Grundy County Ag Mag Fall 2014

AG Mag Grundy County Area

Bubble or Balloon?

Farmers say many factors play into planting decisions wrestling with rye:

Use of cover crops, including cereal rye and clover is increasing.

farming: Way of life for

Verona family.

A Publication of Shaw Media

Fall 2014

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AGMag Grundy County Area

4

Index

COVER STORY

General Manager Bob Wall

Bubble or balloon

Advertising Director Steve Vanisko Editor Kate Schott Page Design Rob Szekely Reporters & Photographers Donna Baker, Goldie Currie, Sharon Covert, David Giuliani Dustin Johnson, Hannah Kohut, Ken Schroeder

Farmers say many factors play into planting decisions.

Published by Morris Daily Herald A division of Shaw Media 1804 Division Street Morris, IL 60450 815-942-3221 Articles and advertisements are the property of Shaw Media. No portion of the Grundy County Area Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the General Manager. Ad content is not the responsibility of Shaw Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Shaw Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Shaw Media 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.

Farming a way of life for Verona family

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Two Sides

of the

farming equation

It’s a double-edged sword … farmers want a bumper crop with big yields per acre, but that bumper crop generally means farmers will get less money when it comes time to sell their crop.

Though future market prices are taken into consideration well before they head into the field to plant, some Illinois farmers say they generally choose their crops based on what will grow best in a particular field.

“For a lot of areas, it depends on the market and our biggest markets are the river, and different terminals on the rail line and our local elevators for grain,” said Tasha Bunting, Grundy County Farm Bureau manager.

The Grundy area does not have markets for some crops, such as sugar cane, she said.

In some areas, farmers will grow a specific crop for a company in need of it for their product, Bunting said. In addition, weather, soil type and rainfall are all factors in choosing a crop as well.

While a strong, even bumper crop was projected for the 2014 year, Bureau County farmer Steve Bonucci of Princeton said there will be a lot of farmers who struggle this year to sell their crops and make money because the higher yields will mean lower prices.

Of course, what used to be considered a bumper crop is now what farmers have come to expect, Bonucci said.

Ten years ago or so, farmers would have considered an average of 200 bushels of corn an acre to be a bumper crop. Now many farmers would think a bumper crop would be more in the 240- to 250-plus bushel range as an average, he said.

Farmers say many factors play into planting decisions

By Donna Barker and David Giuliani (photo by Becky Kramer/For Shaw Media)

“But farmers didn’t start producing corn to make money,” Bonucci said. “They did it to keep people from starving to death. In that regards, it’s going to be a pretty successful year for American farmers.

“I think we should pat ourselves on the back for doing a good job, and thank Mother Nature again for helping us to keep down the number of hungry people in the world.”

‘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, Ill.-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

4 GRUNDY COUNTY AREA Ag Magazine • NOVEMBER 2014

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.”

‘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

Hart said. “You look at state-level numbers, you 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.”

Statewide, Illinois farmers and their crops have an immense impact on the state’s economy. According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the marketing of Illinois’ agricultural commodities generates more than $9 billion a year, with corn accounting for nearly 40 percent of that total, followed by soybeans with about 33 percent. The combined marketing of livestock, dairy and poultry generate about 23 percent.

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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 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?”

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NOVEMBER 2014 • GRUNDY COUNTY AREA ag magazine 5

Program brings agriculture to Grundy County classrooms We live in a world of instant gratification, where hard work and patience are often traded for a ready-to-go option. That is especially true when it comes to food. And with each passing generation, more Americans become further removed from the source of their food, not understanding how foods are produced.

The Grundy County Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom program is on a mission to change that.

“It’s important for suburban and urban populations to understand the hard work, long hours, dedication and real science,” Farm Bureau agriculture literacy coordinator Yvonne Foss said. “This produces the safest and most abundant food and other products that 99 percent of Americans have become used to on a daily basis.”

Agriculture in the Classroom’s mission is to educate the non-farm community about the food they consume. In fulfilling that mission, the

program provides monthly presentations to every fourth-grade classroom in Grundy County.

And it makes learning fun.

“Students are always excited when it is Ag in the Classroom day,” Foss said of the program’s monthly visits. “Every year, almost a thousand 9- and 10-year-olds get up close and personal with how farm products are produced.”

Foss, who has coordinated the program for 18 years, said Ag in the Classroom also helps teachers fulfill their curriculum requirements, using fresh faces and agriculture as the vehicle.

At the end of the school year, it’s time for Ag Jeopardy, where teams from each grade school in Grundy County test their agriculture knowledge in front of a packed house, with students and fans from each group (school) sporting their representative T-shirts.

“It’s held on the last Friday of every April and is the highlight of the year for students and fami-

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lies,” Foss said of Ag Jeopardy. “And all teams are presented trophies and ribbons for their efforts.”

For the past three years, the students at Gardner Grade School have clinched the championship, led by fourth-grade teacher Sharon Sovey.

“My students really enjoy the Ag Jeopardy contest,” Sovey said. “When they arrive at the contest, you can see how nervous all the groups are. But once the nerves leave, they become experts on each subject.”

Sovey said Ag in the Classroom benefits her students by providing hands-on learning experiences that drive home the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. She credits Foss and the Ag in the Classroom staff for making sure the curriculum addresses the required Common Core standards.

“My students of course love going to the dairy farm and seeing the calves,” Sovey said. “But they

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Noreen Dollinger of Dollinger Pumpkin Farm participates with students during this year’s Ag Jeopardy tournament. Students learn their challenge questions by spinning the colored wheel. (Photo courtesy of the Grundy County Farm Burea)

also learn that non-food items come from farms.

This year they have been really interested in E85 and ethanol fuel from corn.”

The Ag in the Classroom program continues to the fifth-graders as well. Each fall, the Farm Bureau partners with the Grundy County Soil and Water Conservation District to offer daylong tours at Goose Lake Prairie for all Grundy County fifth-graders. It allows them to experience the natural resources “in their own backyard.”

“That includes wildlife, birds, insects, prairie plants, the history of Illinois and pioneer life,” Foss

Grundy County fourth-grade students visited Halpin’s Dairy Farm as part of the Agriculture in the Classroom program. (Photo courtesy of the Grundy County Farm Burea)

said. “We also provide bi-monthly presentations on soils, water and technology in agriculture to the fifth-graders.”

During the summer months, Ag in the Classroom shifts its focus to the teachers, teaming up with the Farm Bureaus in Kendall and Will counties and Joliet Junior College to host the Tri-County Summer Agriculture Institute.

For five days, kindergarten through 12th grade-teachers participate in hands-on activities and tours to expand their knowledge of agriculture, and learn to use those experiences in their

own classrooms.

Foss said this year’s teacher’s event will be held July 15 to 17 and 20 to 21.

Agriculture in the Classroom was created in 1981 by the United States Department of Agriculture and has enjoyed years of success in Illinois, with a presence in 102 counties and 31,299 teachers implementing the program into their curriculum during the 2012-2013 school year, according to Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom.

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NOVEMBER 2014 • GRUNDY COUNTY AREA ag magazine 7

Cost cutting might mean more bean acres Anyone following the price of grain knows you have for your own operation. that it has been an ugly third quarter for farm Keep in mind that markets are usually perfect profitability. and this ratio may be susceptible December corn futures fell 25 to change as it prices in a potential percent during this time, while acreage swap. The opportunity may November soybeans fell 21 percent. disappear long before the first acre of This sets the stage for heavy cost 2015 is planted. cutting in 2015.

If you plan to switch some of The corn-soybean ratio for next your own acres to soybeans, it might year ended the quarter at 2.56, not be a bad idea to lock in the price which means beans already have using forward cash sales, futures, put a large price incentive built in. A By Dustin Johnson options, or a combination of these few private sector estimates are hedging tools. This premium beans Senior analyst for AgYield. forecasting a rather substantial hold to corn may not last, especially acreage swap from corn to soybeans in 2015, if South America has a good growing season including Informa economics. It is probably not with the record bean acres being projected. With a bad idea to run your own corn-soybean the world soybean stocks-to-use ratio expected comparison analysis to see what opportunities to grow to 35.8 percent this year, we see the

potential for an oversupply in soybeans 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.

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Soybeans winning – for now

Farmers reduce purchases as grain prices fall |

By David Giuliani

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?”

Crop acreage

A look at corn and soybean acreage in Illinois and Iowa (in millions):

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, Ill.-based Heartland Ag Group, arrived at similar conclusions.

“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 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?

Corn Year 2014* 2013 2012

Iowa 13.2 13.1 13.7

Illinois 12.0 12.0 12.2

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.

Not surprisingly, 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.”

Soybeans Year Iowa 2014* 13.2 2013 9.2 2012 9.3

Illinois 10.0 9.4 8.9

* estimated

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

NOVEMBER 2014 • GRUNDY COUNTY AREA ag magazine 9

Farming shapes Seneca grad’s future

By Hannah Kohut Students in farming communities have unique learning opportunities in high school that urban and suburban students just don’t get to experience. Seneca High School 2014 graduate David Frye, 18, of Seneca, benefited from the rich agriculture courses that have shaped him for his future. He also excelled outside the classroom in agriculture activities. Now, Frye is a student at Joliet Junior College studying agriculture production management.

His dream is to eventually work with his dad on the family farm, where they grow corn and soybeans on more than 1,900 acres of land and raise livestock, including cattle and hogs.

“I started helping out my dad when I was really young,” Frye said. “I grew up with farming and I like it. It’s great when you work hard to grow the crops and see what it produces at the end of the year.”

Frye was active in the agriculture classes at Seneca High School, taking courses that covered agriculture mechanics, soil science and agriculture management. He was also a member of FFA (Future Farmers of America) all four years in high school. Frye proved himself as a leader and growing agriculture expert by serving as the club’s sentinel his junior year and vice president his senior year.

“We went to state and national conventions,” Frye said of his time in FFA. “I got to meet with a lot of chapters from all over the U.S. It was amazing to see all the people interested in agriculture.”

Frye said it’s the diversity of agriculture that intrigued him at the conventions.

“It’s not just about a farm and growing corn and soybeans,” Frye said.

“Agriculture applies to business, like the guys who sell fertilizer, and the produce to make clothes and food. I’m involved in a very small spectrum of it.”

Frye’s mother, Jennifer Frye, said David also learned life lessons in his FFA involvement.

“There are rules and codes to follow,” Jennifer Frye said. “They learn to present themselves in public and how to speak.”

Jennifer Frye said her son was passionate about his ag studies in high school.

“He enjoyed it,” she said. “I didn’t have to fight with him to do his homework because he liked it so much.”

David also was a 10-year member of 4-H through, where he showed his cows and hogs in livestock shows and placed several times.

“My first three years of showing, I placed Reserved Grand Champion and Fourth Grand Champion with my cattle,” David Frye said. “This year 10 GRUNDY COUNTY AREA Ag Magazine • NOVEMBER 2014

I won first place for carcass hog and various first, second and third place awards in smaller parts of the shows.”

Frye has been on both sides of the show ring, as both a participant and as a judge. In high school, he was on the school’s judging team, where he learned to evaluate show cattle through their body lines, muscle mass, body structure and their level of presentation.

Now in college, Frye is thankful for the high level of agriculture education he received at Seneca High School.

He said most of what he learned from his teachers Kent Weber and Jeff Maierhofer set him up for success at Joliet Junior College.

“The quality of ag education in high school was valuable,” Frye said.

“When they talk about topics in class, I remember learning them already in high school. Mr. Weber or Mr. Maierhofer would tell me to remember something because I would need it later. I’ve gone back and told them they were right about all of that.”

Frye is the third of his four siblings to follow agriculture as a career. His older brother and sister both work in various fields of agriculture. Though he’s eager to work his family’s farm, his parents had one stipulation: he needed a college degree.

“After he earns a two-year degree, he come back and work with his dad,” Jennifer Frye said. “But he’s been the one of our four kids who wants to come back and work with their dad.”

Upon graduating from Seneca High School, David Frye was awarded the Robert Johnson Award, Seneca FFA Alumni Award and Star Farmer Award.

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Senator Sue Rezin receives Illinois Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture Award Members of the Bureau, Marshall Putnam, and Will County Farm Bureaus presented State Senator Sue Rezin, R-Morris, with the Illinois Farm Bureau “Friend of Agriculture” award.

“Agriculture represents the largest industry in Illinois,” Rezin said in a news release. “I am truly honored to have received this recognition for my work in support of our farm and farm families.”

According to the Illinois Farm Bureau, this award honors state and federal legislators who understand the importance of Illinois agriculture.

Recipients of this award recognize the far-reaching benefits of Illinois’ agricultural products and the importance farmers play in providing quality food, fiber and fuel for the state, nation and world.

“Senator Rezin has been, and continues to be a strong leader at the capitol,” Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau State Legislative Affairs Director, said in the release. “Her ability to understand and take action on agricultural issues that are important to her constituents proves why we need to send her back to Springfield.”

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Wrestling with rye

By Goldie Currie and Ken Schroeder

David Meyer of Marseilles is not using a cover crop yet, but is definitely contemplating the idea.

“I’m waiting to see what happens in the future,” Meyer said. “When they first started talking about it, they were using a type of rye. The problem is it’s a rye that grows back, and it has to be treated before you start again. If you can’t get into the fields right away, that can be a problem.

“We’ve had some wet springs lately, so once you’re able to get into the field, you’d have to spray it,” Meyer said. “If it’s wet, it’s not as effective. That slows you down.”

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.

Increase in cover crop use

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. 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 Kaspar, an agronomy professor at Iowa State University.

“We’re heading in the right direction, but slowly,” Kaspar said. “There’s a lot 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.”

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.

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.”

Farmers, he said, should know they can’t plant a cover crop for just one year and see benefits.

David Meyer, farmer It takes at least three years, he said. near Marseilles in LaSalle Mark David, an environmental sciences County (Photo by professor at the University of Illinois, said Ken Schroeder/for cover crops are used more as “you get out of Shaw Media) 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.

‘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.”

• David Giuliani contributed to this report.

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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

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12 GRUNDY COUNTY AREA Ag Magazine • NOVEMBER 2014

Illinois soybean farmers have much to celebrate

I had the pleasure recently of being part of the for soybeans and soy products like plastics, paints Illinois Soybean Association’s 50th anniversary and varnishes. celebration, also honoring the past 100 years of soy- The Land of Lincoln Soybean Association — as bean production in Illinois. Illinois soybean farmers ISA was originally known — was created in 1964 to have much to be proud of and look forward to. develop the Illinois soybean industry and conduct ISA’s focus for the last year variety testing. has been on embracing the During the 1970s, Illinois farmers helped past — our legacy of leadership, market soybeans from Mexico to North market development and soybean Africa. Illinois soybean farmers were a big production in Illinois. part of the financial power behind opening Our history has been marked with nine international marketing offices and successes in helping Illinois soyprograms in 76 nations. bean farmers improve production, At the same time, Illinois farmers turned from helping craft legislation that attention to emerging markets that inprotects our freedom to farm, to crecluded development of petroleum printing ating new markets for soy products By Sharon Covert inks containing soybean oil. The Soy Mark Director of the Illinois Soybean Association and for overseas buyers, to funding logo identified publications printed with soy research and promotion activities that increase profits ink. The Peoria lab helped develop soy ink, and St. and build demand.

Francis Hospital in Peoria, Ill., was the first to use it for Some interesting milestones from Illinois’ 100-year baby footprints. soybean production history include: New soybean uses accelerated during the 1990s.

In 1936, the Northern Regional Research Laboratory University students created candles from soybean oil in Peoria was established to develop industrial uses and soybean oil-based crayons. Illinois transit systems

tested a biodiesel fuel blend and the Food and Drug Administration approved a new soy health claim that stated soy protein included in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Today our strategic plan focuses on five key areas: Animal agriculture; transportation; yield, composition and profitability; freedom to operate and organizational excellence. Not only do we want to help our top livestock and poultry customers consume more, higher quality and nutritious soy products, we want to make sure we can efficiently transport those products in a manner that allows us to operate freely and sustainably.

The volume of Illinois soybean production has grown exponentially from less than 100,000 bushels at the start to more than 460 million bushels today.

Illinois has the climate, cropping systems and access to domestic and global markets to continue growing production for the future. Illinois soybeans generate more than $6 billion per year in direct sales alone.

Our economic impact on the state is multiplied by processing, livestock and transportation industries.

Attaining our goal of using 600 million bushels is critical to Illinois soybean farmers’ long-term competitive and comparative advantage. Learn more about our organization and programs by visiting www.ilsoy.org/anniversary.

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Farming way of life for Vernoa family

By Hannah Kohut

Sara Brockman-Mitchell (left) and her parents Pam and Dave belong to several generations of family farmers, with their own farmstead in Verona. (Photo by Hannah Kohut)

“My dad farmed and his dad farmed,” Pam Brockman said. “Probably generation after generation.”

Born in Streator, Pam said her family moved just south of Seneca in 1968 and became involved in the farming community, even serving as the host family for the Farm Progress Show in 1997.

Both Pam and Dave remember a family member working the previous family member’s farm, which is typical of farming families, according to Mitchell.

She said it’s all about passing on a legacy and strong work ethic.

“Ag has been good for the past few years,” Mitchell said. “But right now we are in a lull. In the end, people want to come back and carry on a way of life for the family.”

Mitchell said she has two brothers, one who lives locally and helps on the farm, and another who lives in Oklahoma where he works in the oil industry.

“Even still, my brother from Oklahoma comes in to help,” Mitchell said. “It’s how we grew up.”

As a child, Mitchell was active in 4-H and FFA at Seneca High School and participated in livestock shows across the nation. Her family worked together to properly raise the cows and pigs, instilling respect for the animals within Mitchell.

“I raised cattle, pigs, a horse, the old-time farm life,” Mitchell recalled. “It’s an experience I hope my own kids will have. The responsibility I gained, and being able to meet people across the country at

The Brockman family in Verona has been farming corn and soybeans for as far back as they remember. Dave and Pam Brockman can both trace their farming roots back three generations, when their great-grandparents cultivated the farmlands of Grundy County.

Now, the family grows and harvests corn ands soybeans on their 900-acre farm, complete with about 50 pigs and a little more than a dozen cattle.

Their daughter, fourth-generation farmer Sara Brockman-Mitchell, aims to keep that legacy going.

“As a child, I wouldn’t trade growing up on a farm for anything,” Mitchell said. “The responsibility I gained is indispensable.”

As the generations pass, Mitchell said it’s important to learn a strong work ethic and appreciation for food sources. She hopes one day to begin her own family and share her passion for farming with them.

Her parents’ families both go back to several generations of farmers, with her great-grandfather moving to Mazon from out-of-state. Dave Brockman, Mitchell’s father, said his father’s father-in-law was a farmer in the area.

“They grew corn and soybean as well,” Dave Brockman said. “I can remember them having cattle and sheep, too.”

Pam Brockman also recalls her family farming for as long as she can remember.

livestock shows, was amazing.”

Pam Brockman said she even learned a few things from her kids while they were in 4-H. “To me, four legs and a tail was a calf,” Pam Brockman said. “I didn’t care about breeding, but when my kids got into 4-H, I learned it was important.”

Even though she is out of the show ring, Mitchell still gets excited attending livestock competitions.

“There’s no better feeling than seeing an 8year-old win and the joy they have,’ Mitchell said.

When she’s not helping her parents on their farm, Mitchell works in agriculture crop insurance, where she helps farmers protect their crops from year to year.

“We have no control over mother nature,” Mitchell said. “Farming is a business and everyone wants to make money. There’s more to farming than just working the land.”

At the end of the day, Mitchell and her parents are dedicated to instilling their work ethic into the next generation. Mitchell said she learned as a child that if she didn’t go out in the cold on Christmas morning and feed her animals, they didn’t eat for that day.

“To learn that responsibility at a young age is so important,” Mitchell said. “I couldn’t imagine life any other way.”

Philanthropic program supports nonprofits in Illinois Farmers have chance to direct $3.3 million to nonprofits Farmers now have the opportunity to contribute $3.3 million to organizations in their communities.

To honor and support the tradition of service organizations in rural America, the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program is partnering with farmers to direct $2,500 donations to individual nonprofit organizations.

The program, which kicked off its fifth year on Aug. 1, benefits 1,324 counties across 40 states.

Organizations that received funding in the past include fire departments, food pantries, community groups and youth service programs like FFA and 4-H. In the smaller, rural communities where this program operates, a donation like this can make the difference in dozens of lives. The results include better-equipped volunteer fire departments, food pantries stocked with more fresh produce, improved

14 GRUNDY COUNTY AREA Ag Magazine • NOVEMBER 2014

meeting halls and fairgrounds, and opportunities for youth leadership development.

Since its inception in 2010, Grow Communities has invested more than $16 million in 6,000 nonprofit organizations across rural America. In Illinois alone, Grow Communities has provided $1,232,500 to nonprofit organizations over the past five years.

America’s Farmers Grow Communities is part of the America’s Farmers initiative. These programs, supported by the Monsanto Fund, have awarded over $22 million to rural communities since 2010. Connect with America’s Farmers on Facebook or @AmericasFarmers on Twitter. Join the #GrowCommunities conversation today.

To enroll or learn more, visit AmericasFarmers.com, or call toll-free 877-267-3332.

Illinois farmers elect directors to checkoff board

Historic Illinois farms included in book Orders are being taken for the coffee-table book “Illinois Historic Farms: Honoring the State’s Enduring Heritage of Family-Owned Farms,” which features histories of family-owned farms certified by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as Centennial or Sesquicentennial Farms, as well as photos and stories

documenting the state’s agriculture history.

Acclaim Press is in the process of printing the book, which will be available in the first quarter of next year.

The cost is $49.95 if ordered by Dec. 31. Go to acclaimpress.com or call 877-427-2665 to order or for more information.

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Today, we realize how important it is for the family farmer as well as the commercial farm operator to have a banker who understands their needs and the ever-changing landscape of agriculture.

At Standard Bank, we have a team of experienced bankers who know and understand agriculture and what today’s farmer needs to sustain a successful operation.

We are happy to provide you with financial advice. We’ll do that with personal one-on-one service and will personally stop by to meet you on your farm at a time that’s convenient for you Give Kelly Beaty a call at 815.942.5300 to get started.

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The Illinois Corn Marketing Board has seated two returning and three new members to its board.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently announced the results of the farmer elections. IDOA Director Robert Flider congratulated the farmers on their election and said that it’s an honor to be chosen by one’s peers.

The farmers elected to ICMB invest corn checkoff dollars as they are assessed and levied at the first point of sale. State law sets the assessment for corn at 5/8 of 1 cent per bushel.

The newly-elected board members will serve three-year terms. New to ICMB are Pat Dumoulin from Hampshire; Mark Wilson from Toulon; and James A. Reed from Monticello.

Dumoulin will represent District 1 which covers Boone, McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Kendall and Will Counties. District 4 will now be represented by Wilson. It covers Whiteside, Lee, Bureau, Stark, Marshall and Putnam Counties. Reed will represent District 7 which encompasses Woodford, McLean, Dewitt, Macon, Piatt and Moultrie Counties.

Incumbents Bill Long of District 10 and Donald Duvall of District 13 will maintain their seats. Long’s district includes Scott, Morgan, Sangamon, Greene, Jersey, Calhoun and Macoupin Counties. District 13 will have Duvall representing Marion, Clay, Richland, Lawrence, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash and White Counties.

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board was established in 1982 to manage the voluntary checkoff investment that corn farmers in the state agreed to implement that year. The farmers that make up ICMB are elected by their peers to serve unpaid, three-year terms.

The ICMB farmer leaders are tasked with developing and maintaining markets for corn which is Illinois’ highest valued agricultural commodity. Find out more about ICMB at www.ilcorn.org and the family farmers who contribute to the checkoff at watchusgrow.org.

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NOVEMBER 2014 • GRUNDY COUNTY AREA ag magazine 15

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16 GRUNDY COUNTY AREA Ag Magazine • NOVEMBER 2014