041525_cth-th_z01_c_ag herald

APRIL, 2025

COON RAPIDS-

BAYARD FFA

CHAPTER HOLDS

45TH ANNUAL

APPRECIATION

AND AWARDS

BANQUET

— PAGE 8

A SPECIAL SECTION FOCUSING ON AGRICULTURE IN THE

COUNTIES OF AUDUBON, CARROLL, GREENE AND GUTHRIE

AG Herald

AGRICULTURE

PUCK ENTERPRISES HOSTS

WOMEN IN AG

By NICOLE HASEK

nhasek@iowainformation.com

Puck Enterprises showcased

technological advances, recent

weather trends and businesses

in agriculture at their Women

in Ag event on March 21.

Jamie Lindemann, who grew

up on a farm, shared her journey from

growing up on a farm, to pursuing interior

design, then returning to agriculture

to open Lindy Land and Livestock.

Lindemann and her family raise Berkshire

Pork on a pasture in South Dakota,

with practices that prioritize soil

health and include diverse plant species

in order to improve animal health.

“We focus on the animal’s soil health

to provide the best possible quality of

life for our livestock and the highest

quality product for your plate,” Lindemann

said.

The Pork raised at Lindy Land and

Livestock are raised with “animal husbandry,”

prioritizing day-to-day care

SHOWCASE, PAGE 15

NICOLE HASEK | THE JEFFERSON HERALD

Jamie Lindemann showcases the humane practices Lindy Land and Livestock use

for their pork at Puck Enterprises for their Women in AG event.

MARCH 21ST

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AGRICULTURE DAY

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PAGE 2 | THE AG HERALD | APRIL, 2025

TOM’S ELECTRIC &

GRAIN EQUIPMENT, INC.

tomelect@fmctc.com

712-627-4610 • 105 Weber St.

Westphalia, IA

Conrad-American, a leading manufacturer of

grain storage bins and grain drying and handling

equipment for over 55 years, announces a new

arrangement with Tom’s Electric and Grain

Equipment of Westphalia, Iowa.

Loading • Washing

Shots • Maintenance

712-292-9794

matth@juergensinc.com

Conrad-American will be offering special pricing to

introduce Tom Muenchrath of Tom’s Electric and Grain

Equipment in this area. Tom has served as a successful

supplier of grain bins and related equipment for 27 years.

Please contact Tom at his Westphalia office, 712-627-4610,

for a quote on any of your grain storage needs.

Conrad-American will continue to provide equipment

for any new installations and repair parts for existing

installations in the Carroll area through this

new arrangement.

APRIL, 2025 | THE AG HERALD | PAGE 3

LEADER AWARDS

Secretary Naig Presents 2025 Ag Leader Awards for

Outstanding Contributions to Iowa Agriculture

Contributed to the Ag Herald

FILE PHOTO

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike

Naig recognized three organizations

and one business that have made

exceptional contributions to the continued

success of Iowa agriculture.

The honorees received awards during

the 13th Annual Iowa Ag Leaders

Dinner held on March 31 in Ankeny.

The event culminated the state’s

weeklong Iowa Ag Week celebration

and included remarks from Gov. Kim

Reynolds and a keynote address from

United States Secretary of Agriculture

Brooke Rollins.

The Secretary’s Ag Leader Awards

for 2025 were presented for Leadership

in Community to the Iowa Pork

Producers Association for their Bacon

Buddies program. Nationwide Agribusiness

was recognized for Leadership

in Community for their grain

bin rescue initiatives. Pheasants Forever

received an award for Leadership

in Conservation for partnering

with the Department on water quality

initiatives. The Iowa Foundation

for Agricultural Advancement was

honored for their Leadership in Agriculture

Education for supporting

youth scholarship programs.

“Every year, hundreds of Iowans

from every corner of the state gather

for the Ag Leaders Dinner to recognize

outstanding contributions made by

businesses, organizations, and individuals,”

said Secretary Naig. “This

year’s awardees, Iowa Pork Producers

Association, Nationwide Agribusiness,

Pheasants Forever, and

the Iowa Association for Agricultural

Advancement, have all made

significant positive impacts to the

ongoing success of Iowa agriculture

and our rural communities. These

awardees play an integral role in developing

young leaders and ensuring

that Iowa remains an agricultural

productivity powerhouse that drives

our economy forward.”

Leadership in Community – Iowa

Pork Producers Association for Bacon

Buddies

Created by the Iowa Pork Producers

Association (IPPA) and hosted

in partnership with Special Olympics

Iowa, Bacon Buddies reflects

the very best of Iowa and Iowa agriculture.

Bacon Buddies provides

a great learning and development

opportunity for youth of all abilities.

Youth who have intellectual and/or

developmental disabilities (Buddies)

show pigs and learn from their peer

mentors (4-H and FFA youth), that

share the show ring experience with

them. Buddies gain new skills while

enjoying new experiences, developing

lasting friendships and building

confidence. Mentors learn about individuals

with intellectual/or developmental

disabilities and gain the

opportunity to cultivate kindness in

their interactions. Bacon Buddies

was introduced in Iowa at the Iowa

State Fair in 2019. The program has

grown significantly since 2023 when

IPPA introduced “Bucks for Bacon

Buddies,” which provides up to $500

for county pork producers to sponsor

local events. In 2024, 31 county

fairs held local events, up from 28

counties in 2023 and a significant

increase from 2 or 3 counties prior

to 2023. Secretary Naig extends his

thanks to the Iowa Pork Producers

Association for their continued

leadership.

Leadership in Community – Nationwide

Agribusiness

Nationwide Agribusiness has taken

great steps to improve farm safety and

save lives, reaching millions through

marketing campaigns about grain bin

and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety.

Launched in 2014, Grain Bin Safety

Week strives to increase awareness

of the importance of following safety

practices and protocols when working

in and around grain bins. The

campaign includes media and social

engagement, as well as resources for

first responders to obtain life-saving

equipment. Nationwide Agribusiness

works with the National Education

Center for Agricultural Safety based in

Peosta and other partners to provide

emergency personnel with grain bin

safety equipment, rescue tubes, and

hands-on rescue training. Since 2014,

the partnership has provided handson

rescue training to more than 332

fire departments in over 32 states.

The work is already documented to

have saved 13 lives. Nationwide also

works with ATV Safety Institute and

Recreational O$-Highway Vehicle

Association to promote safety training

programs that can help improve

operator safety and prevent costly

accidents — both on and o$ the farm.

Secretary Naig extends his gratitude

to Nationwide Agribusiness for their

continued leadership.

Leadership in Conservation –

Pheasants Forever

2025 marks 100 years of pheasant

hunting in Iowa. Pheasants Forever

is a committed conservation partner,

whose investments on private lands

improve and protect Iowa’s natural

resources. Since 1985, Iowa Pheasants

Forever and Quail Forever chapters

have helped establish 618,000

acres of nesting cover, 313,000 acres

of food and cover plots, planted over

11,000,000 trees and shrubs on private

lands and restored 19,000 acres

of wetlands. Since 2019, the Iowa

Department of Agriculture and Land

Stewardship has entered into a direct

agreement with Pheasants Forever to

provide funding for assistance with

conservation practice implementation.

The agreement partially funds

biologists across Iowa who provide

technical assistance to landowners

and farmers. Biologists assist farmers

and landowners with enrolling

in conservation programs through

one-on-one meetings, on-farm technical

assistance, and workshops to

develop conservation plans, habitat

proposals, and other management

plans. Secretary Naig thanks them

for their leadership in continuing

to accelerate our state’s conservation

e$orts.

Leadership in Agriculture Education

– Iowa Foundation for Agricultural

Advancement

For as long as the Iowa State Fair

has been in existence, youth from

around the state have proudly exhibited

their livestock projects in search of

a purple banner. Until the late 1980s,

4-H and FFA students who earned

the top award were often rewarded

with less than market price for

their animals. In 1987, at the conclusion

of another disappointing sale, a

group of livestock industry supporters

decided a change was needed.

Not only did they want to ensure the

hard work of the champion projects

were awarded, but they wanted to

provide more incentives for other

youth to participate in livestock projects.

In 1988, the Iowa Foundation

for Agricultural Advancement (IFAA)

was born. Though the initial mission

was to provide funds to support

the sale of grand and reserve

champion projects at a premium,

IFAA has since expanded to reach

more youth through scholarship programs

and performance awards. To

date, more than $7 million has been

raised to support Iowa youth. IFAA

has successfully harnessed the collective

support of many partners

and donors toward a focused mission

of supporting and preparing

the future of Iowa agriculture. IFAA

is a prime example of agricultural

leaders seeing a problem and then

finding an innovative solution. Secretary

Naig thanks IFAA for their

continued leadership in supporting

Iowa youth.

The annual Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner

is hosted by Secretary Naig, organized

by the Iowa Department of

Agriculture and Land Stewardship,

and funded by the Iowa Economic

Development Foundation.


AGRICULTURE

Four women

managing

farmland

forums

offered in

September


Four Women Managing Farmland Forums

and Annie’s Project 20th Anniversary Celebrations

will be offered across the state the first

week of September. The free events take place

on Sept. 3 in Atlantic, Sept. 4 in Iowa City,

Sept. 5 in West Union and Sept. 6 in Storm

Lake, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The one-day regional forums are a valuable

opportunity to refresh your conservation,

leasing and estate management skills

while networking with other women in agriculture.

Topics will include soil erosion and

water management, landowner responsibilities

and the economics of farmland, as well as

trusts, taxes and succession planning.

Women of all ages make important decisions

about land leasing, conservation practices and

transition and estate plans. The forums are

designed to help attendees meet their longterm

farmland management goals. By combining

strategies, women can create equitable

farmland leasing, adoption of conservation

practices and efficiencies in transitions to next

generation farmers.

Well over 3,000 Iowa women completed Annie’s

Project or Annie’s Inspired multi-session

farm management courses since 2004. Nearly

1,000 women participated in Women in Ag

Leadership conferences since 2017. The changes

these women made not only benefited their

families, farms, and agribusinesses, but also

contributed to a stronger Iowa agricultural

system through financially stable businesses,

improved conservation practices and closer

community networks.

The forums are a thank-you to all those who

made Annie’s Project a successful program in

Iowa and a welcome to all those who haven’t

yet participated. Over the noon hour, there

will be a pictorial slide show celebrating and

honoring the contributions and milestones

of Iowa women in agriculture over the past

twenty years.

Did you know?

The number of Iowa women farmers counted

in the USDA Census of Agriculture increased

from 27,258 in 2002, to 50,263 in 2022?

The percentage of women enrolled in Iowa

State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

increased from 43% in Fall 2003, to 59% in

Fall 2023?

Each regional forum will be slightly different.

The northeast Iowa forum will feature a

tour of Susan Kuennen’s conservation practices

and fen beginning at 8:30 am; and local

farmer, Natalie Eick Paino, will share her story

of opening the gates at Hightail Delivery over

the noon hour.

The southeast Iowa forum will feature Rabail

Chandio, assistant professor, ISU Department

of Economics and leading researcher

for the annual Iowa Land Values Survey; as

well as Ilsa DeWald, Johnson County Local

Food and Farm Manager at Johnson County

Historic Poor Farm, who’ll share about the

power of women and diversity in agriculture.

Registration is free and required so that everyone

has a chair and a lunch. Local agendas

and online registration can be found here.

This program is financially supported by a

USDA NIFA Critical Agriculture Research and

Education grant (2021-68008-34180) and a

Farm Credit Services of America gift through

the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Women in Ag program.


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STUDY

‘Too much of a good

thing’: Overuse is making

Bt corn less effective

against rootworm

Contributed to the Times Herald

Widespread planting of corn hybrids

designed to combat corn rootworm,

the crop’s most damaging pest

in the Corn Belt, is reducing both

the technology’s effectiveness and

some farmers’ profits.

The findings come from a new

analysis of 12 years of field trials and

seed usage data across 10 Midwestern

corn-growing states, including

Iowa. The study, recently published

in Science, shows rootworms are increasingly

resistant to the built-in

protection of corn that is genetically

engineered to produce insecticidal

proteins derived from a bacterium

called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

The title of the Science article, “Too

much of a good thing: lessons from

compromised rootworm Bt maize in

the US Corn Belt,” captures the study’s

main thrust, said Aaron Gassmann,

professor of plant pathology, entomology

and microbiology at Iowa

State University.

“‘Too much of a good thing’ is really

the key message,” said Gassmann, one

of three Iowa State faculty among the

study’s 20 co-authors. “Overplanting

Bt corn causes farmers to lose

some of its benefits for suppressing

rootworm populations and preserving

yields.”

The study found that farmers in

some parts the Midwest were planting

rootworm Bt corn at a higher-thanideal

rate, based on an optimum that

weighs current-year benefits along

with the future impact of pest suppression

and resistance. The overplanting

gap was especially pronounced in

states where it is rare for farmers to

continuously plant the same fields

with corn, the study found.

“When we crunched the numbers,

we found that some of those farmers

– from their own immediate private

profit perspective, not considering

the broader effects – were planting

more rootworm Bt corn than they

should,” said David Hennessy, Cargill

Professor in Economic Systems

at Iowa State and one of the paper’s

co-authors.

Powerful tool weakening

Adult corn rootworm beetles lay

their eggs in the summer to overwinter

in soil before hatching in late spring,

when the larvae feed on developing

corn roots. Bt corn designed to

combat rootworm imbues the plant

with proteins that are toxic to the

insect but harmless for most other

organisms, including humans and

livestock.

By comparing root injury in Bt

and non-Bt corn, researchers can

estimate the e$cacy of Bt protection.

In the analysis of field trial data,

effectiveness fell from 2005 to 2016

for all three Bt proteins studied. The

pooled efficacy was 92% in 2005,

two years after rootworm Bt corn

was first introduced. By 2016, it had

fallen to 80%.

Slowing rootworm’s Bt resistance is

important because it’s a highly damaging

pest that costs U.S. farmers up

to $2 billion per year in management

costs and reduced yield.

“Probably 80% of what I talk about

is corn rootworm management. If

I’m going to offer a range of topics

to choose from, they always pick

rootworm,” said study co-author

Erin Hodgson, a professor of plant

pathology, entomology and microbiology

and ISU Extension and Outreach

extension entomologist.

Bt hybrids are an appealing rootworm

solution for farmers because

they’re a simple, effective and safe

alternative to applying pesticides,

Hodgson said. The vast majority of

Iowa’s corn crop is Bt corn.

“When rootworm Bt corn became

available, it was a big step up. Farmers

really liked it. Regardless of what

sort of pest pressure they have, they

continued to use it because it worked

so well. They don’t necessarily want

to back off,” Hodgson said.

Rotation reduces Bt need

Overall populations of rootworm

have fallen thanks to Bt corn, but

fields where corn is grown continuously

give the pest an ideal habitat

to develop resistance and damage

crops.

In the western states included in

the study – Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin,

Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas

– continuous corn is relatively

common, and yield loss from rootworm

in the final three years of the

analyzed trials averaged 47.5 bushels

per acre. Crop rotation’s dominance

in the study’s eastern states – Indiana,

Michigan and Ohio – helped reduce

rootworm pressure, leading to yield

loss of only 8.5 bushels per acre.

The difference in yield protection

benefits made the ideal Bt rate far

lower in eastern states, though actual

Bt usage didn’t differ nearly as

much throughout the regions. In eastern

states, Bt corn rates were about

50% from 2014 to 2016. If farmers

throughout Indiana, Michigan and

Ohio had instead planted Bt corn at

an optimum 18% rate, they collectively

would have saved $99 million

per year by avoiding the $25.7 per

acre premium for Bt seed. Optimum

Bt rates in the western states ranged

from 45% to more than 75%.

“We were still managing the pest

using Bt hybrids as if rootworm was

a prime driver of yield loss in states

like Indiana. It wasn’t, and it hadn’t

been for some time,” said Christian

Krupke, a field crop entomology professor

at Purdue University and the

study’s lead co-author, along with

Ziwei Ye, assistant professor of agricultural

economics and rural development

at Renmin University of

China.

The wide difference in ideal rates

for western and eastern corn shows

how critical crop rotation is for controlling

rootworm. Rootworm pressure

builds in fields over time, so

any interruption in corn planting

helps keep rootworm populations

in check, Gassmann said.

While there are often economic

incentives to plant continuous corn,

even giving fields a break from corn

every few years helps manage rootworm

pressure, Hodgson said.

“My soapbox talking point to farmers

is to check your fields. Go below

ground and evaluate root injury. Seeing

where you are at will help you

make better choices about the coming

year,” she said.

Providing more choice

Offering farmers more seed choices

also would help reduce Bt overuse,

researchers said. Bt traits targeting

insect pests such as rootworm and

corn borer usually are bundled with

other valued genetic attributes, such

as yield performance and drought

resistance. Farmers have little opportunity

to customize by only selecting

traits they prefer.

In a separate study, published last

week in the Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences (PNAS),

Gassmann described another seeddesign

factor contributing to rootworm’s

growing resistance to Bt

corn. Modifying crops to produce

two or more different Bt toxins is a

common method for delaying resistance,

a “pyramid” approach that

slows down natural selection.

But seed companies often offer Bt

pyramids in which one of the traits is

already seeing significant resistance,

which undermines the intended redundancy

of incluing multiple toxins.

The PNAS study showed rootworm

pests resistant to one trait in a pyramid

tend to develop resistance to

the other trait, as well.

Combinations of Bt traits need to

both be effective for the approach to

work, Gassmann said. Increasing the

typical 5% level of non-Bt “refuges”

in Bt corn fields, and considering Bt

technology as part of a rootworm

strategy instead of the entirety of it,

would also help.

“Novel pyramids and more diversified

management would make those

Bt traits more durable,” he said.

Bt traits are expensive and timeconsuming

for seed companies to

develop, and improving strategies

to delay resistance can help increase

the longevity of those traits,

Gassmann said.

Study’s value

Reports from individual field and

laboratory studies have documented

the presence of rootworm’s resistance

to Bt corn for about 15 years, including

prior studies by Gassmann. But

the Science study covers multiple

states over many years, analyzed by

a group of entomologists, plant pathologists,

crop scientists and economists

from 13 institutions.

“It’s rare to have data this good.

Getting the plots year after year is a

challenge,” Hennessy said.

The study originated from observations

of a U.S. Department of Agriculture-organized

working group

for corn entomologists, and it shows

the value of public datasets generated

by long-term applied research,

Krupke said.

“These are among the most useful

types of data for developing policy

recommendations,” he said.


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COON RAPIDS-BAYARD

Coon Rapids-Bayard FFA Chapter holds 45th

Annual Appreciation and Awards Banquet


On Thursday, March 6, 2025 the Coon Rapids-Bayard

FFA Chapter held their 45th Annual

Appreciation and Awards Banquet. The

head count for the banquet was just over 100.

Meal was by Lidderdale Country Store and

desserts by Tonya Wurzer.

2024-2025 FFA President Tyler Mohr gave

the meal introduction and 2024-2025 Sentinel/2025-2026

Vice-President Maddy Mason

gave the Invocation prior to meal.

2024-2025 FFA Officers were, President Tyler

Mohr, Vice-President Dylan Shultes, Secretary-

Kennedie Thomas, Treasurer-Jayna Hoffman,

Reporter-Logan Kenyon, Sentinel-Maddy Mason,

Assistant Officer-Gracyn Robbins.

The Awards ceremony was called to order

by 2024-2025 President Tyler Mohr.

Awards ceremony, we gave out many awards

and honors.

■12, 8th grade members received their

Discovery Degrees.

■16, Freshmen members received their

Greenhand Degrees. Emily Booth received

Star Greenhand Award.

■5, Sophomore members received their

Chapter Degrees. Aaron Irlbeck received Star

Chapter Award.

■Kennedie Thomas received the Leadership

Award.

■4 members were recognized as earning

their Iowa Degrees. They will receive their

Degree at Iowa FFA Conference on April 15th.

■Members recognized for having participated

in a CDE or LDE, the events were,

Livestock Evaluation, Soils Judging, Ag

Broadcasting, Creed Recitation, Conduct

of Meeting, Chapter Exhibit and Reporters

Scrapbook.

■Those honored were Al Schroeder with

the Blue and Gold Award, Kaleb Reis with

the Honorary Member Award, and Megan

Irlbeck and Toni Robbins Appreciation

Awards.

■Other activities receiving recognition were

World Pork Expo, Greenhand Fireup, Iowa

FFA Conference, National FFA Conference,

Fall Fruit Sales and Winter Strawberry Sales.

■Seniors gave their final address. Tyler

Mohr, Kennedie Thomas, Dylan Schultes,

Jayna Hoffman, Gracyn Robbins, Craig Irlbeck

and Kassidy Olson.

■New 2025-2026 officers were inducted,

President-Logan Kenyon, Vice-President-Maddy

Mason, Secretary-Aaron Irlbeck, Treasurer-Kally

Wiskus, Sentinel- Emily Booth and

Assistant Officer-Brooklyn Cue.

New Officer- President Logan Kenyon closed

the meeting.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

From left to right are Toni Robbins, Gracyn Robbins and Megan Irlbeck.

The 2024-2025 officers, from left to right, are Maddy Mason, Logan Kenyon, Kennedie Thomas, Tyler Mohr, Dylan Schultes, Jayna Hoffman and Gracyn Robbins.


The seniors include Tyler Mohr, Dylan Scultes, Gracyn Robbins, Jayna Hoffman, Kennedie Thomas, Kassidy Olson, Craig Irlbeck, standing alongside Ms. Petersen.

Tyler Mohr and Al Schroeder.

The Iowa Degree recipients, from left to right, are Kassidy Olson, Craig

Irlbeck, Kennedie Thomas and Gracyn Robbins.

Kennedie Thomas and Kaleb Reis.

The 2025-2026 officers, from left to right, are Emily Booth, Kally Wiskus, Maddy Mason, Logan Kenyon, Aaron Irlbeck,

Aaryanne Robbins and Brooklyn Cue.


EROSION

Cover crops provide an oftenoverlooked

reduction in soil

carbon erosion, study finds


Planting ground cover in fields between cash

crop growing seasons is an effective way to

prevent farmland from losing soil carbon from

erosion, a factor that’s underestimated in considering

the carbon sequestration potential

of cover crops, according to a new study by

an Iowa State University ecologist.

Soil scientists have repeatedly shown that

cover crops reduce erosion, but an analysis

by a team led by Wenjuan Huang, an assistant

professor of ecology, evolution and organismal

biology, is the first study to synthesize data on

carbon loss from erosion in individual cover

crop field trials. The research, recently published

in Global Change Biology, showed that

across more than 150 experiments they studied,

cover crops reduced the average annual

loss of soil carbon through erosion by 68%.

Understanding the impact that planting cover

crops has on soil carbon erosion is important

because one of cover crops’ expected benefits

is a boost in soil carbon levels, which could

help mitigate climate change by acting as a

carbon sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide.

But most research has studied the effects of

the carbon added to soil via the roots and biomass

of the overwintering plants, Huang said.

“We think a lot about how cover crops affect

soil carbon levels. But we’ve often focused

only on carbon inputs and have ignored outputs,”

she said.

Adding more organic matter to soil isn’t a

straightforward solution for increasing its carbon

stock, in part because increased carbon

inputs can stimulate microbial activity that

generates more carbon dioxide emissions.

Another recent study co-authored by Huang

found longer, more diverse rotations of crops

fertilized with livestock manure didn’t affect

soil carbon levels.

But cover crops tend to produce a modest

though highly variable increase in soil carbon,

prior research has shown. In the studies

analyzed in the new paper, carbon was up

14% on average in the top six inches of soil.

The analysis showed no relationship, however,

between how much soil carbon erosion

was reduced and the changes in soil carbon.

That’s why carbon market incentives that pay

farmers for planting cover crops should consider

carbon erosion reduction as a benefit

separate from changes in soil carbon levels

driven by plant carbon input, Huang said.

“It’s two independent processes, so we really

should account for them both,” she said.

Researchers also analyzed the studies to

determine which factors were the biggest influence

on soil carbon erosion and soil carbon

changes. Topography – steeper slopes,

especially – correlated strongest with cover

crops’ ability to reduce soil carbon erosion.

Applying that data to a machine-learning

generated map of global farmland, Huang’s

team built a model that estimated that planting

cover crops would reduce soil carbon erosion

by an average of 25% worldwide. The

estimate for the central U.S., including Iowa,

was a 20% reduction.

That’s a significant effect that would be even

more pronounced on hilly farms and on the

edges of fields, Huang said. Cover crops also

have numerous other benefits, including improving

water quality and the overall health

and resiliency of soil, Huang said.

“It’s a valuable conservation practice here

in Iowa,” she said.

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515-968-4131

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515.386.8146

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• Nurse Call Stations

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PFI

Labor4Learning

program provides

experience for

beginning farmers


Beginning farmers looking to

gain hands-on skills can now apply

for paid on-farm jobs through

Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Labor-

4Learning program, which offers

training with experienced farmers

who are committed to mentoring

the next generation. This year, over

a dozen jobs are available in a range

of farm enterprises and production

systems.

“Hands-on experience is crucial

for beginning farmers — not just in

daily farm tasks but also in learning

how to successfully manage a farm

business,” says Martha McFarland,

PFI’s senior farmland viability coordinator.

“This year, trainees can learn

directly from PFI member trainers

and gain skills in agroforestry, vegetable

production, orcharding, raising

livestock and more.”

Prior to launching their own farm

businesses, it’s important that beginning

and aspiring farmers gain

experience with not only the day-today

tasks of running a farm, but also

what it takes to run a farm business.

Most on-farm jobs, however, do not

expose employees to the full range

of responsibilities required to run

a farm operation. Labor4Learning

seeks to fill the gap by offering a more

“Hands-on experience

is crucial for

beginning farmers

— not just in daily

farm tasks but also

in learning how to

successfully manage

a farm business.”

- MARTHA MCFARLAND, PFI’S SENIOR

FARMLAND VIABILITY COORDINATOR

well-rounded job experience.

In addition to core work tasks, experienced

PFI farmers will provide

extra training on topics such as record-keeping,

marketing and other

skills beginning and aspiring farmers

might not otherwise be exposed to.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t

use the knowledge I learned while

working for the Gilberts at Gibralter

Farms,” says Stephen Riggins, a past

Labor4Learning trainee. “There’s no

better way to learn than by doing,

and the Labor4Learning program

gave me that opportunity.”

Each trainer farm in the program

was approved by a committee of PFI

members to serve as qualified teachers.

The farms represent a diversity

of enterprises and production practices,

including row crops, multiple

species of livestock, fruits and vegetables,

flowers, cover crops, organic

certification and more.

A list of participating farms is included

below, along with their locations

and farm enterprises. Complete

job descriptions and program details

can be found at practicalfarmers.org/

labor4learning.

To participate as a trainee in

Labor4Learning, applicants should

submit resumes and references directly

to the trainer farm. If hired,

participants are given a PFI membership,

opportunities to network

with other beginning and aspiring

farmers and discounts to PFI

learning events.

For questions, contact Martha Mc-

Farland at (515) 232-5661 or martha.

mcfarland@practicalfarmers.org

Sales - Service - Rentals

303 Division St E

Grand Junction, IA 50107

515-738-2744


FARM BUREAU

Young farmers invited to

explore ag innovation on

2025 Ag Insights Tour


Farmers, ages 18 to 40, are invited to register

for Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2025 Young Farmer

Ag Insights Tour, June 26-27.

This two-day journey through southern Iowa

and Missouri showcases innovative farms, agricultural

businesses and commodity-focused

enterprises and offers valuable networking

opportunities. Stops include:

■ Milo Locker Meats, a small family-owned

business in Milo, Iowa, opened in 2021 and

welcomed new ownership in 2024. They are

a USDA-inspected locker that specializes in

processing beef, hogs and deer. The locker has

earned a reputation in the community for their

products and support of local organizations.

■ Rathbun Fish Hatchery in Moravia, Iowa,

raises channel cat$sh and walleye, producing

millions of $sh annually for stocking Iowa’s

ponds, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.

■The Roasterie Coffee Company, based

in Kansas City, Missouri, is a specialty coffee

roaster known for its commitment to responsible

and sustainable business practices.

Eighty percent of their beans are sourced directly

from farmers around the globe.

■ The Shatto Milk Company is a small, family-owned

and operated dairy farm located

north of Kansas City, Missouri. They produce

fresh milk, cheese and ice cream, all bottled

and packaged on-site.

“This year’s tour highlights forward-thinking

companies that have added value to the local

ag economy,” says Zach Brummer, Iowa

Farm Bureau’s farmer education program

manager. “Seeing these businesses in action

helps young farmers consider new ways to

strengthen their own family farms through

diversi$cation, on-farm processing and sales

and value-added practices.”

Participants will also enjoy a lunch stop at

the Prairie Rose Restaurant at Honey Creek

Resort and an overnight stay in Kansas City’s

Power and Light District.

To be eligible, participants must be between

the ages of 18 and 40. The cost for Farm Bureau

members is $75 per person or $125 per

couple. For more information or to register,

visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/aginsights

or contact Ashley Lennon at ALennon@ifbf.

org or (515) 225-5512.

Non-members can participate for $275 per

person. Those interested in becoming Iowa

Farm Bureau members can join for $60 or less

by visiting www.iowafarmbureau.com/join.


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AGRICULTURE

Experts discuss weather

trends, technological

advances and growth of

businesses in agriculture

ISU EXTENSION AND OUTREACH

Free fruit and vegetable safety

course offered this summer


Iowa State University Extension

and Outreach is o$ering a special

fruit and vegetable production safety

course this spring and summer.

The course aims to help both home

gardeners and commercial growers

understand the best practices for

safely growing and handling fresh

produce.

The course will be held at Reiman

Gardens in Ames on five di$erent

dates: April 12, May 10, June 14, July

19, and August 9. Each session runs

from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and is included

with the price of admission

to the gardens. No registration is

needed to attend.

This program focuses on the importance

of food safety when growing

fruits and vegetables. Since produce

can sometimes be contaminated with

harmful microorganisms, understanding

how to reduce these risks is essential

for protecting public health.

Topics covered in the course

include how to identify sources of

contamination, how to safely harvest

and handle produce, and steps

that can be taken to reduce health

hazards from farm to table.

Andre Salazar, an extension education

specialist in food safety, explained

that the course is designed

for all experience levels. “The course

is designed to be easily understood

by beginning gardeners while o$ering

enough details to benefit experienced

commercial growers,” he said.

This initiative is a collaboration

between the ISU Extension and

Outreach Safe Produce program

and Reiman Gardens. The goal is

to give community members the

knowledge and skills needed to

safely grow food for their families

or local markets.

For more information, contact the

ISU Safe Produce program at Iowafsma@iastate.edu

or 515-294-2552,

or Reiman Gardens at reimangardens@iastate.edu

or 515-294-2710.

This course supports safe farming

practices and strengthens community

health by making food safety

education accessible to everyone.

SHOWCASE

FROM PAGE 1

from the time they are piglettes to the

time they are processed. Lindemann

said using heat mats in the winter

and creating feeding and housing

structures with mobility help the animal

grow better, gives them more

breaks and helps the piglets adapt

to life without their mother.

Lindemann transports the pigs

humanely to the meat locker when

they are ready to be processed, creating

a calm environment to avoid

stress with water, food and bedding.

After the pork is sent to a meat locker

and approved by the USDA, a variety

of pork products are sent directly to

consumers, and their products are

served at many restaurants near

their farm.

Alexis Stevens, farm management

specialist with the Iowa State University

Extension and Outreach, gave

a presentation on Artificial Intelligence

(AI) and cybersecurity in

agriculture.

“Love it or hate it, it’s already here,

and it’s in agriculture,” Stevens said.

Currently, around 60% of agriculture

uses some form of AI. Stevens

said the precision agriculture

AI provides helps find and optimize

information about soil, crops and

land. This helps with a soil analysis,

where they can find soil composition,

soil pH and moisture levels. It

also helps to reduce waste and cut

labor needs.

Though not all aspects are perfected

yet, she said using them as

tools with human overview helps

teach them. AI can also help fertilizer

management and irrigation

optimization to avoid overuse of

fertilizer and water.

“I avoid dumping fertilizer on the

field where I don’t need it, and I put

it where I do need, it’s very important

if you want to save money in

agriculture,” Stevens said.

Seed optimizations also benefit

with AI by creating a genetic analysis

to match crop varieties with the

environment track planting patterns

to find the best sun exposure and

nutrient absorption. Stevens said

these still need to be monitored by

a farmer, but AI helps because there

are not enough people to do the job

on their own.

“Please do not think that these

tools are going to take away the

agronomist or the seed salesman’s

job, they are just going to allow them

to cover more area,” Stevens said.

Crop monitoring with drones uses

images to find diseases, predicts pets

and suggests corrections for nutrient

deficiencies.

Meat production can also benefit

with this AI, as it helps detect

diseases, monitor health, optimize

breeding and prevent disease outbreaks.

With the use of AI, Stevens emphasized

the importance of cyber

security to protect data and secure

vulnerabilities.

ISU Extension and Outreach Climatologist

Madelynn Wuestenburg

concluded the event with a presentation

on 2024 weather superlatives.

The biggest weather events from

last year include the ending of a 204

week drought last spring and significant

flooding throughout the state.

Temperatures last year ranged

from 102 degrees Fahrenheit to -28

degrees Fahrenheit, and collective

rainfall over the year throughout the

state ranged from 25.43 inches to

55.14 inches.

There were a total of seven $1 billion

disasters in Iowa and 27 total

in the United States, mostly in the

midwest. These disasters come from

snow, freeze, wildfires, flooding,

droughts, tropical cyclones and

severe storms.

In January of last year, Iowa was in

an extreme level drought, and this

January the state was between moderate

level and no level of drought.


Proudly supporting our local family farmers

from generation to generation.

For all your farm insurance needs, stop in or give

us a call, we’d love to talk about your operation

1801 6TH ST. MANNING, IOWA 51455 • 712.579.5722

JEFFERSON

107 N Chestnut St.

Jefferson, IA 50129

(515) 386-2728

COON RAPIDS

220 6th Ave

Coon Rapids, IA 50058

(712) 999-2263

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325 Broadway St

Audubon, IA 50025

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