Sam1 2018 02 12

AG Mag A look ahead Northern Illinois

What the area agriculture community will be talking about this year: n Planting and prices n The 2018 farm bill n Local solar farm and wind farm projects A Publication of Shaw Media

Spring 2018

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 440 STERLING, IL 61081 P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081

AG Mag Northern Illinois

Publisher Don T. Bricker Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman

Index The 2018 forecast

What does the coming season have in store for local farmers? Much of the same, experts say.

Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editor & Page Design Jeff Rogers Reporters & Photographers Zach Arbogast, Cody Cutter, Pam Eggemeier, Lyle Ganther, Phillip Hartman, Scott Ide, Chris Johnson, Michael Krabbenhoeft, Andrea Mills, Alex T. Paschal, Lucas Pauley, Rachel Rodgers, Jeff Rogers, and Kathleen A. Schultz Published by Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of the Northern Illinois Ag Mag may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley 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.

COVER STORY PAGE 8

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156 +/-Acres in Genesee Township. 134.7 +/- acres tillable.

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CENTER PIECE PAGE 22

Index Deere, traveler

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17 The next 5-year farm bill will be debated and, hopefully, passed in 2018. What are the key talking points?

21

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos has proposed a bill to allow young farmers greater access to land.

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Index COVER STORY PAGE 34

Powered by the sun, and wind A look at the renewable energy farm projects planned for 2018 in the region.

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BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN Soon, it will be planting season; experts forecast ‘broken record’ year of high yields, low prices

B

BY RACHEL RODGERS For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

arring big changes in production and demand, farmers are likely to see high yields and low market prices continuing into the 2018 season.

That follows a trend of record-high yields for corn and soybeans but lean margin years from depressed prices.

8 Spring 2018

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 2017 corn yields in Illinois were 201 bushels per acres, up four bushels from 2016, and soybeans yields at 58 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from 2016. That’s another record-high yield for corn, and soybeans saw a record-high production of 612 million bushels.

CONTINUED ON 94

4CONTINUED FROM 8 In Iowa, last year’s corn yields are estimated at 202 bushels per acre, the second time Iowa’s average corn for grain yield has gone above the 200 bushels per acre mark, and the soybean crop yielded 56.5 bushels per acre.

At 10 million acres planted, Iowa saw the most planted acres to soybeans since 2006.

Corn and soybean prices are projected to be relatively similar to the past 3 years and lower than the Gary 2007 through 2014 period Schnitkey when the projected price averaged $4.93 per bushel.

Planning numbers for farmers remain in the mid-$9 range for soybeans and mid-$3 range for corn, and fall delivery bids are near $3.60 per bushel for corn and $9.60 per bushel for soybeans.

“At this point, futures prices suggest that the 2018 projected (crop insurance) price for corn will be near the 2017 price of $3.96 per bushel,” Gary Schnitkey, an agriculture economist at the University of Illinois, said in December. “The 2018 projected price for soybeans likely will be near but

Historical yields (in millions of bushels) Corn Year Illinois Iowa Nation 1997........... 129.......... 138......... 126.7 1998........... 141.......... 145......... 134.4 1999........... 140.......... 149......... 133.8 2000........... 151.......... 144......... 136.9 2001........... 152.......... 146......... 138.2 2002........... 135.......... 163......... 129.3 2003........... 164.......... 157......... 142.2 2004........... 180.......... 181......... 160.4 2005........... 143.......... 173......... 147.9 2006........... 163.......... 166......... 149.1 2007........... 175.......... 171......... 150.7 2008........... 179.......... 171......... 153.3 2009........... 174.......... 181......... 164.4 2010........... 157.......... 165......... 152.6 2011........... 157.......... 172......... 146.8 2012........... 105.......... 137......... 123.1 2013........... 178.......... 164......... 158.1 2014........... 200.......... 178............ 171 2015........... 175.......... 192......... 168.4 2016........... 197.......... 203......... 174.6 2017........... 201.......... 202......... 176.6 lower than the 2017 projected price of $10.19 per bushel.”

Prices could take a hit if the nation pulls out of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which President Donald Trump has suggested, but that

Soybeans Year Illinois Iowa Nation 1997............. 43............ 46........... 38.9 1998............. 44............ 48........... 38.9 1999............. 42......... 44.5........... 36.6 2000............. 44......... 43.5........... 38.1 2001............. 45............ 44........... 39.6 2002............. 43............ 48.............. 38 2003............. 37......... 32.5........... 33.9 2004............. 50............ 49........... 42.2 2005.......... 46.5......... 52.5.............. 43 2006............. 48......... 50.5........... 42.9 2007.......... 43.5............ 52........... 41.7 2008............. 47......... 46.5........... 39.7 2009............. 46............ 51.............. 44 2010.......... 51.5............ 51........... 43.5 2011.......... 47.5......... 51.5.............. 42 2012............. 43............ 45.............. 40 2013............. 50......... 45.5.............. 44 2014............. 46............ 51........... 47.5 2015............. 56......... 56.5.............. 48 2016............. 59......... 60.5........... 52.1 2017............. 58......... 56.5........... 49.1 remains to be seen. Prices could go up, but it would take a sizable production problem in the U.S. or South America.

CONTINUED ON 124

AG Mag

9

FARMERS FORUM

With Alex T. Paschal of Northern Illinois Ag Mag

What’s the biggest decision you have to make in planning for the upcoming planting season? What’s the outcome of that decision?

Adam Henkel, West Brooklyn

“Buying the right seed and planting that on the right acreage. You have to consider weed control and pesticides, and make sure the equipment and soil is in top shape. Picking one decision is very difficult, since everything affects each other.”

Ryan Appelquist, Franklin Grove

“Figuring the right strategy for the year.

Just making sure we don’t overextend ourselves. The farming economy isn’t the greatest right now, and we want to make sure we make great decisions.”

Mike Meusel, Amboy “The marketing of the grain. I’ve always said that’s our biggest challenge. Making the decision when to sell or not to sell.”

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4CONTINUED FROM 9 Lee Schulz, an agriculture economist at Iowa State University, said many issues surrounding crop markets the past few years are likely to repeat this year.

“Large crop supplies have been produced globally,” he said. “Crop demands have reached record levels, but crop stocks continue to build.”

Lee Schulz Farmers have been able to break even or turn a small profit during the trend, though it’s critical farmers are prepared for another lean year by cutting costs and improving efficiency.

“The projected prices in recent years are somewhat of a ‘broken record’ in that the outlook is very similar in each year since 2015,” Schnitkey said. “Given that trend yields are received, projected prices are at levels

Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Brad Shippert harvests soybeans on his rural Dixon farm in October. He said farmers can weather the storm of lower commodities prices if they “didn’t go out and borrow a whole bunch of money for new equipment.” “If you don’t have a lot of debt going into a period like this, you’ll be OK,” he said. that, at best, reflect marginal profitably on many farms.”

Putting in early and bulk seed orders could help with costs as seed prices continue

to rise.

Another trend likely to continue this year is converting more and more corn acreage to soybeans, which have a

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more favorable price ratio for farmers as well as higher yields.

“Since 2012, acres in the U.S. have been shifting out of corn and into soybeans, likely as a result of higher returns for soybeans than for corn,” Schnitkey said.

Last year, 7 million less acres of corn were planted than in 2012, whereas soybean acres reached an alltime high of 90 million acres.

Corn was more profitable from 2000 to 2012, though that shifted to soybeans in 2014, according to the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management Association.

Illinois corn and soybean stockpiles both increased from 2016 – corn stocks totaled 2.08 billion bushels, up 5 percent, and soybean stocks totaled 511 million bushels, up 6 percent, according to the USDA. In Iowa, corn stocks totaled 2.38 billion bushels, down 1 percent from 2016, and soybean stocks totaled 487 million bushels, up 6 percent.

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Ag Farmacy contracts with a service for aerial fungicide, dry application, and MAPS. It can provide up to 3 gallons per acre fungicide. ON PAGE 14: Ag Farmacy in rural Sterling provides farmers with a comprehensive plan from pre-planting through post-harvest. Services include several spraying options.

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F

eeling ill? You might end up at the pharmacy to get medicine to make you well.

There are all kinds of medicines to keep farm fields and the crops they yield well.

Seed. Fertilizer. Chemicals.

The right mix and the proper application are critical to a farmer’s livelihood.

In the Sauk Valley, farmers have a Farmacy they can turn to.

While the services Ag Farmacy on Galt Road in Sterling provides aren’t unique, Chief Executive Officer Henry Carius does things a bit different than other companies.

“We don’t change the price of our services. Whether you are a 5,000-acre farm or a 50,000-acre farm, the price is the same,” Carius said. “We want to provide one great price for everyone, and our prices are super competitive.”

Farmers, too, are super competitive, always seeking the best prices. Ag Farma-

cy’s price structure allows smaller farmers to compete on a more even playing field.

Having a set price can lower the overall cost per acre for smaller farmers, while improving the overall profitability for all farmers.

Current pricing for overall corn herbicide packages are between $22 and $30 per acre, but the company is continuing to work to get the lowest price from the supplier.

With any individual product, the price Ag Farmacy offers might not be as low as other companies, but as a whole program Carius said “volume discounts have become a thing of the past, and we are here to dissolve preconceived notions. We try to have the lowest overall cost per acre.”

Farmers are loyal to some seed and herbicide companies, and some have used the same brand with the same active ingredient for decades.

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Ag Farmacy goes above and beyond to help increase profits

15

4CONTINUED FROM 15 While that combination may work, Carius said Ag Farmacy has ideas to improve yields and profits with several options – including different ways of applying the same herbicide and seed a farmer had been using.

The company offers numerous preplant, pre-emerge, and post options for the fertilizers and chemicals.

“A farmer is given the options, and they ultimately decide the product that will be used on their fields,” Carius said.

“We change the active ingredient in the farmer’s herbicide program.”

Farmers are provided four or five good options with different active ingredients to select from.

The decision may be the farmer’s, but Ag Farmacy offers expert advice and uses data from Carius’ other business endeavor – Ag Mapping – and his working relation with research companies.

“We are recommending the products we feel will be best for profitability, and sometimes that means a farmer is changing his plan,” he said. “We are doing a different spin on what has been done.”

But the bottom line for a farmer might be just that, the cost.

“In the end, it is all about having the lowest overall price to generate the highest yields,” Carius said. “Our goal is to help everyone, and I feel we have

Ag Farmacy Ag Farmacy’s promise is to offer products at the best value with unequaled service. The company has comprehensive packages that include seed, fertilizer, chemicals, and application.

Location: 13323 Galt Rd., Sterling Phone: 815-631-2484 Online: agfarmacy.com or find the company on Facebook

done that. We want a farmer to feel like they know they receive value for the services we provide and being there for them when needed.”

To accomplish this, the salesmen do not just sit in the office answering phones. They are also agronomists.

They get their hands dirty and go to the fields, inspect the crops throughout the growing season, and take soil samples.

Soil samples are tested, and yields are examined Henry to decide the direction to Carius take the farm during the next growing season.

Ag Farmacy is preparing for its third growing season and is not resting on past success.

“As we grow, we are not sitting back.

This year, we are adding new services and negotiating better prices with suppliers,” Carius said.

Not all of Ag Farmacy’s work is at ground level. During the summer, look up to sky and you might spot a crop duster doing the work. Aerial applications are a specialty way to apply chemicals to a field and Ag Farmacy has contracted with a service to offer up to 3 gallons per acre.

“We hope Ag Farmacy is providing above-and-beyond service, “ Carius said. “We value the service that we offer, and when farmers value our service they talk to their friends about us.”

This word of mouth advertising has assisted with growing the company.

The company has representatives in Sterling and Geneseo and covers a 2-hour radius in the Sauk and Illinois valleys.

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High-stakes negotiations Buckle up, it’s farm bill time: Insurance safety nets for farmers a priority for local lawmakers

L

BY JEFF ROGERS AND RACHEL RODGERS For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

uke Sandrock is a partner at The Cornerstone Agency in Tampico, which among other things provides farm and crop insurance. Each year, the agency he works for hosts the annual Farmer Update Meeting in Deer Grove. At the most recent meeting, held Dec. 15, the farm bill was high on the list of topics of conversation.

“It impacts every single person in this room,” Sandrock said, “and frankly, everyone in this country.”

The farm bill might be to agriculture what the Super Bowl is to football, the Daytona 500 to auto racing.

It’s a massive, wide-ranging bill that impacts almost every aspect of agriculture and affects the ways farmers locally and nationally go about their business.

CONTINUED ON 184

Photo illustration by Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

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4CONTINUED FROM 17 A new farm bill must be passed every 5 years, and it’s that time again. The current bill expires in September.

But legislative work on the next farm bill began 3 years ago. It never really ends. The House Agriculture Commitee, for example, had 117 hearings on the bill’s issues between 2015 and 2017.

U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, a Democrat from East Moline sits on the committee, and was at the Farmer Update Meeting to talk, among other things, about the farm bill. The committee is working on the House version of the bill, while the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry work on the Senate version.

Bustos said as the state’s top industry continues to evolve, younger farmers are adapting to new arenas in the field, and legislators need to adovate for the agriculture community as the bill is crafted.

“We’ve got to start thinking big and bold, and that’s going to come at a cost,” Bustos, who represents the ag-heavey 17th Congressional District, said.

She said the biggest challenge facing those in farm bill talks is President Donald Trump’s proposed 21 percent cut to the USDA’s budget.

“It’s critical that we start on it very early,” Bustos said. “The closer we are to November 2018 [midterm elections],

SM-ST1498959

18 Spring 2018

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline, speaks Dec. 15 during the 28th annual Farmer Update Meeting at Deer Valley Country Club in Deer Grove. the less our chances to get it passed are.”

Even lawmakers who aren’t on the committees forming the next farm bill are talking about it with constituents.

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Channahon who represents the 16th Congressional District, met

with members of his citizen group Agriculture Advisory Committee last month in Ottawa. He said getting input from the 27 community leaders from the agriculture industry on the farm bill was a priority.

CONTINUED ON 194

Photo submitted

U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Channahon, meets with members of his Agricultural Advisory Committee in Ottawa in January.

4CONTINUED FROM 18 “Farmers across the district are concerned about high health care costs,” Kinzinger said after the meeting.

“They want support for RFS (renewable fuel standards), E-15 sales, and ethanol.

“The agriculture community values the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and want free trade to be protected on our agriculture goods.”

Yes, trade, is part of the farm bill, too.

In fact, there are 12 “titles” covered by the legislation. It’s massive, remember?

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Price and income supports for farmers on commodities such as corn, soybeans and dairy are one of the most debated portions of the bill.

So, too, is crop insurance, which provides premium subsidies to farmers and subsidies to private crop insurance companies that provide federal crop insurance to farmers.

And the credit title covers federal loan programs designed to help farmers access financial credit – direct loans, loan guarantees and other tools – they need to grow and sustain their farming operations.

But the farm bill also covers conservation, trade, nutrition, rural development, research, forestry, energy, specialty crops, horticulture and outreach programs for the socially disadvantaged.

In fact, spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a big part of the farm bill. It’s a lot of money.

The 2014 farm bill projected spending on SNAP to be between $75 billion and $80 billion for each of the 5 years of the legislation. That spending has actually been a bit lower – between $78 billion in 2014 and a projected $68 billion this year – because SNAP participation has dropped along with the unemployment rate.

CONTINUED ON 204

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4CONTINUED FROM 19 The USDA’s Economic Research Service, using data from the Congressional Budget Office, projects spending on the 2014 farm bill to cost about $489 billion. (It’s worth noting that farm policy constitutes only 0.26 percent of the federal budget.)

About 10 percent of those farm bill costs go to crop insurance. That safety net is something farmers, and lawmakers who represent agricultural communities, are hoping to at least preserve, if not boost, in the next farm bill.

“What our family farmers are telling us is that, don’t fix what’s not broken, that the crop insurance is working and it’s working well, and first do no harm,” Bustos told Illinois Public Media earlier this month.

That safety net may be more critical to farmers locally and nationally now than at any time in recent years. Farmers and ranchers have seen net farm income drop 45 percent over the past 3 years, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. Overall, the ERS forecasts a 50 percent drop in net farm income since 2013.

That drop impacts everyone, not just farmers. It leads to fewer equipment purchases, higher food prices, reductions in the use of cutting edge technology, and more.

20 Spring 2018

Farmers and the advocacy groups that support them say it is more important now than ever to push back against efforts to cut funding to risk management tools.

Kinzinger said preserving crop insurance levels is both the biggest priority and the greatest challenge of upcoming discussions.

“It’s what farmers rely on the most, and it gives you the ability to plan and mitigate risk,” Kinzinger said. “That’s the No. 1 priority I’m hearing from farmers.”

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, who represents the 18th Congressional District in north central Illinois, said he wants to make sure crop insurance is protected.

“We’ve seen some conservatives and liberals go after crop insurance,” he said during a visit to Macomb in January that was reported by the Canton Daily Ledger. “It’s a safety net for our farmers, but it’s a program over the years that’s been refined and reformed. I think it’s effective, efficient and accountable. But it’s been a target of the past.”

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, in a blog in January on the committee’s website, said that maintaining crop insurance is a priority.

“We are talking about having a safety net that’s not so high that there’s no risk, but not so low that it’s so dangerous people can’t farm again,” he said.

“So, that’s the challenge of the ag committee and Congress to write that farm bill.”

Once the House and Senate committees each pass their own bills, they go to the full House and Senate. LaHood said he expects those votes in June or July.

Those bills will be different, perhaps vastly so. Which means a conference committee of members of both houses will combine the bills into one that will be voted on by the full Congress, then approved by the president.

If all goes well.

If a bill is not passed and signed by the fall, Congress can approve extension periods for the existing bill until a new one is finalized.

“I understand that in negotiations with the farm bill there are competing agricultural groups,” Kinzinger said, “but it will be critical that we work together even when we disagree. That’s how we will get it done.”

Said U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, a member of the House ag committee who once was its chairman: “If you care about the food on your table, if you care about making sure your neighbors have enough to eat, if you care about water quality, air quality, preserving those natural resources, wildlife, if you care about all those things, then you care about the farm bill.”

Growing future farmers Bustos bill aims to ease young farmers’ access to buying land

T

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline, speaks Dec. 15 during the 28th annual Farmer Update Meeting at Deer Valley Country Club in Deer Grove.

Bustos has introduced the Farmers of Tomorrow Act, which would make it easier for young farmers and veterans to purchase farm land.

Ag Consultation

Farm Management

BY RACHEL RODGERS For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

he disparity between retiring farmers and younger generations coming into the industry is growing, and U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos is looking to shrink that divide.

For every six farmers older than 65 stepping out of agriculture, only one younger than 35 comes into the fold, Bustos told a crowd of more than 200 members of the area farming community at the 28th annual Farmer Update Meeting in Deer Grove in December.

“We’re the nation that feeds the world, and we need to bring in new farmers,” she said.

The Farmers of Tomorrow Act, introduced in December, makes it easier for young aspiring farmers and veterans to purchase land without having to wait 3 years to meet experience restrictions.

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Bustos said the issue came about during her “Better Deal for the Heartland Tour” as she visited farming operations throughout the district and found that younger folks were having trouble planting their seed in the industry and were moving on to other fields.

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AG Mag

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a bumper to bumper You can reap the harvest of what they show at the John Deere Pavilion: an up close look at the mighty machines that help feed the world – and a mower with a mind of it’s own, too

T

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANDREA MILLS For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

he Sauk Valley has a tie to Moline – Deere & Co. – linked through John Deere, who in 1837 invented his revolutionary self-scouring, steel plow in Grand Detour.

A few years later, Deere moved his company to Moline, where today visitors can see how a small plow mushroomed into giant yellow and green machines that tower over visitors at the John Deere Pavilion.

Just stepping through the doors made me realize this was no longer my great-great-grandfather’s plow. Like a kid, I couldn’t resist climbing the helpful stairs to look into the cabs of the machines that were open to guests.

I sat in the driver’s seat of a huge combine and my mind’s eye gazed out over fields and I was ready to tackle my ripe crops – I felt like I could get it done in no time at all.

Don’t like mowing the lawn? Let the Tango do it. The autonomous mower is designed to do the work while its owner goes shopping or does other chores.

22 Spring 2018

crop of

GREEN LEFT: A changing display tells visitors about John Deere and his plow, which “sliced through the sticky soil.” The plow was created in Grand Detour before Deere moved to Moline, where the company’s latest equipment can be seen at the John Deere Pavilion. BELOW: The John Deere Pavilion in Moline has a number of machines visitors can view from the floor or from the driver’s seat. This S670 combine is poised in front of crops, making even city folks feel like farmers when they take the controls. Unfortunately, they can’t go anywhere but in the imagination.

If you go …

What: John Deere Pavilion Where: 1400 River Drive, Moline When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m.

Sunday Cost: free Information: 309-765-1000 or deere. com/en/connect-with-john-deere/visitjohn-deere/pavilion/ Or maybe that was my own tiny garden that I was picturing. It wouldn’t take much for this mighty machine to harvest my homegrown crops.

From the cab of a – surprisingly to me, not green, but yellow – drive loader, I noticed something considerably smaller darting across a display that featured a lawn and a house backdrop. I had to find out what that was, so when I returned to the ground, I went over to the white fence and waited for the gadget to appear again.

That’s when I first met the Tango autonomous mower as it appeared in the “yard” and began to mow. Something’s missing, though: a person pushing the mower. With the use of a boundary wire, the Tango automatically mows your grass while you work in the garage or do the laundry. Even better, it does that while you go to the movies. Ah, the good life.

I went through the Pavilion to see what else I could find. Not only can kids and adults climb up and onto several machines, but kids can explore the Discovery Zone, where eight exhibits offer hands-on activities. Adults can try give the exhibits a try, too. I did.

CONTINUED ON 244

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4CONTINUED FROM 23 Other exhibits include vintage machines, forestry equipment and simulators.

Across from the Pavilion is the John Deere Store with just about anything John Deere you can think of. It’s a good place to spend some green on the green.

Factory tour Although not connected to the Pavilion, one of the other John Deere-related activities visitors can enjoy is to arrange for a factory tour. Those taking part must be 13 and older. Visit Deere.com/ FactoryTours to make arrangements.

Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance.

The factories are Harvester Works in East Moline and John Deere Seeding Group in Moline; call them at 800-7659588. In Iowa, you can visit the Tractor Cab Assembly Operations and Drive train Operations – call 319-292-7668 – and Engine Works – call 319-292-5347 – in Waterloo. There’s also the John Deere Ottumwa Works in Ottumwa – call 800369-5689 – and Des Moines Works in Ankeny – call 515-289-3198.

Whether you go home wearing green or not, be sure to pay a visit to the Pavilion and see the pride and joy of Deere & Co.

Andrea Mills/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

If you enjoy channeling your inner Hank Hill, the X590 select series lawn-and-garden tractor offers a more traditional way to mow the grass under control, as compared to the Tango autonomous mower. This is one of the machines on display at the John Deere Pavilion.

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Teaching his trade Lee County man honored for his work at Lee County Ag Expo Kevin Moore, who has been with Del Monte for more than 40 years, works at the company’s plant in Mendota.

(Scott Ide/ Northern Illinois Ag Mag)

D

BY CODY CUTTER For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

el Monte has been a constant in Kevin Moore’s life.

So has a certain “volunteer gene.”

Moore grew up helping his father and grandfather raise foods in the Mendota area for Del Monte, and has worked for the company for more than 40 years.

Along with his current work as senior field supervisor at Del Monte’s Mendota plant, Moore volunteers time to teach the basics of agriculture to students each April at the Lee County Ag Expo.

Not one looking to get attention for his work, Moore was more than surprised in December when he was one of three recipients of the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom Volunteer of the Year Award. He didn’t know such an award existed.

“It was quite a deal,” Moore said. “I didn’t feel like I deserved it, though, because those gals [at the Ag Expo] do so much work. We’ve been working with them for almost 11 years now.”

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4CONTINUED FROM 25 Moore credits much of his drive for teaching to one of Del Monte’s harvest bosses, Dave McLachlan. While Moore teaches Lee County fourth- and fifth-graders about how food goes from fields to plates, McLachlan demonstrates some of the machinery used in the process – such as how peas come apart from a pod.

“He’s real good with kids,” Take a tour McLachlan said. “He’s real big in Kids can walk around trying to promote agriculture. the property, tour the A lot of the kids have no idea, fields, and see harvest- and think [food] just magically ers at work. Adults can appears on the grocery shelf.” take scheduled tours of Most of Moore’s teaching is the plant. based on kids’ questions, someTo schedule a tour of times while eating a compliDel Monte’s Mendota mentary fruit cup. Otherwise, he plant, email Moore at said, they don’t get involved. kevin.moore@delmonte. “Mostly, they just want to know com, or call him at 815- where their food comes from, 615-4130. and how it gets to their table,” Moore said, “and to encourage them to think about working for us some day. We like to plant that seed when they’re young, and make a career in agriculture.”

The agricultural field will be growing as more technology is applied. America has the safest and cheapest food in the world, Moore said, and a lot goes into that to make it more of a reality.

“There’s going to be a lot of demand,” Moore said.

“There’s a lot of technology in agriculture now, and there’s a lot of tracking that we have to do. There’s a sustainability part of that to try to maximize every acre that you have, and not deplete your resources.”

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Scott Ide/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Kevin Moore, a senior field supervisor at Del Monte’s plant in Mendota, shows the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom Volunteer of the Year Award he received in December.

Moore was one of three award winners statewide. Each April, he teaches students about agriculture at the Lee County Ag Expo.

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Take comfort Hearty recipes to try while we wait for spring

I

BY LUCAS PAULEY For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

’ve really come into my own as a 30-year-old home cook.

I don’t pretend to be a chef, but there are a few things I was put on the planet to do, and cooking comfort foods is one of those things.

I enjoy eating healthy and I think it’s important, but comfort foods like chili, barbecue pulled pork and Italian beef sandwiches, soups and pastas need love, too.

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Barbecue pork meatloaf was a nice, tasty twist on the traditional American dinner favorite.

(Lucas Pauley/Northern Illinois Ag Mag)

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4CONTINUED FROM 27 They can warm you up during nights when the temperature is still hovering around or below freezing. We need these foods.

If you’re asking me, we need these foods even when it’s July and sweltering outside.

You’re thinking to yourself, “Barbecue pulled pork sandwiches during the summer? Sure. But chili? This guy’s nuts.”

I keep trying to tell people: I have an unhealthy obsession with chili. I’m working on it.

But, while it’s still cold outside and cooking heavier dishes like chili, soups and meatloaf is still acceptable to all, let’s get cooking!

BARBECUE MEATLOAF Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 60 minutes Serves: 8 2 lbs of ground pork 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 2 large eggs 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 orange or yellow pepper, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced Seasonings to taste: Salt, pepper,

oregano, Tony Chachere or other Cajun seasoning Note: You can use your favorite storebought barbecue sauce or create your own. I always like creating my own barbecue sauce. For this creation, I mixed traditional barbecue sauce with ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper and other assorted spices. I rarely have exact measurements when making sauces, because it’s not that type of process. Play around with it. Add your own flare!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a bowl, combine pork, seasonings, bread crumbs and eggs. Mix well by hand until everything is absorbed.

Prepare onions, pepper and garlic.

3. Add oil into pan, and saute onions and peppers. Add garlic near the end.

4. Add cooked contents to the pork mixture and some of the sauce. Mix well. Spray non-stick loaf pan and place pork in pan.

5. Press pork to form it evenly in pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until internal temperature of meatloaf is 165 degrees.

7. Remove meatloaf from oven and add remaining barbecue sauce to top of meatloaf while it rests. Cut and serve with vegetables. (Mashed sweet potatoes and fresh green beans paired nicely with this hearty dish.)

– Adapted from heb.com recipe

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PORK TACO, ENCHILADA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SOUP Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 12 hours Serves: 10-12 2 lbs pork loin, shredded 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock 2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes 1 15.5 oz can great northern beans 1 6 oz can tomato paste 1 24 oz can crushed tomatoes 1 onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 jalapeños, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups frozen corn 1 tbsp olive oil Seasonings for pork and soup: Cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper (Can also just use taco seasoning packet from store.)

For toppings: Chips or crackers, shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions 1. The day before making the soup, you’ll need to cook the pork loin for 10-12 hours on low. It’s a tougher cut of meat, but healthier than a pork shoulder and perfect for this soup. Shred the pork, let cool and refrigerate.

CONTINUED ON 294

4CONTINUED FROM 28 2. The next day, saute diced vegetables in olive oil until tender.

3. Add shredded pork, vegetables, the contents in all of the cans, and your seasonings into the slow cookers. Let it cook on low for 10-12 hours.

While it’s cooking, taste it here and there, add seasonings as you see fit. (Note: I’m not a fan of telling people how much pepper, salt, oregano or whatever to use when cooking. Everyone is different and likes things different ways.

Start with a little, and go from there. That’s part of the fun.)

4. Serve in bowls and top with whatever you’d like: chips or crackers, shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions or avocado.

– Inspired by recipetineats.com recipe CONTINUED ON 304

Lucas Pauley/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Shredded pork is the star in the hearty soup, which Northern Illinois Ag Mag reporter Lucas Pauley calls the Pork Taco, Enchilada or Something Like That Soup.

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AG Mag

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4CONTINUED FROM 29

LJP’s CHILI 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork 1.5 pound pork or beef boneless stew meat 2 green peppers, chopped 2 yellow or orange peppers, chopped 2 poblano peppers, chopped 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped 1 yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, grated 2 12-ounce jars of chili sauce 2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (Aldi) 2 10-ounce cans of mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste 2 tablespoons of hot sauce (your choice) 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons of butter 4 tablespoons of brown sugar Other seasonings to taste: chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper

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1. Set your slow cooker on low. Add the chili sauce, tomato paste and can of crushed tomatoes. Drain the cans of Rotel and diced tomatoes, and pour the contents into the slow cooker.

2. Separately, in a large skillet, cook the ground pork, ground beef and stew meat (in whatever order you’d like) over medium heat. I generally season each with salt and pepper, and add Worcestershire sauce while I’m cooking. After each is done, drain the fat and put them in the slow cooker.

3. While those are cooking, chop the vegetables and set them aside.

4. After the meat is done, in that same skillet pan, cook the veggies until they are tender. I usually cook the poblano and the green and jalapeno peppers together, seasoning with salt and pepper, and then the yellow/orange pep-

pers and onion, with a few tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper. Grate some garlic over the pan when you’re nearly done. Pour that all in the slow cooker.

5. Now, it’s time to add all the seasonings or hot sauce you wish to include.

The amount you use should be based on who you’re cooking for. If you’re like me, this is going to be cooking for at least 8 hours, so there’s always time to add more and adjust. If it gets too spicy, add a little more brown sugar.

6. Now, I hope you’ve made this a day before you plan to eat it, because that’s always the way to go. Maybe I should’ve said something before now, but ... surprise! Seriously though, chili is always best after it’s cooled down and been stored in the fridge overnight. Something magical happens.

Then, the next day, put it back in the slow cooker and set it to low. When it’s nice and warm, enjoy!

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Local volunteers join growing movement to put more prairie back in the Prairie State

I

BY PAM EGGEMEIER For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

llinois is known as The Prairie State, but many of the plants and wildlife in the prairie ecosystem are in danger of disappearing.

There was a time when 60 percent of the state was prairie, but of that 22 million acres, only about 2,500 acres of that grassland still exists.

Much of the lost prairie has become farmland, but the movement to restore our grasslands is gaining strength.

A depleted state budget has left much of the heavy lifting to volunteer-based organizations, and many passionate stewards of nature are hard at work in the Sauk Valley.

CONTINUED ON 324

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AG Mag

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Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Polo High School students Caleb Scott (left), 16, Patrick Call, 16, Harper Clark, 15, and Ramsey Shroyer, 15, spread wildflower seed on a 2-acre parcel of property outside of Polo. The students are part of the Outdoor Club headed by Polo science teacher Gina Cole. ON PAGE 31: Sadie Baumann, 15, lets the light breeze take the seeds from her hand on about 2 acres of city-owned land at the Polo sewer plant property on Galena Trail Road. Baumann joined fellow volunteers Jan. 20 to help to restore the area to a native grassland.

4CONTINUED FROM 31 A group of 10 volunteers were busy on a late January morning seeding about 2 acres of city-owned land at the Polo sewer plant property on Galena Trail Road. Paul Soderholm and Mike Scholl unloaded containers of the native prairie blend for the small group to spread

over the soil which still glistened with snow on an unseasonably warm winter day.

“We got it from Nachusa Grasslands, and they said there could be 30 to 40 species in this mix,” said Soderholm, who has been involved with The Nature Conservancy for many years.

Soderholm also serves as treasurer of

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the Middle Rock Conservation Partners, which is working to restore prairies, woodlands, wetlands and savannas in Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties. The MRCP took a giant step forward in April when it was granted state nonprofit status.

CONTINUED ON 334

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4CONTINUED FROM 32 The MRCP has its own fire crew and can conduct controlled burns on up to 2,000 acres of prairie in a single spring season. The burns help manage weeds and invasive species, and help restore nutrients for future native plant growth.

“We’re in the process of securing money for fire equipment to help with the burns,” Soderholm said. “It’s exciting to have our nonprofit status, and now we’re trying to raise about $41,000 for the equipment.”

Scholl is also passionate about restoring the area’s natural habitat, but putting prairie back in this particular area will provide wildflower forage for his honeybees.

“I live in town, but 3 years ago, I bought land near here with a cabin and beehives – this is my man cave,” Scholl said. “It’s great to see the land revert back to what it was many years ago.”

Scholl used to have 30 hives, but is now down to six. Most of his honey is sold to farmers market vendors.

The seeding of the sewer plant land is just the beginning for the volunteers.

Keeping up with the weeds is no small task, and it could take a while to fully realize the fruits of their labors.

“The first 3 years are known as sleep, creep and leap, and it might get 12 or 13 inches high by then, but some seeding can take 10 years,” Scholl said.

Some teens from Polo High School were part of the seeding party. Science teacher Gina Cole has started the Outdoor Club for students, hoping to instill her passion for stewardship in a new generation of volunteers.

“I started thinking about this as a way to get kids to do hiking and some conservancy work, and everything came together last fall,” Cole said.

Sadie Baumann, 15, one of seven club members, helped with the initial phase of the restoration project. She hopes more students will take advantage of the opportunity to have fun while making a difference.

“I’m in a lot of clubs at school because

Alex T. Paschal/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Paul Soderholm, a member of the Friends of Nachusa, reaches deep into a barrel to get more seed for the planting.

Getting involved Contact the Middle Rock Conservation Partners at middlerockconservationpartners. org/contact to join, donate to or get more information about the group.

Contact Paul Soderholm at 312-343-7315 or soderholm.paul@gmail.com for more information about prairie restoration and other conservation volunteer opportunities.

I’m always interested in helping out,” Baumann said. “It’s hard to find things like this to do, so I’m trying to get more people involved.”

While living in Chicago, Soderholm and his wife, Carol, had dreamed of finding a weekend cabin where they could plant a few trees, but in 1999, they decided to move to Mount Morris.

“I had read an article in the newspaper that painted such an incredible picture of the Franklin Creek area, and one night we went to the Twilight Walk at Nachusa, and the experience was providential,” Soderholm said.

The tree-planting stopped in 2000, when they discovered the property had

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once been grassland, and the Soderholms have worked to restore prairie ever since. They have pieced together 191 acres, and 130 acres near White Pines State Park have gained state designation as The Edward F. Vassallo Land and Water Reserve, a tribute to Carol’s son who died of leukemia 4 years ago.

“He lived in New York City and loved to spend time here,” Soderholm said. “It was a tremendous loss, but he’ll live on through this land that will be protected forever.”

The group seeded about half of the targeted area on Jan. 20, and planned another session to finish the job when the weather cooperated.

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AG Mag

33

HERE COMES THE SUN! T

BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

here’s quite a crop of renewable energy projects in discussion, or actual production, in and around the Sauk Valley.

Wind and solar energy companies have been showing an interest in the Sauk Valley for years, with wind companies gaining the first toehold.

Thanks to the state’s new Future Energy Jobs Act – which, among other

things, mandates that 25 percent of ComEd’s and Ameren’s power come from renewable sources by 2025, while also providing incentives and tax credits – several solar companies also have been making the rounds throughout the area trying to line up projects.

CONTINUED ON 354

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Illinois renewable crops: Solar and wind power proects abound in region

4CONTINUED FROM 34 In anticipation of this sunny new crop, most counties have put or are putting solar ordinances on their books.

The numbers are tempting.

One of the most active solar companies is Cypress Creek Renewables, based in Santa Monica, California, which has or is developing solar farms in 15 states, and appears to be laserfocused on Illinois.

It recently set up agreements with landowners in Ogle, Boone, Will and Peoria counties, while also showing interest in Whiteside, Lee, DeKalb, Grundy, Kankakee, McHenry, Winnebago, and Stephenson counties.

Its goal is to install enough solar panels to generate 200 megawatts of electricity in Illinois in 2018 and 2019.

CCR senior developer Scott Novack said the solar farms will generally produce between 2 and 20 megawatts of electricity each and take up an amount of land proportional to the capacity of the installation. A 20-megawatt farm occupies about 200 acres.

All CCR needs to build a site is 10 to 20 continuous acres in close proximity to power lines or substations. Leases, typically 20 years or so, can bring up to $800 per acre, compared to $160 to $180 in crop yield, and according to the company’s website, ccrenew.com, the

Zach Arbogast/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Forreston Village President Mark Metzger (left), Clerk Courtney Warren and Trustee Ken Vinnedge take notes and prepare questions during a presentation from Cypress Creek Renewables outlining a solar farm project proposed south of Town Line Road, surrounding state Route 26, during a meeting Oct. 16, 2017. entire process, from signing the lease to completing construction, takes only about 18 to 24 months.

In addition, the property tax revenue generated likely will be higher than that generated by farmland.

Solar in Ogle County

process of considering another Cypress Creek Renewables proposal, to build a 20-megawatt solar energy farm on about 270 acres south of Town Line Road, near Forreston.

State Route 26 runs through the site, which is about 1,400 feet outside village limits.

The Ogle County Board is in the

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This map shows where California-based Cenergy Power wants to build two 10-acre solar farms (outlined in red) at the Dixon airport.

4CONTINUED FROM 35 Cypress Creek hopes to begin construction late this year or in early 2019, pending licensing approval from the county board – which is not in the bag.

CCR’s Novack met with the Forreston Village Board in mid-October, in the failed hope of getting its officials behind the project.

Several area property owners have voiced opposition to the project, saying they are concerned about the village not getting a share of the property tax revenue from the farm, taking farmland out of production, and possible effects on property values.

CCR has commissioned local appraisals that have shown no negative impact on property values near solar projects, and it’s up to the village to decide if it wants to annex the site so as to garner property tax revenue from the project, Novack said.

In the end, the Village Board voted in

November not to recommend the county issue special-use permits for the project.

“All we can offer is a recommendation, but history generally shows that the County Board heeds those recommendations,” village President Mark Metzger has said.

On Jan. 9, the county Planning and Zoning Committee received a petition from Elkhorn Solar LLC, formed by Geoff Fallon and Forreston landowners Joan and Rodney Wubbena, for specialuse permits for the project. They also requested a continuance on the discussion, so that they might first meet with Forreston village officials.

Committee members agreed to take up the petition at their Feb. 13 meeting; the full County Board was to meet Feb. 20, and that agenda was not yet set when this publication was printed.

Solar in Bureau County CCR scored its first area victory

in Bureau County, where, in midDecember, the County Board approved conditional-use permits for a $31 million solar farm to be built in the northwestern part of the county, near New Bedford in Fairfield Township.

Hoover Solar LLC will be built on 313 acres on the east side of 300 East St., a quarter mile south of 3000 North Ave. The facility, the first to be approved in Bureau, Lee, Ogle or Whiteside counties, will produce about 17 megawatts of electricity a year, enough to power more than 5,700 homes, and generate about $120,000 in taxes a year, said Matt Kauffman of Tiskilwa, a Cypress Creek rep.

Solar in Lee County California-based Cenergy Power wants to build two 10-acre solar farms at Dixon Municipal Airport and enter into a 21-year lease for the land, paying the city $2,000 per acre each year.​ CONTINUED ON 374

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The northern part of Bureau County will start to look more like the southern part, shown here, now that work has begun on building 106 turbines, part of the Walnut Ridge Wind Farm project.

4CONTINUED FROM 36 In December, the City Council decided to wait until an actual contract was drawn up before deciding whether to move forward with the project and agreed that one of the proposed locations, 10 acres northeast of the airport off of state Route 38, would not be good for aesthetics. The other site would take up 10 acres south of the airport near the railroad tracks.

In January, the city received preliminary contracts, which will take time to review, Public Works Director Matt Heckman said.

“It’s not something the city is going to rush into. We want to make sure it’s the right thing for the city.”

In fact, building a solar farm at the airport could mean the city would need to draft a new airport layout plan with the Federal Aviation Administration that would declare the acreage as excess land before a long-term lease can be made, which could cost around $300,000.

Sauk Valley Community College trustees also are considering building solar panels on top of the college off state Route 2 in Dixon.

The Lee County Board, which recently approved its first ordinance regulating solar farm development, also is being pursued by a company that wants to build a solar farm across 200 acres.

More than a year ago, a few companies were interested in building solar farms across about 400 to 500 acres along the Interstate 39 corridor, but the board didn’t think a solar farm would

be able to pass the Land Evaluation Site Assessment that protects the prime farmland in that area.

LESA doesn’t automatically disqualify a solar farm because it’s not incompatible with agriculture, though.

According to the ordinance, “the Lee County Board must not follow the LESA system blindly, but rather, must base its zoning and rezoning decisions on the totality of circumstances that arise in each case.”

Solar in Whiteside County Whiteside County approved its solar farm ordinance in April, in response to several inquiries that have been made over the past several years by various companies, including Cypress Creek Renewables, Dedicated Community Solar Energy, and Silver Farms.

Areas that are being shopped include about 80 acres at the Prairie Hills county landfill in Morrison, 40 acres at the former Stanley building just outside of Rock Falls, and some acreage at the Whiteside County Airport.

“The potential for our region in renewable energy is enormous, and it’s something we have to tap into,” said Gary Camarano, Whiteside County economic development director.

One business has been serious about setting up a leasing arrangement in Whiteside County, but it’s too soon to reveal the partner, Camarano said in December.

Wind farms These renewable energy projects could

be at the forefront of the area’s economic development agenda this year.

The Green River Wind Farm project, started in 2009, initially included Lee, Whiteside and Bureau counties, but most of the turbines now are set to go up in Lee County.

The Bureau County turbines became part of the Walnut Ridge Wind Farm, and only four of the 66 turbines will be in Whiteside County.

Whiteside County will, however, be home to a transfer station that will bring energy from both Walnut Ridge and Green River to the grid. BHE Renewables, the Walnut Ridge developers, bought 44 acres of land on Jersey Road near Deer Grove to house the transfer station.

“The power companies don’t like having too many of these stations, so BHE and Geronimo would both be using this one,” Whiteside County Board Chairman Jim Duffy said.

Geronimo Energy’s request for a building permit for an operations and maintenance building and road-use agreement was granted in December, and if all goes according to plan, the maintenance building will be completed June 1, the turbines will start going up in July, the switch yard will be operational by September, and everything will be connected to the grid in October or November.

Bureau County granted building permits in August that allowed BHE Renewables to start construction on its Walnut Ridge Wind Farm.

Permits are needed for each turbine, and 116 will be built on 14,000 acres.

AG Mag

37

GOING HOG WILD!

More processing, more pigs, more barns being built

M

BY PHILLIP HARTMAN For Northern Illinois Ag Mag

ore ability to process American pork is helping drive growth in the construction of new pig barns in Illinois.

The Krogman family near Shannon and the Meurer family near Ashton both recently opened new pig barns. Statewide, there were 89 notices of intent to construct pig barns filed with

the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 2017, said Illinois Pork Producers Association Executive Director Jennifer Tirey.

“We have seen an increase in the number of wean-tofinish barns. We’ve found that’s a more cost-effective way, when you become a contract grower, to bring the next generation back to the farm,” Tirey said.

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Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

Julia and Chad Krogman stand inside their hog barn (pictured on Page 38) on their farm in rural Shannon. The Krogmans moved to the Shannon area in 2015, and Chad said the barn will be a legacy for their sons, Hezekiah, Titus, and Brayden.

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4CONTINUED FROM 38 The 89 notices of intent in 2017 is up from 67 the previous year, said Jennifer Jackson, communications director with the IPPA. Part of that increase is fueled by five new pork processing plants being added – two in Minnesota, and one each in Michigan, Missouri, and Iowa. “Once they’re all on line, there will be an additional 10 million spaces for pigs, available for processing.

We’re seeing an increase in barns being constructed to meet that demand,� Tirey said.

The ability to pass on the new barns to a new generation of farmers is another factor. Chad and Julia Krogman had an open house on Nov. 29 for their 2,450-head wean-to-finish pig barn.

The family moved in 2015 to the Shannon area, and Chad said the barn will be a legacy for his sons, Hezekiah, Titus, and Brayden.

CONTINUED ON 414

Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

A look inside Dave Meurer’s 2,400-head hog barn in rural Ashton. Meurer said he had it built because the “life expectancy� of his finishing barn at the time was up. “It made more sense to build new as opposed to rehabbing the old building,� he said.

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Dave Meurer stands outside his hog barn (pictured below) in rural Ashton. “The building’s had almost no complications at all,” Meurer said.

Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/Northern Illinois Ag Mag

4CONTINUED FROM 40 “I’m originally from the Lena-Winslow area, and I’ve always loved the area down there (near Shannon),” Krogman said.

The facility received its first load of pigs the week of Dec. 4, and it was full as of the week of Jan. 22. Pigs will come in about 12 pounds and stay on-site until they reach a market weight of about 280 pounds.

“They won’t get shipped out until midMay or June. It’s going real good,” Krogman said.

The Meurers constructed a 2,400-head

barn, with an open house and ribbon cutting Dec. 6. Meurer said the existing finishing barn was due for a major update.

“Its life expectancy was up. It made more sense to build new as opposed to rehabbing the old building. Also, my son, Levi, is at college getting an ag degree. ...

I wasn’t feeling like it was a short-term investment,” Dave Meurer said.

The barn had 1,300 pigs as of Dec. 7, with the second half expected to arrive in late January.

“With the first pigs in, (it’ll be) April or May when they’ll be going out. The building’s had almost no complications

at all,” Meurer said.

The Meurers aren’t new to the Ashton area. Dave said he’s been around there for 50 years, with the family around the area for more than a century.

The decision to build a new barn isn’t one farmers tend to rush into. Tirey said the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture still have very strict regulations.

However, the demand for pork is quite high, and two of the largest markets are in North America.

“Our strongest markets are Mexico, China, and Japan. Canada is number 4,” Tirey said.

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AG Mag

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New tax law may put the squeeze on rural hospitals

O

ne of the selling points for the tax bill President Trump signed into law a few weeks ago is that it will spur job growth because corporations will use money they otherwise would have paid in taxes to hire more workers.

But for rural areas and small towns, one provision of the new law may result in the closure of one of their biggest employers – their hospital.

Rural hospitals in general operate on much thinner margins than most bigcity hospitals, margins so thin that dozens have been forced to close in recent years. In fact, almost all the U.S. hospitals that have been shuttered in recent years have been in rural areas. A recent study by the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program found that 80 rural hospitals have closed since 2010 and that 673 more are vulnerable to closing. And that was before the tax bill was passed.

The part of the new tax law that puts rural hospitals in further jeopardy is the repeal of the so-called individual mandate, the provision of the Affordable Care Act that required most

Growing Stronger With Each Generation

COMMENTARY Wendell Potter Americans to have health insurance. Only those who qualified for a hardship exemption could remain uninsured without paying a stiff penalty.

Polls consistently showed that the mandate was the most unpopular part of the ACA. Republicans often cited it as a reason for their opposition to the health reform law that President Obama signed in 2010.

Obama himself was once a critic of the mandate.

But insurance company executives and many health policy experts told him and Congress that without it, premiums would become increasingly unaffordable for people who were in greatest need of coverage – people in their 50s and 60s and anyone with a current or preexisting medical condition.

They argued that, unless they were required to enroll, many young and healthy people would stay uninsured.

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4CONTINUED FROM 42 That, they said, would make it necessary for insurers to charge older and less healthy applicants much more for their coverage than if those young and healthy people were in the “pool” of insured customers.

Shortly before Congress passed the tax bill last month, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that repealing the mandate would increase the number of uninsured by 13 million over the next 10 years and cause premiums in the individual market to rise an additional 10 percent.

The American Hospital Association, along with groups representing doctors and health insurers, lobbied hard against repealing the mandate, but their concerns went unheeded.

The repeal will have no effect this year because the mandate was still in effect during last fall’s open enrollment period for individual and family coverage purchased for 2018 on the state insurance exchanges, which were created by the ACA. But no one will be penalized for remaining uninsured in 2019, and that has many rural hospital administrators – especially those in the 19 states that did not expand their Medicaid programs under the ACA – very worried.

Hospitals in those states are especially vulnerable because more of the patients they treat are those who have remained uninsured – and in many cases unable to pay for their care – than at hospitals in states that did expand Medicaid.

In states that did not expand, mostly in the South and Midwest, more hospitals have closed in recent years than in states that did. Revenue for hospitals there and elsewhere is expected to decline even further beginning this year, especially in rural areas with higher percentages of older residents than other communities, as the tax bill’s cuts to Medicare are implemented.

The repeal of the individual mandate penalties, though, might turn out to be the final nail in the coffin of many vulnerable rural hospitals as even more local residents return to the ranks of the uninsured. Many rural hospitals already provide more uncompensated care than their urban counterparts. For one thing, much of the emergency care provided by rural hospitals is classified as uncompensated because uninsured residents, unable to get care in doctors’ offices, often resort to the emergency department, where they cannot be turned away.

It is called uncompensated care because many uninsured patients can-

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not pay their bills, and no small number of them are forced into bankruptcy.

Hospitals try to make up for care their patients can’t pay for by charging insured patients more, but small rural hospitals are less able to do that than large urban hospitals that can demand higher compensation from insurance companies.

That’s because small hospitals treat fewer of an insurer’s customers than big hospitals do.

The last thing rural hospitals need are more patients who can’t pay their bills, but that is likely what they will get when the individual mandate penalties go away. Many rural hospitals will not survive.

When a rural hospital closes, local residents not only have to travel farther for care, including potentially life-saving emergency care, but the area also loses many good-paying jobs, and in many cases, its largest employer. In the rural communities that lose their hospitals in the years to come, the tax bill may turn out to be more of a job killer than a job creator.

Wendell Potter is a former health insurance executive, author and founder of the journalism nonprofit Tarbell.org.

He wrote this commentary for Rural Health News Service.

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