Not just for boys
Girls take their turns as FFA leaders in Milledgeville – Page 2
Farming’s new wave
Diversification, technology are key in digital ag era – Page 4
Cattle Feeders coming
Rock Falls Community Center plays host to annual meeting – Page 11
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Cover story: Agricultural Leadership Program helps Dixon farmer to broaden his horizons – Page 8 Tuesday, March 8, 2016
A supplement to Sauk Valley Media
Today’s Farm
PAGE 2
Sauk Valley Media • March 8, 2016
NEXT GENERATION
Agriculture isn’t ‘just a thing for boys’ anymore Milledgeville FFA sees a shift toward female membership BY BREANNE HUNTER For Today’s Farm
Milledgeville High School agriculture teacher and FFA adviser Wendy Erbsen is working to inspire a change in the next generation of agriculture. Visitors to her classroom are greeted by handshakes from her students. “This generation doesn’t shake hands much, and we are working to change that,” Erbsen said. Another way she is impacting the future of agriculture is through encouraging female involvement. Seven of the chapter’s nine officers are girls. The shift to greater female involvement is something relatively new for the program, but isn’t
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Members of the Milledgeville High School FFA leadership look over their books during an afternoon class. Pictured are (from left) Collin Eubanks, Mady Fink, and Dylan Alexander. something that comes as a surprise to Erbsen. As she talks about the shift, she mentions the daunting FFA officer application process. The Milledgeville chapter requires students to complete a 4-page application to become an officer. FFA CONTINUED ON 3
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March 8, 2016 • Sauk Valley Media
PAGE 3
Open house shows more of what FFA does
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Milledgeville High School FFA leadership members Collin Eubanks (left), Dylan Alexander (center) and Mady Fink work on a laptop duing their classroom work.
FFA
CONTINUED FROM 2
They also have a Supervised Agricultural Experience section of the program that teaches students how to apply their classroom knowledge to the activities they participate in outside of class. For these projects, the officers must create project records, which can be quite extensive. Erbsen said women are more apt to com-
plete the paperwork, a thought which is echoed by the students gathered around her desk. Erbsen also wonders if there would be more male involvement if the students had a male teacher. The officers seem to attribute the shift to a greater emphasis being placed on the many aspects of agriculture. As students talk in the classroom, the wide range of backgrounds is evident. Some mentioned
an interest in graphic design, public relations, honeybees, and tractor design, to name a few. All of this allows the chapter to develop and implement new ideas. “In the past, we did more traditional banquet style events, but this year we did an open house,” junior adviser Racheal Osterhaus, said. “It’s different than what is expected and shows more of what we do.” While those factors might contribute to the
gender shift at Milledgeville High School,
greater participation by women in agriculture is a national trend. According to the USDA, the number of farms operated by women has nearly tripled in the United States over the past three decades. In 1978, women accounted for only 5 percent of farmers nationwide. Fast forward to 2012, the last year a census was conducted, and that number has reached 30 percent nationwide. Collin Eubanks and Dylan Alexander, the only two male officers, had nothing but positive things to say about the shift. Eubanks feels the group functions well because of their similar personalities and mindset. “We are all laid back, but together we have the mindset to get things done,” he said.
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“It has been very beneficial to our chapter,” Alexander said. “Last year, there was a lot of tension, not between members, but as a whole. You could feel that everyone wasn’t together and everyone wanted to do their own thing in FFA. This year, we are joining together to make a better chapter.”
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Today’s Farm
PAGE 4
Sauk Valley Media • March 8, 2016
AG TECHNOLOGY
The new wave of 21st-century farming Diversification, technology key in digital ag era
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The expanse of a long gravel driveway narrows to the front door of a brick building at the Wolf farm in rural Dixon. Inside is an office where the family meets daily. “When you walk in, you’ll notice there are no walls in that office. We get in that office and have a cross-table every morning,” said Jeremy Wolf, 24, a Western Illinois University graduate and Precision Planting dealer. “Communication is number one. We don’t want any surprises,” said his father, Loren, 50, who emphasized diversification and family support as key components to the business. Jeremy and his brother, Aaron, 27, also a WIU graduate, work with their father to produce corn – but that’s just the beginning. They build their own farm equipment. (It’s a pride thing, Loren said.) They raise cattle, restore tractors, and they are deep into the technology behind some of the most advanced farming rigs in the industry – some of which will be used in the field for the first time this season. “We were always brought up to try new things,” Jeremy said. “You’ve got to be willing to change. We live in an area where farmers
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
The Wolfs use the latest technology in their planters to produce maximum yields on their farm near Dixon. are very competitive, and farmers are always trying to get that leading edge.” The Wolfs made clear that digital agriculture is in a new era. Loren joked that the days of farmers wearing overalls and car-
rying pitchforks are gone. Around the corner from the office is a doorway that opens to a cavernous garage that looks more like an airplane hangar. TECH CONTINUED ON 5
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Today’s Farm
March 8, 2016 • Sauk Valley Media
PAGE 5
24 brains control planter TECH
CONTINUED FROM 4
In its center sits a blue and white 24-row Kinze crop planter.
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too. A suite of meters delivers precise planting and population management down to the seed. Each row can be fine-tuned for depth and speed in near real-time. NEW BREED CONTINUED ON 6
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Lauren Wolf talks about how far technology has come in the agriculture industry. The days of farmers wearing overalls and carrying pitchforks are long gone, he joked. • FARM •VEHICLE
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Technology has helped and given us opportunities. It has helped with some of the stress load, and makes things more efficient.
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Today’s Farm
PAGE 6
Photos by Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Sauk Valley Media • March 8, 2016
LEFT: Lauren Wolf (right), and his sons, Jeremy (left) and Aaron, stand with a precision planter they use on their farm. “We were always brought up to try new things,” Jeremy said. “You’ve got to be willing to change.” ABOVE: A 24-row Kinze crop planter sits in the middle of a cavernous garage that looks more like an airport hangar on the Wolf family farm in rural Dixon.
Technology is everywhere on the Wolf farm NEW BREED
CONTINUED FROM 5
Speed is sensed and varied; soil types are mapped. “Technology has helped and given us opportunities. It has helped with some of the stress load, and makes things more efficient,” Aaron said. The Wolfs are part of a new breed of farmers who plant, record, map, and monitor entire planting operations from germination to seed ducts. “We’re to the point where we’re mapping every seed that goes into the ground. We control every aspect,” said Jeremy, and his company offers more than planting precision. Older planters can be retrofit with newer
technology – anything from metering devices to hydraulic controls. In the coming season, a new insecticide metering system will be installed on the blue planter, and will take advantage of variablerate drives. Previously, meters had been accurate at a single speed, making them somewhat ineffective on curved farmland sections. Technology is everywhere for the Wolfs. A technology called thermocoupling measures leading indicators of deteriorating grain health, such as excessive moisture and temperature. It has been around, but its ability to be integrated into cloud-based management systems is fairly new. While Jeremy was at
college, he monitored silo grain conditions on his smartphone through a subscription-based service for text and email updates. It kept him connected. Companies are betting big that data harvesting and analysis will help push forward efficiency and increased production. Planting technologies remain at the forefront of farming innovation. In November, John Deere and Climate Corporation announced plans to buy Precision Planting with plans to integrate the majority of Precision’s hardware, sensors and displays. In 2014, the northwest Illinois region, including Bureau, Carroll, Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties, led the state in several planting, harvest, yield and produc-
tion categories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Competition breeds
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Today’s Farm
March 8, 2016 • Sauk Valley Media
PAGE 7
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
The Wolf family consists of (from left) Jillian, Aaron, Addison and Mason; Mallory and Jeremy; and Lisa, Lauren, Alex, and Mady. The Wolfs are deep into the technology behind some of the most advanced farming rigs in the industry.
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Today’s Farm
PAGE 8
Sauk Valley Media • March 8, 2016
ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Dixon farmer broadening his horizons Training on efficiency and technology quite helpful BY TERRY THOMAS For Today’s Farm
To succeed in today’s increasingly globalized marketplace, farmers not only must be skilled producers of corn, soybeans, and livestock, but they also must master a host of other business and social skills, from finance and marketing to political advocacy. Agriculture “has gotten a lot more competitive, and like every industry, farmers have had to do things leaner,” said Dixon corn and soybean farmer Kyle Sheaffer, 37. “If you are not efficient, you’re not going to make it. We have to do more with less. And that requires information.” It’s not just information about the latest technologies for producing agricultural products that’s important. Farmers also must be conversant with issues related to all aspects of the agricultural sector – things like commodity markets, farm credit, business management, national and inter-
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Kyle Sheaffer, who farms in rural Dixon, is participating in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program, which has developed knowledgeable and effective leaders in the industry for more than 30 years. “It really helps with networking and sharing information,” Sheaffer said. national politics, environmental issues, and even social media, Sheaffer said. Providing and processing all that information requires effective leaders to guide the industry in the 21st century. That’s why Sheaffer applied last year, and was accepted into the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program. The program has been developing knowledgeable and effective agricultural leaders for more than 30 years. PROGRAM CONTINUED ON 9
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Today’s Farm
PAGE 9
Some participants are farmers, others are not PROGRAM
CONTINUED FROM 8
“Bookwork used to be with paper. Now it’s done on a computer,” Sheaffer said. “We used to get the [commodity] markets on the radio. Now I get them on my phone. Markets used to change little, now they change a lot.” Sheaffer said he decided to apply for the 2-year program because it offered an opportunity to share ideas and gain new perspectives from people who work in all facets of agribusiness. He also hoped the program would enhance his leadership skills. The program, which involves participants in a series of seminars on various issues related to the farm industry, is structured to do precisely that, said Don Norton, president and CEO of the Illinois Agricultural LeaderAlex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com ship Foundation, the nonKyle Sheaffer of rural Dixon is a participant in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership profit organization that Program. Sheaffer considers it part of his continuing education as a farmer. sponsors the program.
(815) 625-2395
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“We don’t teach handson agriculture,” Norton said. “What we do teach is how to be a leader in the global business of agriculture.” Some participants, like Sheaffer, are directly involved in production agriculture, others are not, but all are involved in essential aspects of the agricultural economy, Norton said. Of the 30 members of the 2016 class, fewer than half are full-time farmers. Others work in a variety of farm-related positions, from community development and farm credit experts to participants who work for fertilizer manufacturers and international grain companies. One is a researcher at the University of Illinois working on animal
genetics, while another is an agribusiness reporter for a Springfield radio station. “Agriculture can really be viewed as a long line that begins with input companies like seed companies and fertilizer companies on one end, and with the grocery store at the other end,” Norton said. “Those in the middle are people like Kyle but also people like bankers.” All are essential to agriculture’s success, and agriculture’s success is essential to guaranteeing the nation – and the world – a safe and abundant food supply. For Sheaffer, the program already has proved its value. TRAINING CONTINUED ON 10
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Today’s Farm
PAGE 10
Sauk Valley Media • March 8, 2016
Economics, market development among the topics TRAINING
CONTINUED FROM 9
“It really helps with networking and sharing information,” he said. “The grain we produce gets shipped around the world, and now we compete with the world, so these kind of things are important to our success.” The program “is part of my continuing education,” Sheaffer said. “It’s another learning tool.” Norton said that’s the goal. “Our class participants collectively learn from each other,” he said. “All the issues we talk about affect the industry, and that’s important not only
for farming, it’s important for everyone. Estimates are that 1 out of 4 jobs in the entire economy is somehow related to agriculture.” Scheaffer said he knew the program would prove beneficial when he applied because his brother, Steve, who works in the farm credit business, graduated from it a few years ago. The seminars he has participated in so far have involved discussions on improving leadership and communications skills as well as agriculture’s relations with the media. Other seminars have covered topics such as economics, market
development and business decision-making. Later this spring, participants will travel to Japan to learn more about how current and future trade relationships with the Pacific Rim will impact American farmers. They also will travel to Panama to learn how expansion of the Panama Canal will improve global trade by making it easier for larger commercial ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The seminars will help keep Sheaffer Acres, which Kyle operates along with his father, Jim, on the cutting edge. The Sheaffers cultivate 2,800 acres of corn and soybeans on Sugar Grove
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Kyle Sheaffer, a rural Dixon farmer who is participating in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program, poses next to a Sheaffer Acres semi.
Road between Dixon and Polo. They also sell Wyffels Hybrid seed corn. Jim, who started with just 40 acres in 1971, has proven to be a leader in the local farm economy by any standard. In 2013, the prestigious magazine “Prairie Farmer” named him one of its Master Farmers, an honor that recognizes farming excellence, as well as commitment to family
and community. Kyle, who is married with two daughters, is following in his father’s footsteps. He has served on the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Young Leaders State Committee. He is also actively involved on the Farm Bureau’s Resolutions Committee and has served as chairman of the Lee County Farm Bureau’s Young Leaders
Committee. He recently was elected to the Lee County Farm Bureau Board. The Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program is providing Kyle with more resources to continue honing his skills. “Not only is [the program] about leadership. Sometimes it makes you think a little different, sort out of the box. And that’s good.”
Today’s Farm
March 8, 2016 • Sauk Valley Media
PAGE 11
ROCK FALLS
Livestock experts to speak Thursday Community Building to host Illinois Cattle Feeders BY LEANNE LUCAS U of I Extension
ROCK FALLS – Illinois cattlemen and cattlewomen will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts at the 2016 Illinois Cattle Feeders meeting. It will be held from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Rock
Falls Community Building, 601 W. 10th St. “This meeting is a must-attend for Illinois cattle producers,” Travis Meteer, University of Illinois Beef Extension educator, said. “First-hand access to this kind of knowledge in the cattle industry is rare.” Paul Walker, Illinois
State University emeritus, will discuss feeding corn distillers solubles and subsequent cattle performance. He will also talk with producers about feeding cattle indoors and expanding the farming enterprise with cattle feeding. Jim Lowe, DVM at the University of Illinois, will discuss better identifying bovine respiratory disease and some new technologies that can aid in this process. Lowe will also discuss the veteri-
nary feed directive. Ted Funk, University of Illinois emeritus, will talk about manure management best practices and give an update on regulations. Funk will be on hand to answer questions about obtaining the necessary permits and regulatory policy concerning cattle feeding. Don Close, Rabo AgriFinance, will present a market update and outlook. Close will discuss a wide range of topics including volatility, impacts of
world trade and export markets; domestic and foreign demand; and forecast near-term markets. “His information will give insight to the cattle feeding industry and help producers better prepare for the years ahead,” Meteer said. Paula Alexander, Tyson Foods, and Brian Bangert, manager of Funk Farms, will discuss the Tyson FarmCheck program. Alexander will discuss the program and the details behind it; Bangert will
IN BRIEF Women in Ag Conference is set for March 18 ROCK ISLAND – The annual bi-state Women in Agriculture Conference will be March 18 at Jumer’s Casino and Hotel, 777 Jumer Drive, Rock Island. Registration and a light breakfast will begin at 8 a.m., with opening comments at 8:45. The closing session and send-off will conclude by 4 p.m. This year’s featured speaker is Laura Daniels, a mother, wife, farmer, dairy consultant and agriculture advocate. Breakout sessions are planned. The event will wrap up with a live “Confessions of a Farm Wife” podcast. The cost is $60 in advance, or $75 walk-in. Seating is limited. A light breakfast and buffett luncheon is included. To register, contact the Rock Island County Farm Bureau office at womeninagricultureconference.com or call 309-736-7432.
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offer a producer’s perspective and describe his on-farm experience with the program. There is no fee, but preregistration is suggested to ensure adequate meal numbers. RSVP to Travis Meteer, University of Illinois Extension, 37737 Perry Fishhook Road, Baylis, IL 62314, or email wmeteer2@illinois.edu. Meeting details are available at http://web. extension.illinois.edu/ oardc.
Today’s Farm
PAGE 12
Sauk Valley Media • March 8, 2016
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