Fresh Picked: Tenacity, Self-Reliance and Courage Define Iowa's Farmers

Tenacity, Self-Reliance and Courage Define Iowa’s Farmers

Sustainability endures and improves with each generation

By Erica Lain

In January, I made a resolution – to get back into reading. Like many people, I found that reading became a lost art after my academic years were over and children joined the household. I told myself that in 2023 I would get through at least four books. Well, after just two months in, I closed the cover of my fourth book. The long, cold days of winter gave me plenty of opportunities to sit in the warmth with a book. However, I wasn’t prepared for the thoughts and ideas that grew from the time spent reading.

I just finished reading “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah, which friends and colleagues highly recommended. It takes readers back to the 1920s and 1930s, reliving the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. It’s hard to imagine what those years of hardship were like and the struggles our ancestors in agriculture endured as they watched their crops wither from drought and their soil blow away. Thankfully, over the past 100 years, farmers have evolved and learned from these experiences. They have innovated and adapted practices that produce more with less while rebuilding our ecosystem.

Rejuvenating the Soil, Water and Air

I am the sustainability manager at Iowa Select Farms, the largest pork-producing company in Iowa, but I am also a mom, wife and farmer. I wear all these hats throughout the day, many simultaneously. My work at Iowa Select Farms connects all these different roles and allows me to help Iowa farmers daily. We focus on preserving the land, protecting water quality and caring for the soil. We do this all to pass down the opportunities we were given to our children who dream of becoming a farmer.

As winter turns to spring, you may notice that some crop fields turn green faster than others. It’s a sure sign that warmer weather is on the horizon. Before the typical planting season, these fields are hard at work using cover crops like cereal rye, oats and radishes to rejuvenate our soil, water and air. There are many different species of cover crops, and cover crops are generally seeded in the fall after the cash crop (e.g., soybeans and corn) is harvested. These cover crops germinate and start growing toward the end of fall and early winter before falling dormant for the cold months.

In early spring, cover crops get a jump start and quickly turn crop fields into waves of green. The extensive root systems of these crops keep the soil in place during spring rains and filter water runoff. Cover crops also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by pulling carbon from the atmosphere.

Although this crop is usually never harvested, Iowa farmers’ work is extraordinary.

Sustainability to Withstand the Challenges of Time

Cover crops are just one example in an endless list of what the agriculture community is doing to contribute to a more sustainable world. We genuinely care about the environment, water and our neighbors. We strive to provide healthy and affordable food while maintaining a supply chain that can withstand the challenges of time. When I put my sustainability manager hat on, I get to do just that. At Iowa Select Farms, we focus on helping farmers go the extra mile to care for our environment.

Cover crops and other practices are not free and often give little short-term financial incentive. Companies like Iowa Select Farms provide access to experts in the conservation field, locate new revenue streams to fund projects and continually search for innovative technology and practices to continue doing what our farmers are already doing – building a sustainable environment. The Smart Soil Partnership Program is a project launched by Iowa Select Farms, focusing on adopting conservation practices with our farming partners. We are excited to work with farmers as we focus on water quality, soil health and renewable energy.

Sustainability is primarily tied to environmental health, and rightfully so. However, nothing is truly sustainable if it doesn’t withstand the test of time. To push toward the future, our rural communities must be strong. We are incredibly honored at Iowa Select Farms to uplift these communities through the work of the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. In 2022, we were delighted to reach an astounding $2,084,179 in donations to bring joy to 767,355 families in all 99 Iowa counties through pork and financial support.

Change is inevitable. Farming in Iowa will look different in another 100 years, just as it does not look the same as during the 1920s and 1930s. It is change that continually drives our world into a more sustainable place. I am humbled to work with people who strive to positively impact the environment, our communities and our families.

Cover photo: Erica’s son Jensen, future Iowa farmer, watches as the family works on their farm.