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NOVEMBER, 2024
SOYBEAN HAR-
VEST IS STRONG
THIS YEAR
ACCORDING TO
IOWA SOYBEAN
ASSOCIATION —
PAGE 6
A SPECIAL SECTION FOCUSING ON AGRICULTURE IN THE
COUNTIES OF AUDUBON, CARROLL, GREENE AND GUTHRIE
AG Herald
THE
WOMEN
BEHIND
WOMEN IN AG
Haley equipment
By NICOLE HASEK
nhasek@iowainformation.com
Pat Haley and her husband, Tom, first
purchased a farm machinery company
45 years ago in Wall Lake, Iowa just six
months before the birth of their daughter,
Alecia Carter. Haley, who lived in Carroll
at the time, said there was a huge farming
crisis, but they were able to start their
business from the ground up.
“New Holland had an existing business
there, a dealership, and the dealership
went broke, which was happening
all over the place, and my husband saw
it as a golden opportunity, because we
could buy a dealership for a lot less up
front,” Haley said.
The first three months of operation,
Haley was left to her own devices while
her husband was still working at his previous
job. Haley, who was living in Carroll
and knew nothing about harvest, combines
or the town, quickly hired three
EQUIPMENT, PAGE 13
NICOLE HASEK | THE JEFFERSON HERALD
Alecia Carter and Pat Haley, the mother-daughter duo behind Haley Equipment
in Carroll, Iowa.
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PAGE 2 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
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NOVEMBER, 2024 | THE AG HERALD | PAGE 3
WOMEN IN AG
Alexis Stevens speaks on her work
as farm management specialist
By SARAH STORTZ
sstortz@iowainformation.com
For her work, Alexis Stevens said she wants
women to feel more comfortable as they financially
navigate their own farms.
Having both of her parents come from farming
families, Stevens grew up on one by Rippey.
As a child, Stevens said she had plenty of opportunities
to work on the farm, whether it
was walking beans or baling hay.
Stevens has two younger sisters but doesn’t
have any brothers. With her father not having
any brothers as well, Stevens said the family
wasn’t sure who the next successor would be
for taking over the farm.
At this point, Stevens said she didn’t have
any interest in agriculture. Instead, Stevens
joined the U.S. Army.
“I went out and did my own thing because
when I was a kid and I was in high school, the
worst thing that I could imagine was being a
farmer and working for extension,” Stevens
said. “It’s funny because now, I came back full
circle, but I had to go discover the big world.”
In 2006, Stevens was living out in Washington
D.C. One day, she learned her father was in
a farming accident. Although they hired another
man to help at the farm, Stevens’ mother
suggested to herself and her then husband to
move back to Iowa.
“We came back and I was kind of like, ‘Okay,
I have to run a farm, but I don’t really know
how to do this,’ I didn’t really know how to
drive the tractor and farming had changed a
lot since I was a kid,” Stevens said.
Adjusting back to the farm lifestyle, Stevens
said needed to learn how to operate the farm
“on the fly.” Having degrees in psychology and
business, Stevens said she also didn’t have a
formal background in farming either.
“I had to navigate this whole system of agriculture
that’s kind of a guys club,” Stevens
said. “I’d walk into the co-op and they’d be
like, ‘Well, is your husband on the account?
Is your Dad on the account?’ And I’d have
this whole, ‘No, it’s my account. I’m the operator,
I’m the one who’s making the decision,
my name should be on it.’ I had to fight
that system.”
Regardless, the experience helped Stevens
realize her interest in advocating for women
in agriculture.
“I don’t want other women to have to fight
so hard, I want them to learn what they’re doing
and to be able to run an ag business or to
work in agriculture,” Stevens said.
Now working as a farm management specialist
for Iowa State University Extension and
Outreach, Stevens said she teaches farmers
“how to make good financial decisions and
have good financial outcomes.”
Spending so much time in ‘women in ag’
classes, Stevens said she often works with women
who are married to farmers and want to
learn how to manage the finances.
“That is really fulfilling when they’re like, ‘I
understand what my husband is talking about
and actually, I can do it better than him now
because I understand it better,’” Stevens said.
In her position, Stevens covers 13 counties
in western Iowa. These counties include Audubon,
Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee,
Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, Harrison, Ida, Sac,
Shelby and Webster.
Considering western Iowa her home, Stevens
said she enjoys the peaceful drive between
the different counties.
“I really like the people,” Stevens said. “Every
small town that I go into and that has an
[Extension and Outreach] office, they have
something unique and I think I fall in love
with every one of them.”
With her job, Stevens also does a fair amount
Alexis Stevens
of traveling outside of Iowa. Recently, she took
a business trip to Ohio, getting training on child
care expenses for farmers and how farmers
can find childcare.
“That’s kind of new. I’m really excited to
bring that back, especially to the women in
our area to help them navigate child care,”
Stevens said.
Continuing her work, Stevens said she wants
other women to feel motivated and energized
as they work in agriculture.
“I want women to feel empowered to make
their own decisions,” Stevens said. “Just like
we tell women, ‘You know what’s best for your
kids and you know what’s best for your family,’
you know what’s best for your farm operations,
but don’t be afraid to make those decisions.”
AGRICULTURE
Women in Ag Coming Together to Cultivate Confidence and Harvest Happiness
By MADELINE SCHULTZ and
LISA SCARBROUGH
Iowa State Extension
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State
University Extension and Outreach
Women in Ag Leadership Conference
takes place at the Gateway
Hotel and Conference Center in
Ames. The two-day event begins
on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 11:15
a.m. to 8 p.m. and continues Thursday,
Dec. 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This year’s theme, “Breaking
Ground, Seeding Success,” reflects
the hard work women put into their
agricultural careers and the rewards
they achieve. The conference focuses
on career advancement, leadership
development and trending topics
in agriculture.
A special feature of the conference
this year is the option to take part
in a Red Cross First Aid and Life-
Threatening Bleeding and Tourniquet
Application certification course.
On Wednesday, the popular campus
tours will be back. Attendees can
choose from one of five tours highlighting
everything from a Victorian
era Christmas at the Farm House
Museum to Regenerative Agriculture
at the Bioeconomy Institute.
As the conference opening speaker,
Iowa’s homegrown advocate for
women in agriculture, Lexi Marek
Beeler, will discuss three actions all
women can implement to make an
impact.
Intensive workshops feature strong
women who are leaders and role
models. Mastering mental strength
to thrive under pressure, leading
effectively on the board, and managing
land and sharing a vision for
the farm are key skills they’ll help
attendees build. The day ends with
a relaxed dinner, networking and
a social hour.
On Thursday, the conference will
feature keynote speaker Heather
Malenshek of Land O’ Lakes Inc.
Forbes named Malenshek as one
of the country’s most influential
chief marketing officers. She has
a passion for helping others achieve
their true potential.
The 2024 Women Impacting Ag
honorees Chris Cornelius, Julie Kenney,
Wendy Johnson and Janette
Smith will share their stories. The
luncheon panel will feature Angie
Treptow and Karen Rawson, leaders
in finance and lending, who will
share their stories and discuss the
farm economy.
The breakout sessions offer topics
such as agricultural entrepreneurship,
family business transitions,
better conversations, the emotional
connection of marketing, leading as
communicators and growing into
farm management roles.
The capstone speaker is April
Hemmes. Her passion for agriculture
is at the core of who she
is. Throughout her 40-year career
in farming she has taken on leadership
roles from supporting the local
FFA chapter to becoming a director
on the United Soybean Board.
Early bird registration is available
through Nov. 22 and saves $20. Regular
registration is $140.00 for adults
and $80 for students. Scholarships
may be requested. Register online
at www.regcytes.extension.iastate.
edu/womeninag. Farm Credit Services
of America is a major sponsor.
The ISU Extension and Outreach
Women in Ag Program improves the
quality of life in Iowa by providing
research-based educational programs
to expand agricultural enterprise,
improve natural resource
management and support the community
of women in agriculture.
Visit www.extension.iastate.edu/
womeninag to learn more about
our programs.
PAGE 4 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
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NOVEMBER, 2024 | THE AG HERALD | PAGE 5
AGRICULTURE
Warm weather
allows for early
harvest, but low
prices chill mood
By TOM LAWRENCE
news@nwestiowa.com
REGIONAL—It doesn’t feel like
late-October, with temperatures in
the 70s and even 80s but just look
at the fields stripped of their crops.
The 2024 harvest has been underway
for several weeks. It may
seem like summer, but as November
approaches, farmers are taking
advantage of the unseasonably warm
conditions, according to Chad Hart,
a professor of economics and Iowa
State University Extension and Outreach
grain markets specialist.
“The harvest has proceeded quickly,
and reports suggest very large to
record supplies coming in from farm
fields,” Hart said.
But it’s not all good news. Corn is
bringing less than $4 a bushel. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture Daily
Cash Grain Bids report for Oct. 22
said on average, corn was bringing
$3.86. That’s a long drop from four
years ago, when it topped $7 a bushel.
Soybeans are bringing $9.32 per
bushel.
The harvest numbers are impressive
despite weather issues during
the growing season, Hart noted. That
is a factor in low prices.
“While the extreme weather did
damage some individual farms and
fields, the national crops are large
and those large supplies are weighing
down on crop prices,” Hart said.
“So, it is a continuation of what we
saw from 2023, large supplies and
lower prices. There are no dramatic
changes, just continuing trends.”
The Iowa Crop Progress and Condition
Report released by the USDA
National Agricultural Statistics Service
on Oct. 21 said just about all
the corn in the state has reached the
mature stage or beyond.
“Harvest of the corn for grain crop
reached 68 percent complete, five
days ahead of last year and 10 days
ahead of the five-year average,” the report
states. “Farmers in south-central
Iowa remained behind farmers in the
rest of the state with just 50 percent of
their crop harvested. Moisture content
of field corn being harvested was 15
percent. Soybeans harvested reached
91 percent, one week ahead of last
year and almost two weeks ahead
of the average. Farmers in northern
Iowa, as well as west central and east
central, have already harvested 94
percent or more of their soybeans.”
ISU Extension field agronomist
Gentry Sorenson of Algona noted
that 74 percent of the corn in N’West
Iowa has come out of the fields. Almost
all the soybeans are in as well.
“Harvest is moving along quickly
due to warm weather, lack of rainfall
during harvest and warm weather,”
Sorenson said.
Cooperative Farmers Elevator CEO
Rob Jacobs said the early harvest was
not anticipated this summer.
“The warm, dry conditions have
brought the maturity of the crop along
much faster than anticipated just
a couple of months ago. Soybeans
and corn moistures are both running
much drier than normal,” Jacobs
said. “The need to dry corn has
been greatly reduced which would
speed up the time needed to do so
at both the farm and the elevator.”
He said it has not had a large impact
at CFE facilities, but it has reduced
the need to dry down corn.
“I would overall about the same,”
Jacobs said. “We have basically run
7-7 daily vs. closing down early to
catch up with drying if needed. On
the other hand we don’t have to dry
corn 24-7 either. There have been
zero weather delays.”
That’s a plus for farmers, but they
are dealing with fiscal issues, he said.
PHOTO BY TOM LAWRENCE
A bright October sky illuminates field after field of harvested corn and soybeans in N’West Iowa. This cornfield
5½ miles east of Larchwood, like most fields in the state, has been picked clean ahead of the usual schedule
thanks to warm, dry conditions this autumn. However, corn prices are not favorable.
“The continued price pressure in the grains
coupled with reduced yields in parts of our
trade will result in lower income for many.
Unfortunately, we don’t see the price of corn
or beans rallying sustainably anytime soon
as national yields are good and demand
remains steady.”
- ROB JACOBS, COOPERATIVE FARMERS ELEVATOR CEO
“The continued price pressure
in the grains coupled with reduced
yields in parts of our trade will result
in lower income for many,” Jacobs
said. “Unfortunately, we don’t see
the price of corn or beans rallying
sustainably anytime soon as national
yields are good and demand remains
steady.”
Iowa secretary of agriculture Mike
Naig said even as the harvest comes
to an end, rain would be appreciated.
“After another dry week, Iowa’s
harvest took another sizable step
toward the finish line,” Naig said.
“Heading into the last stretch of October,
temperatures are expected to
remain warmer than average with
more chances of precipitation, which
could slow or temporarily pause harvest
in areas. With drought conditions
continuing to spread, we would
welcome a shot of rain to reduce fire
risks, get cover crops established and
begin to replenish our soils, streams
and pastures.”
State climatologist Justin Glisan
said this has been the second driest
October in 152 years of records. Only
a handful of Iowa stations reported
meager rainfall totals.
“Much of the state also experienced
the first widespread freeze early in
the reporting period,” Glisan said.
“Overall, temperatures varied from
below normal southeast to above
normal northwest; the statewide
average temperature was 49.9 degrees,
0.8 degree below normal.”
Hart said farmers cannot spend
much time relaxing or celebrating
another good harvest.
“The challenges as farmers prepare
for 2025 are to adjust to this lower
price environment and capture the
opportunities when profits appear,
either by reducing costs where that is
feasible and makes economic sense
— doing homework on evaluating
the benefits/costs of various inputs
— or by making sales when prices
rise and cover production costs. For
example, prices this past spring were
high enough to cover costs,” he said.
“The ag economy is going through
another cycle as we swing from high
to low and back again. A few years
of profitability are almost always followed
by a few years of losses, before
returning once again to profitability.”
PAGE 6 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
AGRICULTURE
ISA directors pleased with soybean harvest
By JEFF HUTTON
Iowa Soybean Association
Harvest has wrapped up in 2024.
Now it’s about crunching numbers,
reviewing and reflecting over the past
year and looking toward 2025.
Iowa Soybean Association (ISA)
At-Large Director Aimee Bissell from
Bedford says she was relatively pleased
with this year’s harvest.
“Our harvest went well, with a record
pace and not too many delays,”
she says. “We had really good weather.
Earlier in the season, Bissell thought
they might see a record crop, but after
the combine was back in the barn,
the numbers still reflect a “really, really
good crop.
“All in all, it was great,” she says.
In terms of markets and finding
opportunities to sell, Bissell says a
good crop can be beneficial when
seeking out those areas where farmers
can have influence.
“With a good crop, you can be profitable,”
she says.
However, with market fluctuations
acting like a roller coaster, maintaining,
waiting and holding onto your
grain before selling, can be stressful.
“With all these fluctuations, it has
been difficult,” she says. “There’s so
much going on with the marketing
side of it. No matter what, it doesn’t
make it easy while you are on the ride
– it will always cause you some stress.”
Beyond the marketing concerns,
which are always a factor throughout
both the planting and harvest seasons,
Bissell says there are some positives.
“With harvest, it’s good to see what
worked, what the yields were, how
many bushels we had – it helps to
know those numbers, so you know
what price you need to reach to make
the year profitable,” she says. “It eases
a little bit of my stress levels.”
‘See what hits’
For ISA District 7 Director Scot Bailey
of Anita, the harvest of 2024 was
an exceptional one for both beans
and corn.
Like Bissell, Bailey says harvest
season went by quickly.
“We had some beans that were very
good and some that were average,” he
says. “But the pace that we were going
at, especially with no rains, we were
going as hard and fast as we could.”
With his corn crop, Bailey says his
operation had “phenomenal yields …
It was very exciting and a nice problem
to have.”
And during this time, Bailey was
able to work with the Soil and Water
Outcomes Fund (SWOF), implementing
some cover crops, including
wheat and oats. With the recent
rains, some of the wheat has already
started to germinate.
Bailey agrees with Bissell that postharvest
provides him with more solid
numbers to work with when it comes
to marketing his grain, knowing what
he needs to make the effort financially
worthwhile.
“You have to go ahead and crunch
the numbers, put in your offers to
co-ops, ethanol plants, crushers and
see what hits,” he says.
Statewide update
“After a long stretch of dry conditions
that allowed harvest to proceed
without much interruption, measurable
rainfall finally arrived last week
and stayed through the weekend in
much of the state,” says Iowa Secretary
of Agriculture Mike Naig. “For
Iowa farmers still finishing harvest
and other field work, the moisture
may temporarily delay progress. However,
it will also provide the added
benefits of reducing dust, decreasing
fire risk and helping to replenish our
dry soils, waterways and pastures. For
the many farmers who have seeded
cover crops or are planning to do
so, the rain also provided a muchneeded
boost toward getting them
established. As we look ahead to the
next two weeks, outlooks continue
to show better chances of warmer
temperatures and more rain.”
In the latest Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship
(IDALS) report, much needed rain
across Iowa meant Iowa farmers
had just 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork
during the week that ended this
past Sunday. According to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)
National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), field activities included
harvesting corn and soybeans, completing
fall tillage, and applying fall
fertilizer and manure.
Topsoil moisture condition rated
21% very short, 38% short, 39% adequate
and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture
condition rated 27% very short, 42%
short, 31% adequate and no surplus.
Harvest of the corn for grain crop
reached 92 percent statewide, six days
ahead of last year and two weeks ahead
of the five-year average. Moisture content
of field corn harvested for grain
remained steady at 14%. IDALS did
not provide a soybean harvest update,
but did note that last week’s crop report
indicated the soybean harvest
was nearly complete at 96%.
And across all states, the 2024 soybean
harvest paced ahead of the last
five years with more than 90% of soybeans
harvested as of this week, according
to the United Soybean Board.
Meanwhile, back in Iowa, livestock
producers reported weaning calves
and sending some to local sale barns.
Many feedlots went from dry and dusty
to muddy with the rain received during
the week, Naig says.
Drought numbers
The recent rainfall has made somewhat
of a dent in the latest U.S. Drought
Monitor report.
Just more than 6% of the state was
listed as having no drought issues
which mainly impacted a portion
of south central Iowa.
More than 30% of the state is categorized
as abnormally dry, while nearly
51% of Iowa is marked as being in a
moderate drought.
However, nearly 13% of the state,
primarily in the northwest corner of
Iowa, remains in the severe drought
category.
IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION | FILE PHOTO
‘A good life’
Despite the now dry conditions, with
harvest over or nearly complete, farmers
are able to breathe a little easier
… for now. But as Bailey and Bissell
will agree, there really is no rest for
the weary.
For Bailey, he’s already working toward
next year, looking at seed varieties,
fertilizer, talking with implement
dealers about repair work and relying
on those stakeholders like co-ops,
agronomists, bankers, accountants
and others to discuss the upcoming
2025 season.
“You spend all winter planning with
those people, so you know where you
need to go,” he says.
Bissell seconded that sentiment and
says despite all the arduous work that
has occurred and will again start in
the spring, post-harvest and winter
is the time to give thanks.
“Everything we do does affect everyone
around you,” she says. “We
knew this when we chose this lifestyle,
and we would have to accept
the challenges. Overall, farming can
provide you with a good life.”
EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERING WOMEN
Classes starting Tuesday, January 7, 2025 and continuing January 14, 21, 28, February 4 &11.
HIGHER YIELDS
Find the AG Herald
in these publications:
CARROLL TIMES HERALD • THE JEFFERSON HERALD
THE COON RAPIDS ENTERPRISE
NOVEMBER, 2024 | THE AG HERALD | PAGE 7
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PAGE 8 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
WEATHER
Winter
forecast is
anything but
clear
By JEFF HUTTON
Iowa Soybean Association
Will there be snow-covered fields this winter
to help replenish some of the needed moisture
Iowa farmers are asking for? Or will mild
temperatures and a lack of precipitation mean
drought conditions will continue into early
2025?
If you ask the meteorologists, the prognosticators
or just about anyone with an opinion,
the answers are vague at best when it comes
to predicting Iowa’s winter forecast.
According to the latest three-month (Dec.
2024 through Feb. 2025) forecast from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s
(NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS),
a slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence
conditions for the upcoming winter.
Come December, NOAA predicts wetterthan-average
conditions for the entire northern
tier of the continental United States, including
the Great Lakes region. Meanwhile,
drier-than-average conditions are expected
from the Four Corners region of the Southwest
to the Southeast, Gulf Coast and lower
mid-Atlantic states.
Stuck in the middle is Iowa where the forecast
calls for equal chances of below-normal,
normal or above-normal precipitation and
temperatures.
La Nina conditions are expected to develop
in the next several weeks which typically lead
to a more northerly storm track during the
winter months.
And while the forecast is not clear as to Iowa’s
winter weather fate, NOAA forecasters
do expect drought conditions to persist and
worsen across the central and southern Plains.
“Unfortunately, after a brief period in the
spring of 2024 with minimal drought conditions
across the country, more than a quarter of
the land mass in the continental United States
is currently in at least a moderate drought,”
says Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “And the
winter precipitation outlook does not bode
well for widespread relief.”
‘Equal Chances’
Justin Glisan, state climatologist of Iowa,
says it’s clear there is no certainty as to what
farmers might expect in terms of this winter.
“Right now, short-term outlooks into November
show higher probabilities of warmer
than average temperatures and a slightly elevated
wet signal,” he says. “We are also in a
‘La Nina Watch’ with a 60% chance a transition
to this phase in the October-November
timeframe.”
Glisan says confirmed NOAA’s assessment
that typical La Nina winters are colder across
the Dakotas through Montana and the Pacific
Northwest. The southern states are generally
warmer and drier.
“We don’t have clear guidance for Iowa,
as we are categorized in “Equal Chances” of
above/below/near-average,” he says. “However,
in weak La Nina winters, we have generally
experienced above-normal seasonal snowfall
totals across much of the state.”
Glisan says from 2020-22, Iowa experienced
three consecutive La Nina winters, which is
only the third time this has happened since
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
1950. With 152 years of records, they ranked
as such for temperature/precipitation:
2020: 23rd warmest/ 62nd driest
2021: 63rd coldest/52nd driest
2022: 69th warmest/16th driest
The value of snow
While most Iowans would argue having to
dig out from heavy snow can be a pain, most
farmers agree there is value to having a good
layer of snowfall on their farm fields.
Snowfall cover can help with:
Improving soil moisture: Snow helps the
ground retain moisture, which is important
for plant growth. Heavy wet snow can add
a significant amount of moisture to the soil.
Reduce erosion: Snow protects the soil from
being blown away by strong winds.
Insulate the soil: Snow acts as an insulating
blanket that traps heat and prevents frost
from penetrating the soil. This allows the soil
to thaw more quickly in the spring.
Trap nutrients: Snow can trap nitrogen, nitrate,
and ammonium from the atmosphere.
Livestock: Those farmers who raise cattle
can get much of their water from snow when
grazing on winter pasture.
Barge traffic: Given that the Mississippi River
remains significantly below normal levels for
the third year in a row, snowfall could help lift
those numbers. When major waterways are
high enough, barges can ship more soybeans,
corn and other cargo to the Gulf of Mexico.
Almanac predictions
So, will it be a White or Brown Christmas?
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac,
Iowa and other Central Plains states will see
a warmer than normal winter with belownormal
precipitation and snowfall.
The coldest and snowiest periods will occur
in late January, as well as early and late
February.
As for spring planting in 2025, the publication
says April and May will be warm with
below-normal rainfall.
NOVEMBER, 2024 | THE AG HERALD | PAGE 9
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PAGE 10 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
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Total Miles Driving Today Total Mileage Today
Truck/Tractor and Trailer Numbers or
License Plate(s) / State (show each unit)
1: OFF DUTY
2: SLEEPER
BERTH
3. DRIVING
4: ON DUTY
(NOT DRIVING)
REMARKS:
MIDNIGHT
SHIPPING
DOCUMENTS:
MIDNIGHT
________________________
B/L or Manifest No.
or
________________________
Shipper & Commodity
(Month) (Day) (Year)
DRIVER’S DAILY LOG
(24 HOURS)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Name of Carrier or Carriers
______________________________________________________________
I certify these entries are true and correct:
Main Office Address
Home Terminal Address
Original - File at home terminal
Duplicate - Driver retails in his/her possession for eight days
Smith Brothers trucking LLC
280th Street • Ruralton, Iowa 25445
280th Street • Ruralton, Iowa 25445
_____________________________ ________________________________
Driver’s Full Signature Co-Driver’s Name
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 noon 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 noon 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Enter name of place you reported and where released from work and when and where each change of duty occurred.
From:__________________________________ To:_____________________________________
USE TIME STANDARD AT HOME TERMINAL
Date:
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HOURS
Jordan & Aaron Smith
280th Street • Ruralton, Iowa 25445
Office: 712-541-2457
RECAP
Complete at end of
workday.
__________
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hours today.
(Tota lines 3 & 4)
70 Hour/
8 Day
Drivers
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Total hours on
duty last 7
days including
today.
B.__________
Total hours
available
tomorrow
70 hr.
minus A.*
C.__________
Total hours on
duty last 8 days
including today.
60 Hour/
7 Day
Drivers
A.__________
Total hours on
duty last 6 days
including today.
B.__________
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available
tomorrow
Smith Brothers trucking LLC
60 hr. minus. A*
C.__________
Total hours on
duty last 7 days
including today.
*If you too 34
consecutive
hours off duty
you have 60/70
hours available
again.
Invoice #
Customer:
Tax ID #: 21-265486
Truck # ____________________
1001
Trailer # ____________________
Smith Brothers
Trucking LLC
Location Loaded
Location
Unloaded
Driver _____________________
__________________________
# Head Weight Rate Loaded Miles Total Owed
220 280th Street
Ruralton, Iowa 25445
Smith Brothers
Trucking LLC
Aaron Smith
220 280th Street • Ruralton, Iowa 25445
Cell: 712-541-2457 Office: 7142-5478-2341
Received in good condition by:
Jordan & Aaron Smith • 220 280th Street • Ruralton, Iowa 25445 • Office: 712-541-2457
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NOVEMBER, 2024 | THE AG HERALD | PAGE 11
ENVIRONMENT
Crop survey results show increase in cover cropping, less tillage
By CAMI KOONS
Iowa Capital Dispatch
Results from the annual Iowa Nutrient
Research & Education Council
crop survey show Iowa farmers
planted more than 3.8 million acres
of cover crops in the 2023 crop year.
INREC initiated the yearly survey
in 2017 as part of the Iowa Nutrient
Reduction Strategy to track tillage
practices, crop rotations and nitrogen,
phosphorus and manure fertilizer
applications. These practices
can reduce the amount of nutrients,
notably nitrogen and phosphorus,
that run off cropland and into waterways.
Ben Gleason, the council’s executive
director, said the use of cover
crops has increased significantly since
the non-profit started the survey.
In 2017, just 1.6 million acres of
Iowa’s approximately 23 million acres
of corn and soybean cropland had
a cover crop planted. That amount
has more than doubled in the past
seven years, bringing the percentage
of cropland with a cover crop to
nearly 17% in 2023, according to the
most recent survey results.
“That’s not a small amount,” Gleason
said.
Cover cropping is a practice of
seeding a crop such as cereal rye,
oats, wheat, radishes or turnips into
the soil between cash crop (corn and
soybean) rotations to improve soil
health, minimize soil erosion and
in some operations, create pasture
for cattle.
According to Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education, cover
crops can reduce the amount of nitrogen
runoff from a field by nearly
50%.
“We’re making progress, but we’ve
got a long ways to go just because
of the scale we’re trying to reach,”
Gleason said.
Gleason also said conservation
practices, “don’t happen in a vacuum,”
and that the council is always
considering what else might have
caused the use of a certain practice
to increase or decrease in a given
period.
Bill Frederick, co-owner of Iowa
Cover Crop, a seed and service company
that helps farmers implement
PHOTO BY EDWIN REMSBERG AND USDA-SARE
An Iowa survey following conversation practices that reduce nutrient runoff, shows an increase in cover
cropping in the state.
cover crop systems, said his business
has increased by 30% to 50% each
year since opening.
“We’re always chasing that next
level of adopters,” Frederick said and
noted that the company has also retained
most of its customers over
the past 10 years.
There are a number of private and
public funding streams that Frederick
said his company helps farmers
navigate so they can implement a
cover crop for “basically no cost”
which makes it an “easier sell.”
According to the Environmental
Working Group conservation database,
Iowa farmers received nearly
$300 million to help implement conservation
practices through the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Conservation
Stewardship Program and
Environmental Quality Incentives
Program, between 2017 and 2022.
For farmers who also raise cattle,
Frederick said the cost of the cover
crop is easily offset by grazing the
cattle on the crop.
Frederick said he is “optimistic” for
future adoption of cover cropping,
and isn’t discouraged by the only 10%
increase over the past seven years.
“I mean, you’re totally changing
the way people are farming and I
think it’s a big ask to just have people
jump in,” Frederick said.
“Our big thing is everybody thinks
of this conservation as something that
we have to do. We’ve always looked
at it as a potential income source.”
Starting next year, sustainable
aviation fuel producers would be
eligible for a new federal tax credit
if they produce their fuel with corn
and soybeans grown on farms that
employ sustainable practices, including
cover cropping and no-till, to offset
some of the carbon emissions of
the fuel production.
Frederick said he already has new
customers seeding cover crops to
be able to sell to these producers.
“So that’ll be the next big leap, I
think,” Frederick said.
Nutrient Reduction
Strategy
The nutrient reduction strategy
is Iowa’s contribution to a multistate
effort aimed at reducing the
size and severity of the hypoxia, or
dead zone, in the Gulf of Mexico. The
hypoxia is caused by excess nitrogen
and phosphorus transported down
the Mississippi River into the gulf.
“Number one, is
certainly there’s
more awareness of
nutrient reduction
strategies and the
suite of strategies
we have for
farmers. I also
think some of
it is economic …
Farmers are trying
to be as efficient as
possible with their
budget.”
- BEN GLEASON, IOWA NUTRIENT
RESEARCH & EDUCATION COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Practices like cover crops keep
plants in the soil and help keep
those nutrients in the soil, rather
than washing off downstream, but
other practices, like reducing tillage
and being more efficient when applying
fertilizer, are also part of the
nutrient reduction strategy.
According to the 2023 survey results,
63% of corn and soybean acres
were farmed with either no till or
conservation tillage practices, which
leaves 30% or more of the field untilled.
The survey also shows a 7% decrease
in the rates of commercial
nitrogen applied to continuous corn
operations since 2017.
The nutrient reduction program
also tracks point-source pollution
from municipal and industrial wastewater
facilities, which also contribute
to the N and P loads in the water.
Gleason said his council works with
the Iowa State University center for
survey statistics and methodology to
randomize and extrapolate the survey
data, collected from about 100
ag retailers, to generate figures that
are representative of the entire state.
“We feel, using the stat lab, that
it’s representative of the state,” Gleason
said.
In part, the survey was initiated to
track the progress of these conservation
practices and gather some of
the water-quality data that Gleason
said is necessary to qualify for costshare
programs.
Gleason said these practices, especially
around fertilizer application,
have grown in popularity because
farmers are more aware of the programs,
and also because they realize
it can help their bottom lines.
“Number one, is certainly there’s
more awareness of nutrient reduction
strategies and the suite of strategies
we have for farmers,” Gleason said.
“I also think some of it is economic
… Farmers are trying to be as efficient
as possible with their budget.”
The efforts in Iowa and in other
states along the Mississippi have
made a difference in nitrogen levels
of the Mississippi, according to
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s 2023 report. Gleason said
he also likes to emphasize the impact
these practices have on local
water systems.
“What’s good for the land here is
good for the water here,” Gleason said.
“And obviously we want to help out
the Gulf of Mexico — but we have
our own issues to work on, too.”
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EQUIPMENT
FROM PAGE 1
employees who had worked for
New Holland and were familiar
with the community.
Since then, they have opened
two more locations, one in Rockwell
City and one in Carroll. By
maintaining their goal of offering
the best customer service, Haley
said she regularly sees fourth and
even fifth generation customers.
The Carroll location opened
in 1989 and their third location
in Rockwell City opened in 2001,
shortly after Carter left for college.
Carter said her dad sent her brother
to Rockwell City to get shelves, and
he said a building was being given
away because no one was bidding
“When we do business with our
customers, we make sure that
the hand that feeds us, we feed
them back, so being local is very
important.”
- ALECIA CARTER, DAUGHTER OF PAT AND TOM HALEY
on it. Together, they turned the old
building into a third dealership.
While the Rockwell City location
first opened, Carter was studying
to be a chef in Ankeny. After accepting
a job at a new restaurant
in downtown Des Moines, she
worked at RV Center in the parts
department while the restaurant
was being built.
“I understood how to work a
parts counter, so I took this job,
and I fell in love with it, and didn’t
leave for 11 years,” Carter said.
Deciding she wanted to raise
her kids outside of the city, Carter
moved back to Carroll and started
working for the family business.
She now serves as a service manager
of 14 technicians for their two
locations.
Carter said opportunity of growth
was the main reason the family
wanted to open a location in Carroll.
Their business spans across the
entire state of Iowa and they also
have customers in South Dakota.
Haley Equipment is the only
farm equipment dealership in
town that still has family living
there, and Carter said their goal
is to help Carroll grow as it benefits
the community and their store.
“When we do business with our
customers, we make sure that the
hand that feeds us, we feed them
back, so being local is very important,”
Carter said.
Haley said when you’re working
with the farming business, it
has to be personal.
Carter recognizes that this field
is typically a “man’s role,” but said
in her world, “we can do anything
that a man can do.” She said there
is rarely an issue with a woman
running the counter, but Haley
had different experiences when
the Wall Lake location first opened.
“The guys would come in to my
counter and say ‘Is there a guy in
here somewhere I can talk to,’” Haley
said. “I had men who would not
even give me the money to pay for
their parts, they were not going
to deal with a woman in a farm
equipment dealership, period.”
Last year, Haley was able to retire
at the age of 75, and the Wall
Lake location was closed. Currently,
Carroll and Rockwell City
are the only locations still open.
Even after retirement, Haley still
works in the Carroll office often.
AGRICULTURE
ICA names new director of
government relations, public policy
Kelli Wicks
Special to the Ag Herald
AMES, Iowa – Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA),
the leading grassroots organization supporting Iowa’s
beef cattle industry, is pleased to announce Kelli
Wicks as their new director of government relations
and public policy. Wicks brings a unique background
of experience and skills that will complement the association’s
policy work and continue to drive legislative
efforts promoting Iowa cattle producer’s profitability
and productivity.
Wicks’ most recent roles as the manager of market
growth and manager of international market development
with the National Pork Board hold many
parallels. In these roles, she was responsible for international
initiatives, consumer segmentation insight
integration, innovation, and the introduction of new
technologies. Throughout her time with the National
Pork Board, Wicks points out that knowledgeably
showcasing their work for stakeholder buy-in was a
top priority and has positioned her well for similar
work with legislators.
Prior to the National Pork Board, Wicks served as a
two-time Wallace-Carver Fellow with the USDA – ARS
and FAS and as a farmer relations intern with Midwest
Dairy. She also was a Borlaug-Ruan International
Intern in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the International
Livestock Research Institute.
Wicks holds a master’s degree in international agriculture
with a focus on international trade and development
from Oklahoma State University. She has
a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University where
she double-majored in agriculture and society and
international agriculture with a minor in animal science.
Wicks grew up on a small cattle operation in
north central Iowa. She raised and showed purebred
cattle across the state and the nation.
“I have a deep passion for the agriculture industry,”
said Wicks. “I am constantly striving to advocate for
agriculture and everyone it impacts. In my previous
work experiences, I have worked to serve producers
in all facets of agriculture to make sure their voices are
heard. I can’t think of a better way to utilize my skills
for Iowa’s cattle farmers than by serving the members
of ICA as the director of government relations
and public policy.”
ICA is currently working on policy development
and priorities for the upcoming year. Wicks joins the
team at an opportune time to take part in this process,
work collaboratively with policy committees, and
strategize with ICA’s lobbyist and leadership to build
upon the momentum of last year’s legislative session.
“We are excited to welcome Kelli to ICA and look
forward to the unique perspective she will bring to
the role,” said Bryan Whaley, ICA CEO. “Her demonstrated
dedication to serving producers through her
work experience with member-driven organizations
and background to guide decision-making with strong
buy-in will be great tools she can leverage to promote
policy priorities that matter to our members.”
ICA looks forward to welcoming Kelli Wicks to the
team and continuing our mission of serving Iowa’s
beef cattle industry now and in the future. Wicks’ first
day was November 4, 2024.
PAGE 14 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
AGRICULTURE
Iowa’s Chuck Morris Inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame
By SYDNEY PETERSON
Iowa State Extension
AMES, Iowa – Chuck Morris was inducted at
the 2024 National 4-H Hall of Fame ceremony
for a lifetime of achievements and contributions
to 4-H youth development, including
serving as the state 4-H leader for nine years.
Honored by the National Association of Extension
4-H Youth Development Professionals,
Morris is one of 15 who were inducted during
a ceremony Oct. 14 at the organization’s
national conference in Boise, Idaho.
Morris’ successes over his 37-year Iowa
State University Extension and Outreach
career were recognized by 4-H faculty, both
internally and externally, and influenced the
development of 4-H programs within Iowa
and across the nation.
Morris began his 4-H career as a Walnut Progressors
4-H Club member in Dallas County.
He participated in beef, swine and science,
mechanics and engineering projects early on,
but he especially appreciated his opportunities
in the leadership program, where he learned
about himself and the person he wanted to be.
“At my first 4-H club meeting, the Dallas
County Walnut Progressors, this shy 10-yearold
was elected recreation chairman. From
this humble beginning, I discovered county
fair exhibits, educational presentations, county
4-H council, local and state camps and conferences,
and countless other 4-H adventures,”
Morris said. “It is these experiences that are
the GENIUS of 4-H. It is that opportunity for
each person who participates in 4-H to find
their unique path to help them prepare for
a successful future.”
He began his extension career as 4-H and
youth leader in Clay and Buena Vista counties
in 1975 and was shortly after asked to join
the state 4-H youth staff on campus. Morris
provided leadership in agriculture and volunteer
development on campus before becoming
assistant state leader and state 4-H
leader in 2004. After seven successful years
as state 4-H leader, Morris retired in 2013.
One of his special memories as a 4-H member
was representing Iowa at the National 4-H
Conference during his senior year in high
school. At that time, Iowa had added “and
my world” to the 4-H pledge, but the rest of
the country had not. Through his and others’
work on the international committee at
the National 4-H Conference, they proposed
that the addition be adopted nationally, which
came to fruition in 1973.
Judy Levings, former associate 4-H director,
said, “I think this [honor] is fitting because
fundamental to Chuck’s work was broadening
Chuck Morris
“[Joining] 4-H was the best decision of my life;
little did I know at the time, because all the
opportunities 4-H provides and that’s what we
were in the business to do was to provide very
special opportunities for young people to grow,
learn life skills and to become successful adults.”
- CHUCK MORRIS
the scope and the impact role of volunteers
and giving youth not only a voice, but a stronger
role in the program and decision making,
and I don’t think every leader does that. He
meant it, we lived by it and we worked it.”
Highlights of Morris’ tenure were leading the
state 4-H council and Iowa 4-H Youth Conference,
state volunteer Forums, and developing
educational materials for 4-H club leaders
using face-to-face and online delivery methods.
He created new recruitment materials for
4-H volunteers, developed a volunteer training
and support plan, created animal species
advisory committees to provide oversight and
assistance in decision making, created the
horseless horse program for youth who want
to learn about horses but do not own one
themselves, and led the Strengthening 4-H
Clubs effort that included club assessments
and efforts to improve vibrancy in 4-H clubs.
Brenda Allen, associate director of extension
operations and former colleague of Morris,
explained one of the pieces that she thinks is
a legacy of Morris’ work. “One of the things
I found most endearing was the time Chuck
spent with our state 4-H council. We would
meet four times a year on the weekends. Chuck
would always make it a priority to find time
in his schedule on that weekend to spend at
least an hour, sometimes a couple of hours, not
just sharing with the 4-H’ers but also picking
their brains as to what is most important to
our program because Chuck always wanted
to do what was best for the young people.
Chuck lived and breathed that; he engaged
young people on decision-making boards on
every level.”
Morris’ advocacy for youth voice and volunteerism
led to appointments for himself
regionally and nationally across the 4-H and
larger Cooperative Extension System – as chair
of the governor-appointed state task force on
youth education employment and training;
member of the National 4-H Congress Design
Team, National 4-H Curriculum Leadership
Team, National 4-H Advisory Team, Iowa State
Fair Board and Iowa Excellence in Extension
committee; chair of the North Central Region
4-H Program Directors; president of Epsilon
Sigma Phi; and to the executive team for the
state commission on volunteerism.
“These efforts helped steer millions of dollars
of state and national funding for programs in
Iowa,” said Levings. “It’s because of [Morris’]
dedication and commitment to volunteers
and youth that made all of this happen and
have created lasting impacts on the Iowa 4-H
program today.”
Morris has also served as a member of the
Iowa Arboretum board of directors, Farm-
House Fraternity Association board president
and various roles in his local church. He was
inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in
2021 and was a recipient of the ISU Alumni
Association Superior Service Award and Jerry
Parsons 4-H Youth Professional Award. He
received the NAE4-HA American Spirit Award,
Distinguished Service Award and ESP State
Mid-Career Award. He and his wife, Mary, were
the recipients of the 2020 Iowa 4-H Foundation
Individual Supporter award.
“The one thing I always remember about
Chuck is that he always remembered to say,
‘What is the right thing to do for the young
people?’ Always, every time,” said Mitchell
Hoyer, Iowa 4-H program leader. “That sticks
with me, and it carries with me today. It’s
made me always consider the right thing to
do for a young person so that we can keep
them involved in our program, have some
type of positive experience and help them
learn from that experience.”
“We are proud to honor and recognize the
outstanding individuals who are the Class of
2024 Laureates for the National 4-H Hall of
Fame. These individuals have touched the
lives of many people, from 4-H staff and
colleagues to thousands of 4-H volunteers
and members throughout the nation,” said
Pamela Van Horn, chair of the National 4-H
Hall of Fame.
“[Joining] 4-H was the best decision of my
life; little did I know at the time, because all
the opportunities 4-H provides and that’s what
we were in the business to do was to provide
very special opportunities for young people
to grow, learn life skills and to become successful
adults,” Morris said.
“Chuck was the essence of Iowa 4-H,” said
Gail Castillo, 4-H risk management specialist.
“He not only believed in the power of 4-H; he
also worked daily to help everyone – be they
members, volunteers or staff – feel a sense
of belonging and a sense of community in
our program.”
“Chuck has most certainly touched the lives
of thousands of young people, as he served
as an inspiration and mentor to many. His
legacy in 4-H has ensured that Iowa’s youth
will continue to have opportunities to learn
and thrive,” Hoyer added.
The National 4-H Hall of Fame laureates
are nominated by their home states, the National
4-H Council, the National Association
of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals
or the 4-H National Headquarters of
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
based upon their exceptional leadership
at the local, state, national and international
levels.
Honorees were presented with a National
4-H Hall of Fame medallion, plaque and
memory book during the ceremony. The National
4-H Hall of Fame was established in
2002 as part of the Centennial Project of the
National Association of Extension 4-H Agents
in partnership with the National 4-H Council
and 4-H National Headquarters of USDA
National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
For more information about the National 4-H
Hall of Fame event and past recipients, visit
4-h-hof.com.
PAGE 15 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
SERVICES OFFERED:
•Livestock feed
bulk and bagged
•Full service
grain elevator
From a truck load to one bag we can service
all your swine and cattle feed needs.
Give us a call to see what we can do for you.
620 WEST 3RD STREET • CARROLL
CONTACT US AT 712-792-3506.
KENNETH JANNING & SONS, INC.
CUSTOM EPOXY FLOORING
FOR GARAGES, OFFICES,
MACHINE SHEDS AND
BARNDOMINIUMS
WHEN YOU
PLAN TO BUY
EQUIPMENT,
MAKE SURE
IT PAYS YOU
BACK.
DRAGOTEC.COM
CALL OR EMAIL TODAY FOR YOUR
FREE ESTIMATE!
712.792.6416
BEFORE
AFTER
KENNETH JANNING & SONS, INC.
18132 HWY 71 N. • CARROLL, IA
KJANNINGFLOORING@GMAIL.COM
MEET THE CORN HEAD THAT
PAYS FOR ITSELF.
Few equipment purchases deliver the return
on investment of a Drago corn head. With
components including self adjusting deck
plates, overlapping gathering chains and
longer knife rollers, Drago corn heads are
so efficient, they can pay for themselves
on the extra yield alone.
No other corn head works like a Drago -
or pays you back like one.
DRAGO GT • DRAGO SERIES II
Your Certified Drago Dealer:
DRAGO SCI 712.999.5434
622 RAILWAY ST • COON RAPIDS, IA 50058
VIEW OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL INVENTORY
AND DETAILED LISTINGS
www.dragosci.com
PAGE 16 | THE AG HERALD | NOVEMBER, 2024
SELL YOUR CORN AND BUY DISTILLERS GRAINS
We offer competitive bids on grain and buy direct savings
on DDGS with the convenience of a single trip haul.
To learn more contact your local POET facility.
poet.com