Iowa Soybean Review, February 2015 by Iowa Soybean Association

IOWA

SOYBEANreview

February 2015

RESEARCH REVEALED: A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO PRODUCTIVITY

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Iowa Soybean Association

February 2015 | Vol. 27, No. 5

10 The Big Picture When it comes to growing

14 Putting Data to Use Breaking down the communication

soybeans, society demands environmental performance and clean water.

barrier.

12 The Big Deal About

for Profitability During the last

Sustainability The word

“sustainability” is constantly thrown around — but what does it mean and why is it important?

18 A Partnership

15 years, the On-Farm Network has partnered with dozens of organizations in their efforts to improve the effiency, profitability and sustainability of the Iowa soybean farmer.

About the Cover: Tristan Mueller, operations manager of agronomic research at the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), inspects a soybean leaf for disease. A new integration strategy at ISA takes production research and environmental achievement to the next level.

Bringing stories to life. There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in the agricultural industry and we look forward to showing you why with IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION LIVE — an app that brings stories to life in the Iowa Soybean Review. In three easy steps, you’ll get a more in-depth look at Iowa soybean farmers and stories that affect our lives.

Get the ISA LIVE app. Download it to your Apple or Android device by searching for IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION LIVE from your app store. Its free!

Once downloaded, start the app and hover over any photo that includes the ISA LIVE icon with your mobile device and the movie will begin to play.

Watch as exclusive stories come to life.

Iowa Soybean Association

EXECUTIVE review Kirk Leeds Chief Executive Officer Iowa Soybean Association kleeds@iasoybeans.com Twitter@kirkleeds

Team ISA This issue of the Iowa Soybean Review® is focused on the importance and the power of the integration of two of the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) major program areas — production research and environmental performance. Since its inception in 1964, the ISA has been focused on supporting research that helps farmers improve productivity and lower costs. For the past 15 years, we have accelerated these efforts by launching the most robust and expansive farmer-led, farmer-directed and farmer-focused on farm research program in the country. Using the latest technology and the most advanced equipment, these “real world” approaches to research show farmers how to collect and analyze data in ways most never thought possible. But ISA did not stop there. At the same time we began our On-Farm Network®, we also launched our Environmental Programs and Services to help farmers produce more soybeans in a more environmentally sustainable way. The farmer directors of the ISA knew with increased production would come increased attention to agriculture’s environmental performance and its impact on water quality.

Today, ISA is recognized nationally as having the most aggressive and progressive environmental services program of any commodity organization in the country. Farmers across our state are joining ISA and local watershed organizations and volunteers in making meaningful and measureable improvements to the quality of water in Iowa. But ISA cannot, and will not, rest on our laurels. We have redoubled our efforts by more fully integrating our contract research, our on farm research, our analytics team and our environmental services programs into a more comprehensive approach. We have added to our communication and outreach efforts, both internally, and through the recently approved Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University. Iowa’s farmers are facing increasing challenges due to lower prices, increased costs and more intense environmental concerns. Fortunately, ISA is well positioned to help Iowa’s soybean farmers meet these challenges and I urge you to become involved in these important areas. Send me an email (kleeds@iasoybeans.com) or give me a call (800/383-1423) to learn how. I look forward to you joining “Team ISA.”

American Soybean Association Directors Ray Gaesser, Corning Dennis Bogaards, Pella Wayne Fredericks, Osage John Heisdorffer, Keota Mark Jackson, Rose Hill United Soybean Board Directors Laura Foell, Schaller Delbert Christensen, Audubon Larry Marek, Riverside Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg

For advertising information in the Iowa Soybean Review, please contact Larson Enterprises, (515)440-2810 or larson6@mchsi.com. Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made by the first day of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of the advertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising from claims or actions against the publisher because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.

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Farmers adopt technology

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Staff Credits LOGO SPECS YOUTUBE Editor | Ann Clinton Communications Director | Aaron Putze, APR Creative Manager | Ashton Jacobson on light backgrounds Photographer | Joe Murphy Staff Writer | Carrie Laughlin standard Staff Writer | gradient Matthew Wilde main red bottom Staff Dorothy 1815C Tate PMSWriter 1795C | PMS Staff Writer | Allison Arp Staff Writer | Michelle Jones Staff Writer | Easton Kuboushek black white Director Sales | David Larson no gradients BLACK WHITE The Iowa Soybean Review is published eight times a year by:

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Iowa Soybean Association 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 Phone: (515) 251-8640 watermark Web address: www.soybeanreview.com E-mail: aclinton@iasoybeans.com Iowa Soybean Association can also be found on these sites:stacked logo (for sharing only)

ISA Policy Director Carol Balvanz invites farmers to join her at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines during the 2015 Legislative session.

Accentuate the Positive By Carol Balvanz, Policy Director

Over the past two years, much of our federal legislation and proposed regulation has placed environmental and animal welfare goals above the world’s need for food production. We’ve engaged in discussions about the Waters of the U.S. Rule, GMO labeling, the size of chicken cages, EPA pesticide regulations and now even the labeling of food products as “humanely grown.” Science is clearly on farmers’ side. But sometimes in the popular press, emotional public voices seem to drown out agriculture’s sensible and economical solutions on most of these issues. Iowa’s livestock industry has weathered many controversial issues over the past 15 years. At times livestock producers have chosen to adjust their production systems to meet changing laws. But our Iowa legislature and the Governor’s office have worked to keep Iowa’s regulations no more stringent than federal regulations regarding point source discharges. Ample feed supplies have helped Iowa’s livestock industry to continue growing, even with the push from radical groups to apply more regulation. We are now seeing crop production facing many of the same challenges livestock producers have weathered. As farmers, we need to critically evaluate whether newly proposed regulations will create improvements in yield and sustainability or whether they meet the goals of another agenda. Farmers bear the costs of making changes to please consumer audiences who don’t share

the care of our land and business investment. Will we give up agriculture’s exemption for non-point source runoff? Or will we continue to operate and expand crop food production systems with the same continuous improvement we’ve shown over the past 15 years? Both the economic health of our state, and eventually the nutritional health of the planet, demand we guard our ability to produce. We often hear that by the year 2050 we will have to double or triple food production to feed the world. While there are many groups and individuals who look at one slice of data and conclude we are ruining environmental health by farming the land, we have to continue to outline the true progress we’ve made in using fewer chemicals, less fertilizer, less tillage and more technology in our farming operations. We need to control the conversation with the real farmer data we’ve compiled and for which ISA is well known. Jill Altringer and I presented a concept for a tax credit for environmental practices to the Senate Agriculture Committee in mid-January. Senators supported this idea, and were eager to look at our data on those practices that are most effective for nitrogen and phosphorus removal, showing us that our decision makers are looking to find solutions that meet farmers’ needs. As we work through the legislative session, let’s bypass the negative press and stick to our positive story of adaptive management.

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ISA recognizes ISU for opening of I OWA S OY B E A N R E S E A R C H C E N T E R Iowa Soybean Association (ISU) President Tom Oswald, CEO Kirk Leeds, COO Karey Claghorn and Senior Director of Research and Production Systems Dr. Ed Anderson presented a plaque to Iowa State University (ISU) to acknowledge the opening of the Iowa Soybean Research Center in Ames. The plaque was presented to Dr. Steven Leath and College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Dean Dr. Wendy Wintersteen and Dr. Greg Tylka, professor and director of the Iowa Soybean Research Center during an ISU basketball game in January. The Iowa Soybean Research Center is a natural next step in providing leadership to the direction of soybean research in the state of Iowa. That research and leadership will support Iowa’s soybean farmers and enhance the soybean industry for years to come. The ISA values its long-term relationship with ISU. Research spearheaded by the center will support Iowa’s soybean farmers and enhance the soybean industry for years to come.

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WATER QUALITY, INFRASTRUCTURE Top Iowa Soybean Association’s Legislative Agenda Expanding water quality initiatives on Iowa’s farms and improving transportation infrastructure top the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) 2015 state legislative agenda. “Water quality is at the forefront of our minds and we support proposed funding that will enable farmers to implement practices and carry out environmentally conscious efforts,” says Wayne Fredericks, ISA presidentelect and public affairs committee chairman. “It’s also time to work on new fuel tax alternatives that could fund the maintenance of our bridges and roads.” Fredericks notes that ISA is working with other commodity groups and organizations to generate ideas for securing funding for transportation infrastructure initiatives. The timing seems right because Governor Branstad has indicated he will support legislation to increase funding for Iowa’s road and bridge maintenance. “As shown by recent revenues,

agriculture is clearly an economic driver for Iowa,” says Fredericks who farms near Osage. “Investments in research and infrastructure are vital to keeping agriculture strong, even during a period of lower grain prices. ISA will continue to support strategic investments in agricultural infrastructure.” Improving environmental performance also remains a priority for the ISA. Fredericks says the extensive on-farm and environmental databases that ISA maintains are valuable resources for farmers and legislators as they study the issue and identify practices that have a quantifiable impact on water quality. “We concentrate on providing information for legislators,” says Carol Balvanz, ISA policy director. “We plan to participate heavily in the negotiations surrounding both road funding and funding for continuing Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy.” Other ISA policy priorities include: • Disseminating information generated

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by the Soy Transportation Coalition to pursue a state bridge evaluation study to determine whether rural bridge embargoes have been correctly assessed. By using instrumentation to physically assess bridge strength, Iowa may be able to reduce the number of bridges that need replacement and repair across the state. • Encouraging legislation that would implement a state income tax credit for farmers who spend their own money on water quality and soilsaving efforts. • Working with the Ag Appropriations committee to obtain approval for the Integrated Farm and Livestock Management (IFLM) program which will be leveraged with checkoff and industry dollars to provide more research of benefits to farmers and the state as a whole. • Supporting funding for the ISU Ag Experiment Station and ISU Extension.

Investments in research and infrastructure are vital to keeping agriculture strong.

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— WAYNE FREDERICKS, ISA president-elect

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As farmers, we’ve got to take the lead. — SETH WATKINS, Pinhook Farms

LEAVE IT Better Than YOU FOUND IT By Easton Kuboushek

Farmers have more on their minds than putting food on our plates. Whether it’s fluctuating market prices, weather uncertainties, school board meetings or staying up-todate on the latest episode of The Bachelor – it would be easy to make sustainability a low priority. At Pinhook Farms, however, it is the key to success. Seth Watkins, a fourth-generation farmer and owner of Pinhook Farms in New Market, has a unique focus on environmental stewardship; one that has led to many successes on his farming operation today. Embracing simple, sustainable farming practices across nearly 3,000 acres has allowed Watkins to increase profitability, diversify his cash flow and reinvest profits back into his community. “My grandfather who used to tell me to ‘leave things better than

I found them’,” Watkins recalled smiling, “and being sustainable was important to my grandmother too.” Watkins’ grandmother, Jessie Field Shambaugh, is credited for helping to start 4-H. “Her influence is important to me when I look at carrying on some of the work she did.” Watkins will share his perspective on the benefits of sustainable agriculture and need for environmental stewardship at the Iowa Soybean Association Research Conference on Thursday, Feb. 19, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Iowa State University’s Scheman Building in Ames. “It goes to answering ‘What’s the best practice for where you are?’” said Watkins. “As farmers, we’ve got to take the lead.” Joining Watkins will be farmers from diverse regions of the state including: Rob Stout of Washington,

Dean Sponheim of Nora Springs and Kellie Blair of Dayton. Moderating what is sure to be a thought-provoking panel discussion on nutrient reduction strategy, conservation and water quality will be Sean McMahon, executive director of the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance. “We’re going to talk about what’s working in different parts of our state,” stated Watkins, “and collaborate and share on ways to address nutrient reduction.” Additional topics on the docket for the ISA Research Conference include crop, nutrient and pest management, the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, soil and water quality, sustainability, cover crops and technology. Certified crop advisors will be eligible to receive credit for sessions attended. Registration is now open at ww.isafarmnet.com.

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THE

Big PICTURE By Matthew Wilde

GIVE the people what they want.

When it comes to growing soybeans, society demands environmental performance and clean water. Customers desire an abundant, sustainable product. Farmers want all of the above. Tack on productivity, a good return on investment and competitiveness as well. To meet these challenges, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) responded. Nearly two years ago the ISA Board of Directors created ISA Research. The On-Farm Network®, Environmental Program and Services (EPS) and the newly created Analytics group were merged into one department under the direction of Dr. Ed Anderson, ISA senior director of supply and production research. While the teams still work independently on some projects and have their own leadership chains, Anderson says the move was necessary to build on past successes and take production research and environmental achievement to the next level. “When we started this integration strategy at ISA, we wanted to maintain the great value the On-Farm and EPS groups have achieved throughout their history,” Anderson says. “But there are so many opportunities where their work overlaps that we needed to bring them together.” In addition, the On-Farm Network and EPS teams, led by Pat Reeg and Roger Wolf, respectively, have generated huge amounts of data since their

inception in the early 2000s. But they operated separate data bases, which prevented information from being utilized in the best, most efficient way. The Analytics group, led by Dr. Peter Kyveryga, was created to analyze, interpret and present data for both groups. “We saw a real advantage bringing them together,” Anderson says. “The ISA Research teams have a lot of data that can be used for the benefit of farmers, industry and universities.” ISA Chief Operating Officer Karey Claghorn says the move allows financial and intellectual resources to be used efficiently. Examples include: • Eliminate duplication, saving Soybean Checkoff dollars. • Weed out confusion. Some farmers didn’t know if they could participate in more than one program. • Encourage a “holistic approach” to production systems. “It only makes sense that in-field and edge-of-field programs come together to leverage each other’s skills and talents where it makes sense,” Claghorn says. “We want to make sure farmer dollars are used in the most focused way.”

A new approach

Productivity, profits and environmental performance are no longer mutually exclusive. ISA President-Elect Wayne Fredericks of Osage says farmerleaders years ago could see the writing on the wall. Change was inevitable.

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Water quality is a hot topic in Iowa and throughout the United States. The need to reduce nitrates and phosphorous in waterways spawned the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Food companies began touting sustainability as a way to reduce their environmental footprint and enhance brand preference. In turn, they want commodities grown using environmentally-friendly practices and less petroleum. To do that, and remain economically viable, Fredericks says farmers need information to make better agronomic and conservation decisions. The best way to accomplish this was to create ISA Research. Agronomic information from replicated strip trials, water quality data and historical weather records and forecasts can be merged to refine cropping systems and conservation plans. “It’s the big picture that affects farmers," says Fredericks, who was supply committee chair when the consolidation took place. “When you have the groups working together, the resulting research will have a lot more depth,” he adds. “There’s a lot of synergy that exists between the three elements. Collaboration brings better results.” Farming is more strategic these days, according to ISA Board and Supply Committee member Mark Jackson of Rose Hill. Public perception of agriculture can have an impact on profitability and freedom-to-operate. “The On-Farm Network, EPS and

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Analytics brings the science to the table,” says Jackson, who served as ISA president two years ago.

Paying dividends

The decision to create ISA Research is paying off. On-Farm Network and EPS officials say several collaborative projects have yielded results, in particular the Adaptive Nutrient Management Project with the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Boone River Water Quality Initiative (WQI). “There’s a benefit to working together since the three programs complement each other,” says Todd Sutphin, EPS operations manager. The ISA’s project with NRCS addressed nitrogen management in the North Raccoon River, Boone River and Upper Cedar River watersheds. The four R’s were examined — right rate, right form, right time and right placement. The On-Farm Network and EPS worked together to line up participants for guided fall corn stalk sampling in more than 450 fields in 2013 and replicated strip trials in 2012 and 2013. New and historic data was analyzed. The test results, management data, soil data and weather patterns

from the past eight years were used to identify trends in nitrogen management and nitrogen loss. Not only will the project help improve productivity and save farmers money, but assist with conservation planning to keep nutrients put. “As we integrate our historic program data and work together on new projects, we are able to connect the dots on nutrient management decisions farmers make with water and environmental quality,” says Reeg. “The integrated approach allows ISA Research to attack tough issues from different angles using expertise from all three program areas.” The ongoing Boone River WQI project consists of corn stalk nitrate sampling, water monitoring and replicated strip trials like cover crops, among other things, to improve agronomic and environmental performance. Adam Kiel, EPS state water resources manager, says the collaborative project can link in-field performance to water quality results. “It’s a good example of how the On-Farm Network, Analytics and EPS have merged,” Kiel says. “We can provide answers to agronomic questions as well as environmental quality and resource management.”

DR. ED ANDERSON, ISA senior director of supply and production research

ROGER WOLF, ISA EPS director

PAT REEG, On-Farm Network director

“

When you have the groups working together, the resulting research will have a lot more depth. Collaboration brings better results. — WAYNE FREDERICKS, ISA president-elect

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DR. PETER KYVERYGA, Analytics operations manager

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Big Deal

THE A BOU T S USTA IN ABIL ITY By Michelle Jones

TODAY, buzzwords are a dimea-dozen. The word “sustainability” is constantly thrown around — but what does it mean and why is it important? As more consumers gain interest in where and how their food is produced, the need to define U.S. soybean sustainability for domestic and international customers is increasingly important. Thus, the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), United Soybean Board (USB) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) developed the U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) in 2013. With 95 percent of U.S. soybean producers participating in farm programs, the SSAP highlights the actions farmers take every day to deliver a safe and sustainable

product. The protocol describes the “regulations, processes and management practices that ensure sustainable soybean production.” It consists of four directives focused on biodiversity, production practices, social responsibility and environmental improvement. Additionally, the SSAP uses an aggregated approach to quantify sustainability results and is audited by third parties. “The protocol is really our description of why U.S. soybean farmers are sustainable,” says Randy Olson, former USSEC marketing director of market access and freedom to operate. “We derived this as a result of questions we were getting in the international market place about the sustainability of U.S. soybeans and practices.”

International focus

International markets consider many factors when choosing to purchase U.S. soybeans, such as price, quality, protein value and reliability. Now, sustainability is quickly rising in importance for international customers, although it isn’t the sole factor for purchasing decisions. According to Brent Babb, USSEC regional director of Europe and the Middle East North Africa, the SSAP has generated greater appreciation for U.S. soybean producers and their commitment to sustainability, which improves trade relations. Beyond explaining the protocol to international customers, USSEC further builds international relations by arranging trade tours to showcase the sustainability practices farmers implement on their

TIM SMITH, ISA's 2014 Environmental Leader award winner and farmer from Eagle Grove.

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operations. These trade tours offer buyers an inside look into U.S. farming operations and provide better understanding of the challenges and conditions growers encounter. “Seeing is believing and there’s nothing like the firsthand experience to go onto a farm and see it,” Babb says. “We’ve worked with the Iowa Soybean Association and other states to help showcase what we have going on with our conservation practices.”

Farmer focus

Focusing on conservation practices, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) provides programs and research for farmers looking to improve their sustainability. The ISA Environmental Programs and Services (EPS) and On-Farm Network® teams conduct soybean field research, implement watershed projects and develop conservation plans, all of which are pieces of the continuous improvement portion of the SSAP. “The protocol calls for farmers to look at how they can continue to make improvements related to sustainability on their farms,” explains Heath Ellison, ISA EPS agriculture and natural resources manager. “That’s where some of our project work can help farmers continue to find areas where they can improve sustainability.” Sustainability is not new, it is something farmers have been working toward for a long time, but now it has more focus and attention on it, according to Ellison. It’s something they’ve been doing, but now people are asking growers to demonstrate how they’re doing it. To demonstrate sustainability, ISA is leading the Multi-State Soybean Sustainability and Continuous Improvement Initiative. Through this project, ISA and partner states choose “farmer champions.” These are farmers who use less energy to produce their crops or in-other-words have a lower input-to-production ratio than most producers. Data collected

from farmer champions help identify which practices are more efficient and improve sustainability. Then, these practices and data are presented at events, such as the ISA Research Conference.

Long-term focus

As a farmer champion, Tim Smith of Eagle Grove, says sustainability benefits farmers because it helps preserve producers’ most valuable resource — their soil. It also protects the long-term sustainability of their farms. In the past few years, Smith has implemented multiple conservation practices across his operation to improve his sustainability. “Probably the most visible one would be cover crops” Smith says. “Cover crops help protect soil from erosion. They also help stop nutrients from leaving the farm and help build the soil in terms of slowly increasing organic matter and soil health.” Smith has participated in ISA projects, such as On-Farm Network strip and rate trials, as well as installing a bioreactor with the assistance of the EPS team. He says it’s important for producers to understand many resources are available to improve sustainability and most are offered with minimal to no cost to the producer. Sustainability should be looked at as a continuous process without a specific end point. Ellison describes sustainability as a “management framework and decision making system.” Furthermore, it’s the industry as a whole looking for ways to improve genetics, yields and efficiencies, while reducing impacts on the environment. “In my 12 years of working with farmers on these issues, I have yet to run across a farm where we couldn’t do something to make an improvement,” Ellison explains. “There’s no finish line with sustainability. If farmers are looking to be more sustainable, there are always ways to be more sustainable.”

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The protocol calls for farmers to look at how they can continue to make improvements related to sustainability on their farms.

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— HEATH ELLISON, ISA EPS agriculture and natural resources manager

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PUTTING

Data TO USE

BREAKING DOWN THE COMMUNICATION BARRIER By Dr. Chris Jones, ISA EPS environmental scientist

NEWS FLASH: many scientists are not great

communicators. Okay, so you knew that already. Not news. But seriously, the dry details of scientific investigation don’t fit all that well into the framework of modern day communication. It’s hard to articulate scientific discoveries in 140-character Twitter postings. Their validity isn’t determined by the number of “Likes” on Facebook. And efforts to communicate through the mass media are often viewed poorly within the scientific community, interpreted as unseemly self-promotion. But throughout history, a few scientists have burst through the communication barrier, effectively articulating their ideas to the public and becoming celebrities in the process. Norman Borlaug, Carl Sagan, Charles Darwin and Jane Goodall come to mind. What was their secret? How did they make sense of the science in ways that connected to everyday life? These questions about communication are especially important for those in the business of agriculture. A farmer

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is the prototypical citizen scientist — agronomist, chemist, hydrologist and meteorologist all rolled into one. And success in the 21st century means a few doses of engineering and ecology are necessary. Decisions on the farm require credible scientific information that can be understood and put into action. And that in a nutshell is the mission of the On-Farm Network®, Environmental Programs and Services (EPS) and Analytics staff at the Iowa Soybean Association. Just how do these three departments work together? The On-Farm Network focuses on precision agriculture tools that increase efficiency, profitability and environmental performance. We’ve all heard the chatter about sustainability these days. On-Farm Network staff know a farmer can’t do conservation if he or she isn’t prosperous and economically sustainable. Profit and environmental performance should not and cannot be mutually exclusive.

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Much of the On-Farm Network work focuses on strip trials. These field-scale experiments evaluate the effectiveness of one practice or another — such as nitrogen rates, row spacing and fungicide use — to determine what works and what doesn’t on a particular field and farm. Scientifically credible data is generated and communicated to the farmer — not in a scientific journal but in mediums the farmer can use and understand. Strip trials provide the unvarnished truth on whether a practice is worth it to the farmer in terms of input cost and yield benefits. EPS helps farmers protect and conserve natural resources while doing what they do best: growing crops. The focus is adaptive resource management. This is a structured, iterative process of robust decision-making in the face of uncertainty, with an objective of reducing that uncertainty over time. The centerpiece here is monitoring — especially water monitoring. Water samples are collected throughout the year from tiles, streams, lakes and wells to quantify farm practice effectiveness on Iowa’s environment. EPS staff follow rigorous scientific guidelines documented in an EPA-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan. Samplers are certified in approved collection procedures and the samples are analyzed in ISA’s statecertified lab. EPS reports don’t spin your head or spin the facts, they just communicate the science in ways that help the farmer be proactive. Other projects evaluate farm energy efficiency and create benchmarks for this important metric. Watershed plans, technical assistance, whole-farm environmental

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management systems and edge-of-field water treatment round out the ways EPS delivers science to farmers. Through the EPS program, Iowa farmers have shown leadership by advancing agriculture’s environmental performance. This is in keeping with ISA’s goal to stabilize and increase yields while improving production efficiency and the environment. Both the On-Farm Network and EPS groups generate data faster than their staffs can analyze it. That’s where the ISA Analytics group steps in. As a discipline, analytics is the discovery and communication of meaningful patterns in data. The Analytics group uses the tools of statistics, computer programming and operations research to quantify crop and environmental performance. Farming is all about risk — Analytics is all about reducing risk. By using mathematics, statistics, descriptive techniques and predictive models to gain valuable knowledge from data, insights about the field and farm can be communicated to On-Farm Network and EPS staff, and most importantly, to the farmer. These insights are used to guide decision making rooted in both sound science and business. In short, Analytics paints the big picture. The public and policy makers are often-times discouraged by uncertainty. But for the scientist, uncertainty is a way of life. Almost nothing is certain to the scientist — except maybe gravity. The ISA On-Farm Network, EPS and Analytics teams know success or failure in farming means managing uncertainty effectively. How can we help farmers do that? Sound science communicated well.

A farmer is the prototypical citizen scientist — agronomist, chemist, hydrologist and meteorologist all rolled into one.

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— DR. CHRIS JONES on why communication is important in agriculture

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N I T R O GE N RE S E ARC H M A KE S A

Difference

By Allison Arp

MANY PEOPLE learned the three R’s in grade school as reading, writing and arithmetic. The Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) On-Farm Network® is engaging with farmers to better understand the four R’s of nutrient management: right rate, right time, right source and right placement. The On-Farm Network has worked with hundreds of farmers across the state to improve their nutrient management. During the last 14 years, on-farm studies that focus on nutrient management have been partially funded by the Integrated Farm and Livestock Management (IFLM) state appropriation along with leveraged funding from the Soybean Checkoff, industry partners and various grants. According to the Iowa legislature, the IFLM program is focused on improving the efficiency of management practices in livestock

and crop production systems. The program is a valuable link between sound research and on-farm adoption of products and practices. Through a partnership with ISA’s Environmental Programs and Services, the On-Farm Network uses data collected from on-farm trials to improve the efficiency of farmers’ production and conservation practices. “No farmer wants to lose nitrogen from their fields,” says Pat Reeg, ISA On-Farm Network director. “The IFLM funding has enabled participatory learning. This demonstrates to farmers firsthand if nutrient management changes make sense in their operation and the impact on nutrient use efficiency.” It takes multiple years of data to create tools so sound scientific decisions can be made. A lack of continuity increases uncertainty, creates research gaps and can lengthen

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the adoption process. One focus area for the IFLM funding has been nitrogen (N). Over the last eight years more than 500 On-Farm Network replicated strip trials have been conducted across the state in an effort to improve N use efficiency. Studies conducted include manure management and rate, timing, source and placement of commercial N applications. Improving plant N efficiency is important for a couple reasons. First, it is vital that plants have adequate amounts of N available during the growing season. Second, optimizing the N efficiency will reduce losses to leaching, volatilization and denitrification. The On-Farm Network team has studied a variety of topics in their pursuit of continuously improving N management and the impact of different factors on N availability in farmers’ fields. Studies include:

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• Quantified the differences between N rates, timings, sources and placement. • Assessed the risk and benefits of the 4R’s over multiple years with different rainfall patterns. • Identified practices with the highest risk of N loss, deficiency and excess. • Worked with farmers testing existing and new technologies to improve management. • Assisted farmers with evaluating and adopting practices to prevent residual nitrate losses. • Conducted multi-year studies on the same farm to understand in field spatial variability. • Tested the agronomic and economic value of N stabilizers and inhibitors. Results from these studies enabled participants in the On-Farm Network to reduce regular N applications by 32 units in just three years and the science is still improving. “It’s about taking science to the farm and advancing science from the farm,” says Peter Kyveryga, ISA Analytics operations manager. “The data helps participating farmers improve their production and conservation practices.” Data from thousands of On-Farm

Network replicated strip trials are aggregated and searchable in the online database. This enables farmers, agronomists and certified crop advisors to make decisions based on real world results. One tool being developed in collaboration with ISA staff and scientists from Iowa State University (ISU) will help farmers assess the risk in N management under a wide range of weather conditions and farmer management practices. Research conducted by the On-Farm Network has made a big difference in many Iowa farmers’ practices. The data and information generated complement other strategies being tested by ISU, the University of Iowa, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other state agencies. It has also influenced the establishment of similar farmer networks in Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri and several East Coast states. “The data helps us, as researchers, make it easier for farmers to improve their decision making,” Kyveryga says. “We’re not just doing onfarm demonstrations, we are using scientific methods to engage farmers in interactive peer-to-peer learning along with researchers, industry agronomists and agency personnel.”

BY T H E N U M B E R S :

124 farmer participants in 2014 32 unit reduction in typical N applications between 2001 and 2004 63 counties had on-farm nitrogen trials in 2014

8 articles published in peerreviewed journals since 2007

More than 400 participants have registered for the annual research conference five consecutive years

Applying nitrogen strips comparing UAN (left) and NH3 (right).

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A PARTNER SH I P PROFITA BI L I TY

for

EVERYONE needs a trusty ally.

Abbott had Costello. Hans Solo had Chewbacca. And the Iowa Soybean Association On-Farm Network® has their industry partners. During the last 15 years, the On-Farm Network has partnered with dozens of organizations in their efforts to improve effiency, profitability and sustainability of Iowa soybean farmers. This year there were more than 200 trials supported by industry on topics such as pesticides, cover crops, seed treatments and biologicals among many others. The On-Farm Network uses the data collected in these trials to help farmers make decisions about their practices and the products they use. “The work being done between the On-Farm Network and industry exemplifies a true partnership,” Steve May, ISA On-Farm Network resource

By Allison Arp

development manager, says. “Working together allows us to give Iowa growers access to cutting edge technology while engaging them in the creation of a learning environment that is data and results driven.” Testing new products allows farmers to get firsthand experience they wouldn’t have otherwise received. It lets farmers analyze how certain products or practices work on their farm before investing their whole operation in them. The data from a series of trials can be aggregated together to see how that management practice works on a larger scale. This enables farmers and researchers to make decisions about the effectiveness of a product or practice. The process for setting up an industry trial is fairly simple. A corporation will partner with the OnFarm Network to organize a specific

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number of trials for a certain product. Farmers interested in learning more about the product set up a trial, generally using their own equipment. Throughout the growing season On-Farm Network team members will scout the field and collect additional data on a variety of factors such as stand count, disease severity, weed pressure and root weights along with conducting trial-specific sampling. Then in the fall, farmers harvest their trials using GPS enabled yield monitors. After harvest, data is collected by ISA to be analyzed. Once analyzed, the results are sent to both the participating farmer and the industry partner, while keeping the farmer’s information anonymous. Results are also publicly shared in a searchable online database. Sometimes the data

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This year there were more than 200 trials supported by industry on topics such as pesticides, cover crops, seed treatments and biologicals among many others.

is positive and sometimes it isn’t — the On-Farm Network publicizes results regardless of the outcome. The focus is on the data collected, not the product itself. “If we sent only positive results there would be unrealistic expectations because of the excluded data,” says Tristan Mueller, ISA On-Farm Network operations manager of agronomic research. “The On-Farm Network has been an unbiased third party tester of products and practices for many industry partners. The data collected from those trials directly benefits Iowa farmers, ISA and the companies working with ISA.” Once the data is received by industry it is used in a variety of ways. Jim Bloomberg, product development manager for Bayer CropScience, says the data from the fungicide trials conducted

by the On-Farm Network is used as an independent source to complement their research. He went on to say their customers like knowing not all the information they receive is industrygenerated, but rather is generated by farmers like themselves. Monsanto uses the data to judge how their products are working and improve the recommendations they make to their customers, according to Tom Eickhoff, agronomic systems lead for Monsanto. “The quality of data generated by the On-Farm Network is extremely valuable,” Eickhoff says. “We have seen the value they have delivered to growers not only from a practical research standpoint but also overall production.” Farmers will continue to want and need more data on the products and practices they use. Industry partners

continue to produce new, innovative products and the On-Farm Network continues to generate non-biased data. Industry has the products and the On-Farm Network has the data. Together, they form a partnership working to improve the profitability of the Iowa soybean farmer.

Thank you to all of our 2014 On-Farm Network® corporate trial sponsors Ag Leader, AgXplore, AMVAC, Arysta LifeScience, BASF, Bayer CropScience, C3 Technologies, Calcium Products, Cover Crop Solutions, GeoVantage, Midwest Laboratories, Monsanto, Saddle Butte, Satshot, Stoller, Syngenta, TNC, Valent and Vital Earth.

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HARRY STINE President, Stine Seed Company

PAUL SHICKLER President, DuPont Pioneer

DR. ROBB FRALEY Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Monsanto

JIM KNUTH Senior Vice President, Farm Credit Services of America

KIRK LEEDS Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Soybean Association

By Matthew Wilde

FOUR of the most influential people in agriculture did their best Carnac the Magnificent impersonations foretelling the future of the industry. “Talk about the next 50 years,” Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) CEO Kirk Leeds bluntly asked, holding questions that weren’t hermetically sealed in a mayonnaise jar on Funk and Wagnalls’ porch. The soothsayers — Harry Stine, president and founder of Stine Seed Company; Dr. Robb Fraley, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Monsanto; Paul Shickler, president of DuPont Pioneer and Jim Knuth, senior vice president of Farm Credit Services of America and head of Iowa operations — collectively said the world hasn’t seen anything yet. They’re confident farmers will grow more food within next four decades than in the history of mankind, and do it in a sustainable way thanks to technology that’s available and yet to come.

Stine, Fraley, Schickler and Knuth participated in a panel discussion about the future of agriculture to wrap up ISA’s 50th Anniversary Symposium and Recognition Banquet at the Embassy Suites in Des Moines on Dec. 18. More than 300 farmers, politicians, agribusiness leaders and others hung on every word. The group, considered some of the foremost experts worldwide in seed, biotechnology and lending, said collaboration will be the key to feeding a growing world clamoring for more protein. The entire industry will need to be more consumer focused. According to Fraley, who Leeds called the “father of ag biotechnology,” the role of soybeans will be more important than ever to feed the world. He won the World Food Prize in 2013 for his contribution to plant biotechnology and its application to advance breeding and crop improvement techniques. “When I look at my crystal ball, the

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role of soybeans and the Iowa farmer has never been more important and opportunities brighter assuming we have the ability to use these tools,” said Fraley, sans the funky turban worn by Johnny Carson’s beloved character. The world’s population is expected to jump from 7 billion to 9.5 billion, along with an extra 2 billion joining the middle class, mostly in developing nations. More food will be needed, especially protein. Soybean oil and soybean meal fed to livestock fulfill that need. Fraley is confident innovations in precision agriculture, biotechnology and plant breeding — Monsanto’s largest breeding facility is in Ankeny — will allow yields to double in the United States and triple in other countries. However, he said farmers and agriculture officials need to take steps to make that happen. “All of us in agriculture need to address the challenge on how to address the food supply by 2050,” Fraley said.

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Only 1 percent of the U.S. population produces food and not all consumers support biotechnology. “We have to focus on policies and understand consumers of our products,” Fraley said. “We have a tremendous responsibility and obligation to reach out to the other 99 percent, not only for your freedom to operate but the policies that will influence the capabilities we can bring to a food secure world.” Schickler echoed Fraley’s prognostication that industry, government and non-government entities will increasingly work together to feed a hungry world. That, and innovation, is what DuPont Pioneer are all about, Schickler said. The company will promote biodiesel and push for infrastructure improvements to help soybean farmers remain competitive for decades to come, he added. “If we are going to meet the challenges in the next 10 to 20 years, collaboration is important,” Schickler said. The use of data will become more prevalent, he continued. Otherwise

He pointed to the drought of 2012 as an example. Iowa soybean and corn yields averaged 44.5 and 137 bushels per acre, respectively. In 1993, the last comparable drought that wasn’t as severe, yields averaged 31 bushels per acre for soybeans and 80 bushels per acre for corn. Schickler said data usage will help farmers maximize yields and tackle sustainability, environmental and rightto-operate issues. “That’s a tremendous opportunity today (and for the future),” Schickler said. A good example of collaboration is the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University. It will bring industry, academia and producers together to boost protein production. “It’s a more complex world and the need for (more) partnerships has never been greater,” Leeds said. Knuth said his “crystal ball” wasn’t big enough to look ahead 50 years, so he focused on the next decade. He keyed on three things: • The migration of livestock to the Upper Midwest will continue.

utilization models will evolve. More farmers are realizing they make a profit using machinery and not owning it. Leasing and sharing agreements will become more popular. “At the end of the day business models and economic drivers win out,” Knuth said. “Agriculture is no different than any other industry. Low cost of production wins at the end.” Stine, an incredibly successful businessman, prefers to be known as a farmer. When asked to be a psychic, he bristled at the thought. Yet, the good-natured, straight-talking man obliged. Stine, who graduated from college before the ISA was formed, used the past to look forward. “Look how far we’ve come,” he said. “If we go back 100 years, the corn acreage was about the same as it is now and we were growing around 20-bushelsper-acre corn. There were a few small patches of soybeans cut by a horsedrawn mower for hay.” The change from then to today in

The change from then to today in technology, genetics, seed, production practices and usage of the crop is beyond the comprehension of those before us. known as “Big Data,” farmers and ag companies are using enormous amounts of information — everything from yield and fertility maps to weather modeling and seed research — to be more productive and profitable. This will improve yields like never before, Schickler said, along with innovations through biotechnology and defensive traits.

Economics due to feed cost advantages will win out. • Farmers and local investors will continue to dominate land ownership and control. Currently, it’s more than 90 percent. As margins and grain prices “normalize,” he said “outside capital” will become less prominent in the land market. • Machinery and equipment

technology, genetics, seed, production practices and usage of the crop is beyond the comprehension of those before us, he said. “I think the scientists and companies represented here will develop the technology and make rapid progress,” Stine said. “I’m not concerned about that. It will take care of itself.”

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RAY GAESSER Chairman of the American Soybean Association

RON HECK ISA Board Member

KEN ROOT Broadcaster, Iowa Agribusiness Network

Reflections of 50 By Matthew Wilde

THE PAST fuels the future.

Iconic farm broadcaster Ken Root hosted “Reflections — 50 years of Iowa Agriculture and the Iowa Soybean Association” at the organization’s 50th anniversary Symposium and Recognition Banquet in Des Moines on Dec. 17. Root, along with panelists Ray Gaesser and Ron Heck, two respected state and national soybean farmer leaders, talked about everything from the good times in the 1970s to the ‘80s Farm Crisis. It was a walk down memory lane and a glimpse at the road ahead. “You can’t go back and live in the past, but you can learn a great deal from situations that occurred,” said Root, senior broadcaster with the Iowa

Agribusiness Network and columnist for High Plains Journal. “There’s a level of wisdom … (from the) past you can apply to your future.” Even though the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) is a relatively short part of Iowa’s agricultural history, Root said the organization has made a tremendous impact. ISA’s founding fathers knew soybeans would play a vital role in feeding the world. The research, promotion and education efforts of the organization and the Soybean Checkoff led to increased yields and markets. The ISA’s Policy Department is an aggressive advocate for Iowa soybean producers in Iowa and Washington, D.C. Records show Iowa farmers planted

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4.25 million acres of soybeans in 1964 — it was a forage crop in the early 1900s — producing 121.2 million bushels worth $2.57 per bushel. In 2014, farmers planted nearly 10 million acres and harvested an estimated 506 million bushels. Last year’s crop, the state’s No. 1 ag export, was valued at $5.3 billion compared to $331.5 million 50 years ago. “I’m thrilled with the success of the organization,” said Heck, an ISA board member and past president from Perry. His father, Raymond, was a leader as well. “Where would we be without the work of the soybean association?” The consensus was soybeans and Iowa agriculture wouldn’t be as prominent.

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Root’s presentation included several historical facts and photos that contributed to the rise and sometimes decline of soybeans and agriculture. A few included: • 1940s: Soybean production doubled in the U.S. during World War II to offset the decline in imported fats and oils. • 1964: ISA established. U.S. enters Vietnam War. • 1972: President Richard Nixon visits China. Russian grain deal. • 1974: Monsanto develops Round Up herbicide or “liquid gold.” • 1979: President Jimmy Carter imposes grain embargo against the Soviet Union for its invasion of Afghanistan, a catalyst of the 1980s Farm Crisis. • 1981: First farm bill passes. • 1991: National Soybean Checkoff established. • 1996: First Roundup Ready soybeans introduced. • Mid-2000s: Soybean exports to China explode.

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plummeting land values, mounting debt (many farmers expanded quickly after the golden times in the 1970s but were highly leveraged) and runaway interest rates were all contributing factors. Tens of thousands of Iowa farms failed. Bankruptcies and forced farm auctions punctuated the decade. Gaesser, who grew up in Indiana, purchased a farm in 1977 near Corning after he fell in love with the state three years earlier while attending the Farm Progress Show. After several good years in the ‘70s, the bottom fell out. Even though he had a negative net worth, Gaesser says he was too stubborn to quit. He watched expenses like a hawk and got a government loan to survive when the local bank was no longer an option. “We got along OK until the fall of 1984. It was humiliating,” said Gaesser, now chairman of the American Soybean Association (ASA) and past ISA and ASA president.

for us. In 1989 I leased a new John Deere tractor … that’s when I finally acknowledged that I was going to make it.” Heck described tough times as well. He started farming in 1975 after spending a couple years working in Chicago after college. A drought in 1977 set Heck back and then the Farm Crisis hit. For most of the ‘80s, Heck said he and his family lived below the poverty level. But he survived, learning to be a more efficient and better farmer. By 1987, his net worth and debt were zero. “That was the last year I lost money,” Heck said. The tough times of the ‘80s made farmers realize how important soybeans, ISA and exports are to their operations and the state, he added. “We absolutely, positively needed to have soybeans succeed as a crop if we were ever going to be prosperous in agriculture again. There was no other way except through soybeans,” Heck said.

You can’t go back and live in the past, but you can learn a great — KEN ROOT, Iowa Agribusiness Network deal from situations that occurred. The 1980s Farm Crisis, a make or break time for many farmers, dominated the latter part of the conversation. For those that survived, like Gaesser and Heck, it made them stronger. Large grain supplies, low prices,

”

“There were years I slept like this (holding up a clenched fist). “But with adversity comes opportunities,” he continued. “People left. We started doing custom work. That was the beginning of the healing

The Farm Crisis taught farmers to be resilient. “We’re better business people,” Gaesser added. “As we have good times we have to prepare for times that are not as good.”

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THE QUESTION ISN’T HOW MUCH LAND YOU FARM, BUT HOW MUCH HEART YOU HAVE FOR THE LAND.

YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE DO, TOO. Success in agriculture isn't measured by "how many acres" or "number of head." It's measured in goals, plans and commitment. That's why it's not only important to work with a lender who can understand where you want to go, but one who has the tools, resources and commitment to help you get there. Call 800-884-FARM.

Bill Jesina Soybean Producer Toledo, IA fcsamerica.com/BillJesina