Theatres and many key independent theaters. It will now be available digitally for the first time. Many Americans have never stepped foot on a farm or ranch or even talked to the people who grow and raise the food we eat, yet are increasingly pas-
Photo from farmlandfilm.com
David Loberg, a fifth-generation corn and soybean farmer in Nebraska, is among the people featured in the feature length documentary film “Farmland.” sionate about understanding where their food comes from. “Farmland” takes the viewer inside the world of farming for a first-hand glimpse into the lives of six young farmers and ranchers in their twenties.
Through the personal stories of these farmers and ranchers, viewers learn about their high-risk/highreward jobs and passion for a way of life that has been passed down from generation to generation, yet continues to evolve.
“This is a film for anyone who eats,” Moll said. “It’s not what you’d expect. The world of farming is complex and often controversial, but the farmers themselves are some of the most hard-working and fascinating people I’ve ever met.”
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