Planning For Success

BY BETHANY BARATTA

Schyler Bardole says working with the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers helped his family grow and diversify their farm for future generations, which includes their son, Adam.

Schyler Bardole researched everything from crickets to buffalo to diversify his family’s soybean and corn farm near Rippey. Once he determined that raising pigs would be the best fit for his family, he knew the next step was to call the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) to help him understand the rules and regulations that apply to raising livestock.

He made the right call. “They were there every step of the way and were willing and able to provide the help and support we needed,” Bardole says.

CSIF Senior Field Coordinator Kent Mowrer assisted the Bardole family in determining the best location for the barn. Using various models and webbased tools, Mowrer determined the site was suitable for raising pigs.

The Coalition advised the Bardoles to communicate their plans for growth with their neighbors. CSIF also connected them with other contractors and resources that could help make their diversification dream a reality. Before the Bardole family’s barns were filled with 40-pound pigs to feed to market weight for Seaboard Foods, the Coalition hosted an open house on the farm so neighbors and others could see how pigs are raised today.

Bardole is just one example of the more than 4,600 farmers the Coalition has assisted since its inception in 2004. It’s a joint partnership involving the Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Corn Growers

Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Iowa Turkey Federation and Midwest Dairy Association. It was created to help farmers grow their farms thoughtfully and responsibly.

“Hope is not a strategy when it comes to livestock farming today,” says CSIF Executive Director Brian Waddingham. “You must have a plan.” CSIF staff are hearing from farmers early on in the planning stages. That’s been key in determining the right location, Waddingham says.

Lately, CSIF staff have fielded calls from farmers interested in raising cattle under roof, adding hog barns and exploring the possibilities of raising shrimp and fish.

Raising cattle and calves under roof is an attractive option for farmers struggling to find pasture.

In many cases, raising cattle under roof is more financially feasible in the long run, Waddingham says. Raising cattle under roof has led to increased performance among several herds, and farmers don’t have to fight the weather to feed and manage their livestock. During times of depressed commodity prices, farmers know that diversification can be a deciding factor in profitability. One way that farmers in Iowa have spread out risk is by growing pigs under contract with various integrators, just like the Bardole family decided.

CSIF staff has fielded phone calls from farmers interested in adding hog barns to their farm. The ability to utilize manure from the barn on row crop acres helps offset some commercial fertilizer needs, Waddingham says. Farmers are also looking at cattle and hogs a way to bring the next generation back to the farm, he says. Lately, CSIF staff are also hearing from families interested in growing fish and shrimp.

“They want to know about the opportunities in the state, what regulations apply to growing them, and they want to make sure the sites they’re thinking about growing them in are suitable,” Waddingham says.

In some cases, farmers want to know how fish and shrimp could be raised in conjunction with growing lettuce in an aquaponics system. This can be a viable option for farmers interested in diversifying their farm but wanting to start small, Waddingham says.

Scales and tails aren’t the only reason farmers are calling the Coalition. They also want to learn more about the Coalition’s Green Farmstead Partner program. It connects farmers with landscape professionals to decide how they can benefit from adding trees and shrubs to their farm. The Bardole family is working with the program to add vegetative buffers to their farm.

“In addition to realizing the benefits that shrubs and trees can provide to a livestock farm, they also show a farmer's commitment to being a good neighbor,” Waddingham says.

“I recommend that anyone who plans to expand or add a barn to call the Coalition,” Bardole says. “Their job is to help producers expand in a way that’s responsible. They help you get it right.”

Interested in adding livestock or trees to your farm? Call the Coalition at 800-932-2436.

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.