Iowa Soybean Review | July 2023

July 2023

Faces of Membership

Executive Committee

President Randy Miller, Lacona | D8

President-Elect

Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg | D3

Secretary

Jeff Frank, Auburn | D4

Treasurer

Brent Swart, Spencer | D1

At-Large Director

Tom Adam, Harper | D9

Board of Directors

Chuck White, Spencer | D1

April Hemmes, Hampton | D2

Casey Schlichting, Clear Lake | D2

Rick Juchems, Plainfield | D3

Marty Danzer, Carroll | D4

Morey Hill, Madrid | D5

Dave Struthers, Collins | D5

Robb Ewoldt, Davenport | D6

Dave Walton, Wilton | D6

Scot Bailey, Anita | D7

Lee Brooke, Clarinda | D7

Warren Bachman, Osceola | D8

Pat Swanson, Ottumwa | D9

Tim Bardole, Rippey | At Large

Steph Essick, Dickens | At Large

Lindsay Greiner, Keota | At Large

Brent Renner, Klemme | At Large

American Soybean Association

Board of Directors

Steph Essick, Dickens

Wayne Fredericks, Osage

Morey Hill, Madrid

Jeff Jorgenson, Sidney

Pat Swanson, Ottumwa

Dave Walton, Wilton

United Soybean Board of Directors

Tim Bardole, Rippey

Robb Ewoldt, Davenport

Lindsay Greiner, Keota

April Hemmes, Hampton

Brent Renner, Klemme

Staff Credits

Editor | Bethany Baratta

CO of Strategy & Brand Management | Aaron Putze, APR

Photographer | Joclyn Bushman

Communications Specialist | Joseph Hopper

Creative Design Coordinator | Susan Langman

Writer | Jeff Hutton

Writer | Kriss Nelson

Public Relations Manager | Brock Johnston

Iowa Soybean Review is published monthly by: Iowa Soybean Association

1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 (515) 251-8640 | iasoybeans.com

E-mail: bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

For advertising information contact Bethany Baratta at (515) 334-1020 or bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made two months 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.

7

Let’s Build Together

Iowa Soybean Review Editor Bethany Baratta explains what Legos and the Iowa Soybean Association have in common.

8 Faces of ISA Membership

Farmers share how connecting with Iowa Soybean Association expands their understanding of the soybean industry and network of experts.

30 Grants Build on Intercropping Efforts

Newly awarded grants will expand on intercropping research in Iowa.

On the Cover: Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Farmer Member Alexandra Miller is the sixth generation to farm her family’s farm near Onawa. She’s leaning on her family and her network gained through ISA membership to increase the productivity and profitability on her farm. Meet Alexandra (on Page 16) and other ISA members in this issue.

Ihave cherished memories of celebrating the July 4 holiday as a farm kid from West Bend. The bustling community knew how to throw a mid-summer party. Carnival rides crowded the main street. There was a parade, live music, food stands by the dozens and a toy tractor pull contest for kids.

To this day, I recall the rush of adrenaline and anticipation as we worked to complete our farm chores so we could dash to town. Once there, we enjoyed the bright lights, popcorn, burgers and cotton candy, time with friends and, at dusk, a sky illuminated by fireworks.

In the spirit of full disclosure, the true reason for Independence Day wasn’t front and center as a kid. Top of mind was getting out of the soybean field and livestock pens and into West Bend for the fun and frivolity, not celebrating the Second Continental Congress’ vote in 1776 declaring the U.S. independent from Great Britain.

Independence is defined as “the fact or state of being independent.”

We’ve reveled in freedom as a country far beyond barbecues, concerts, baseball games, parades and fireworks. We’ve built a system

Celebrating our Independence

Aaron Putze, APR ISA Chief Officer, Strategy & Brand Management aputze@iasoybeans.com

of governance that, while strained at times, remains the envy of other countries.

But the power of independence isn’t limited to our democratic republic’s form of governance. Soybean farmers benefit from the independence gained from their investment in the soybean checkoff. A shining example is the work of the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI).

I was reminded of this during recent conversations with fellow ISA staff and industry stakeholders gathered for multistate soybean meetings in the Quad Cities. While discussing the topic of data, we unanimously agreed on its importance and usefulness. We also acknowledged the vast amounts of data that exist and, begrudgingly, the difficulty sifting through it and making it relevant to the individual farmer at the location and time most needed.

But with every challenge comes opportunity. ISA, backed by data collected by a talented team of agronomists, researchers and analysts, is uniquely positioned to put this data to use for farmers.

Given ISA is owned and governed by the farmers who founded it almost 60 years ago, so, too, is the data gathered from soybean fields throughout the state.

With that ownership comes great independence. We take pride in going where the data leads. As we unlock the best method for delivering the actionable intelligence contained within the data, farmers can have the utmost confidence that every recommendation is made objectively and with only their best interests in mind. That’s because ISA acts and operates independently, unbridled from shareholders and stockholders.

ISA is Driven to Deliver for farmers because of the independent work and ideas generated by the soybean checkoff. The next step in this value proposition is unlocking the incredible value of data by making it relevant and more usable to the individual farmer where and how they farm. Stay tuned.

“Freedom lies in being bold.”

Robert Frost

MAINTAINING OUR REPUTATION TO DELIVER

Whether shipping by river, road or rail, the soy checkoff is committed to ensuring America’s infrastructure is a significant advantage for U.S. soybean farmers. We’re looking inside the bean, beyond the bushel and around the world to keep preference for U.S. soy strong. And it’s helping make a valuable impact for soybean farmers like you.

See more ways the soy checkoff is maximizing profit opportunities for soybean farmers at unitedsoybean.org

Brought

Rural Route 2

Editor’s Note by Bethany Baratta bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

Let’s Build Together

On any given weekend, you can usually find my family circled up in our living room surrounded by approximately 1 million colored pieces of plastic building blocks, commonly known as bricks or Legos. Our son reaches for the smaller pieces to recreate a favorite character in Lego form. My husband and I reach for the larger pieces, creating a solid base to place our smaller creations.

Perhaps one of the best qualities of Lego bricks is that, with few exceptions, each piece connects to another. Our son has even shown us how you can lie a Lego piece on its side — even without the brick-andknob connection — and squeeze them into a row on a separate Lego piece to make a platform. Talk about flexibility.

Independently, the Lego pieces are sturdy and useful. But together, the bricks form a creation that’s usually colorful and sometimes even functional. Ultimately, it takes all kinds of Legos to create a masterpiece.

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) membership is much the same. You — Iowa’s farmers — are the true building blocks. Independently, you have your own strengths. But combined, like the Legos stored in totes in our living room, you come together to build a masterpiece. The

ISA staff is here to help engineer the building blocks — seeing how individual pieces and programs can strengthen the association and provide you with the opportunities to become more productive, profitable and sustainable.

In this issue, you’ll learn how farmer members are finding their fit in ISA. Whether it’s discovering new opportunities through onfarm research trials, learning more about the association through the Soy Squad, growing their skills in the Communications Squad or familiarizing themselves with the policies that impact their farms through the Policy Leaders Fellowship, ISA farmer members are collectively building experiences together.

Whether it’s through a trial or a program, there are several ways to engage with ISA. But first, we need to make sure you’re a member. If you market 250 bushels or more of soybeans annually, you are eligible for a no-cost farmer membership. To unlock this opportunity, go to iasoybeans.com/membership or contact me and I will connect you. I can’t wait to see what we build together.

Enjoy your summer,

Neil Krummen

BY JOSEPH HOPPER

There are many stories about young farmers returning to the farm after college. Neil Krummen, of Linn Grove, has a slightly different story in that he’s literally brought his northwest Iowa family farm back to life in some ways.

“I grew up where I’m currently farming,” says Krummen. “In 2013, I got married, and my wife and I started row-cropping corn, soybeans and a little bit of hay. We had about 160 acres of row crops split fairly in half and back then about 200 head of sheep and 30 head of goats.”

He continues, “Being fairly fresh out of college and wanting to do it as cheap as possible, I resurrected my dad’s old equipment that wasn’t used for a decade, including a four-row John Deere planter. The first year, I planted 160 acres of crops with the four-row open station tractor, and it took me

three days to plant. I quickly found out why people upgrade their equipment.”

Farming with friends and family

Krummen graduated in 2011 with a degree in ag business from Iowa State University. His wife Sandy is the vice president and branch president of a Sioux Rapids bank. They share their farming dream with two of his best friends from high school. His father also takes part in the farm’s activities.

“It’s cool how we cover ground; when us three guys are together, the efficiency is incredible. We have a successful partnership between us,” Krummen says. “It’s great to work with people you know and can trust; they’re basically brothers. We’re all married. Our wives are our support group. They all know the time involved during harvest and planting seasons.”

They all understand creating efficiencies where possible, too. That includes a machinery upgrade.

“Compared to that first year, my partners and I have a 24-row planter and a 16-32 narrow row planter and can probably plant 300 acres a day with either one of those,” he says.

Advocate for agriculture

The Linn Grove farmer says he’s known about the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) for a while thanks to a family friend: ISA District 1 Director Chuck White. Ultimately, it was ISA Director of Public Affairs Michael Dolch and the Policy Leaders Fellowship (PLF) program that convinced Krummen to get involved with the association.

“PLF got me hooked, and I plan on staying involved in one way, shape or form,” he says. “I’ve enjoyed being in PLF because you gain an understanding of how

DISTRICT 1

policy starts, how important it is, and the ways that farmers voice their opinions and talk to their associations.”

That grassroots approach to policy expands to efforts in the state and to D.C., Krummen notes.

“All those policies have to start somewhere,” he says. “When Michael goes to D.C., he’s the one putting the pressure on your representatives saying, ‘This is what we support, this is what we want, don’t forget about us.’ If you don’t tell them what you want, they won’t know.”

With his friends and family by his side, Krummen says the sky is the limit for the many more years of farming ahead.

“I’m just excited to see how this grows,” says Krummen. “In 10 years,

I could never have dreamed I would be where I’m at this year. Especially with my partnerships; we don’t know what our limits will be and what we can and cannot do.”

They’re expanding their efforts in regenerative agriculture and understanding how soybeans are a part of that system. He’s looking forward to growing personally and professionally through and with ISA.

“On a personal note, I just want to know how to be more involved with advocating soybeans, corn, and agriculture in general,” he says. “I love talking to people and networking; I just want more people to know what we’re doing here and how cool it is.”

Contact Joseph Hopper at jhopper@iasoybeans.com.

I just want more people to know what we’re doing here and how cool it is.

Neil Krummen

Neil and Sandy Krummen (with their dog Molly) farm near Linn Grove.

DISTRICT 2

Amber Kohlhaas

BY KRISS NELSON

Amber Kohlhaas experienced a lot of changes in 2020. She transitioned from communications manager for a large agricultural machine and manufacturing company to farming full time, officially celebrating her first “Amber crop” in 2021.

Kohlhaas farms with her dad and uncle. She also works alongside her husband Jason on their grain and cattle farm. Together they have a daughter Lonna and a son Holden.

Although she was familiar with life on the farm — having grown up on her family’s farm and working in agriculture — having her own farm came with some challenges.

High commodity prices provided some profitability, but Kohlhaas says everything familiar to even the experienced farmers was uncertain.

“Fertilizer, seed, chemical, equipment, rent and land prices were increasing or changing,” she says. “On top of the high prices, there was

also the perfect storm with industrywide supply issues that made parts availability and equipment trading a challenge.”

Kohlhaas says leaning on fellow farmers and resources, such as the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), is helping her make the shift after 20 years working off the farm.

Kohlhaas can use resources available through publications, including the Iowa Soybean Review, or ISA’s online tools.

These resources help her learn not only from ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation’s (RCFI) experts but help make connections and learn from other farmers.

“It’s interesting to see what other farmers are doing and how people are adapting and putting new practices together,” she says.

Whether it is raising livestock or planting a crop, there are many unknowns leading up to the end goal of profitability. The Kohlhaas family often

refers to this scenario as “barn blind.”

“A farmer must make and invest in all the products for the year ahead without knowing what the weather, markets and economy will be like. This is where I feel the term barn blind applies,” explains Kohlhaas. “This is why programs, resources, magazines and connections from Iowa Soybean Association are helpful. They keep farmers engaged, having discussions and learning from each other.”

Diversifying the farm

The Kohlhaas family understands the ever-changing agricultural industry and the need to diversify.

One example is that the calves not sold for 4-H prospects or replacement heifers remain on the Kohlhaas farm for private meat sales.

“This is a niche market we have landed in that has helped us to stay diversified,” she says.

Meat sales started with just a few calves and have expanded substantially,

selling 20 head for meat sales this year.

“Many consumers take pride knowing they are supporting a farmer with a farm-to-table purchase, while also knowing their food was raised humanely by farmers and ranchers who are being the best stewards of their land and livestock they can,” she says. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

CommonGround

Kohlhaas is most engaged with ISA and the Iowa Corn Growers Association through CommonGround Iowa. The group consists of farm women who work to interact with consumers.

Reconnecting people to their generational ag roots made the decision to join easy for Kohlhaas.

“On average, the general population is at least three generations removed from the farm. It could be fair to say

most people do not know a farmer who they can ask a question,” says Kohlhaas. “With CommonGround, we put a face to the female farmers who are providing food on consumers’ tables while serving as a resource for information.”

Kohlhaas has shared virtual farm tours of her family’s cattle operation — showing viewers how farmers care for the health of their animals through vaccinations and medications, the system for harvesting, storing and feeding hay, and a year in the life of the grain farmer.

“Sharing my knowledge of agriculture to consumers comes full circle for me as I am learning from other farmers too,” she says.

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

Sharing my knowledge of agriculture to consumers comes full circle for me as I am learning from other farmers too.

Amber Kohlhaas

Kollyn Lentz

BY JEFF HUTTON

Kollyn Lentz is following in the footsteps of generations those before him — farming the land and feeding the world.

The Iowa State University (ISU) student from rural Plainfield is a sixth-generation farmer whose family emigrated from Germany in the 1800s and planted roots in northeast Iowa. For Lentz, farming is the natural evolution of what he has always wanted to do.

In the beginning

He grew up on his family’s farm, raising cows and growing soybeans and corn. He showed cattle in 4-H, and pursued a path in agriculture.

Before stepping foot in Ames at ISU, Lentz went to Hawkeye Community College.

Now, he’s gone from doing the chores and helping with fieldwork to renting 80 acres in Butler County on his own.

“I love farming,” he says. “There are so many different things to do; no two days are the same.”

As a youngster, Lentz knew he wanted to be outdoors, in the field and working with livestock.

“I knew then that farming was on the list,” he says. “I always thought it was cool.”

And for Lentz, the cool part of farming is the unknown, the unpredictability and trying new things.

“For the last two years, I’ve been doing new things with fungicide and insecticides, with good results,” he says. “I like to scout my crops, and I’m trying new seed treatments and working with a good herbicide program.”

Lentz’s father is a seed dealer and is working with his son to help pick out new varieties that are likely to work in his fields.

The young farmer is also investigating custom spraying methods and learning about cutting-edge products that will positively impact his farming operation.

It’s all about balancing what will work and what won’t, he says.

Lentz balances farming and college,

arranging his class schedule so he can head back to the farm on Thursday nights and work there all weekend.

“It gets to be more challenging balancing homework and other activities,” Lentz says. “It’s about setting your priorities and getting things done.”

Getting involved

The unpredictability and balancing multiple aspects of life on the farm excites Lentz.

“Honestly, that’s part of it,” he says. “There are so many different decisions you have to make.”

He relies on data and expertise from the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI), as well as ISU, to be more productive and profitable.

“Looking at the data, I never realized just how many decisions a farmer needs to make,” he says. “You have to be positive and move forward.”

Lentz says he has been involved with ISA since he first heard about the association in high school and

DISTRICT 3

at Hawkeye Community College. An event hosted by Beck’s also included ISA’s involvement, he recalls.

He learned more about ISA by joining the Soy Squad, a program specifically for college students who want to gain more insight into the association. The various meetings and events held as part of the program included insights on ISA’s efforts in research, building demand for soybeans, policy, education and unique opportunities to strengthen his personal and professional development.

Ideas and innovation

At ISU, Lentz says he enjoys talking with other ag students, exchanging ideas and talking about new innovations. He’s also building his networks in various classroom experiences.

In an economics class, for example, he was involved in a mock business with other classmates. They bounced business ideas off one another, discussing what it takes to be successful in agriculture.

Back on the farm, he participates in minimum-till efforts. He is working on new seed treatments and discovering ways to save money while maintaining or increasing yields. “In the future, I would like to try some cover crops

ahead of soybeans, probably something like rye and see how that works,” he says. “I’ve heard good things about that and how it helps with weed control and other aspects.”

Touchstone to the past

While Lentz knows that farming is a career, it’s also an avocation.

“Farming is a business, but you want to make it fun,” he says. “It must be something you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, you’re better off doing something else.”

Over the next several years and following graduation from ISU, Lentz wants to farm full time, integrate new technologies and find personal satisfaction in what happens in the field.

“You have to keep changing, evolving,” he says. “I love the community, fellow farmers, and getting to know other students and those in agriculture.”

The family homestead, where his German ancestors planted roots, is only 2 miles away from where Lentz now farms. It is a touchstone to his past and his future.

“At the end of the day, we’re here to help feed the world,” he says.

Contact Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

I love farming. There are so many different things to do; no two days are the same.

Kollyn Lentz

Alexandra Miller

BY KRISS NELSON

As a young farmer, Alexandra Miller uses various avenues to gain the knowledge and experience needed to tend to her family’s farm and become an agricultural leader.

Miller graduated from South Dakota State University and then worked as an agronomist. But, after one year, she wanted to return home to her family farm near Onawa in Monona County.

The sixth generation to farm her family’s land, Miller has also learned from those family members who have farmed the land before her.

“I have learned a lot from my grandfathers,” she says. “It’s interesting to hear their stories about the evolution of farming.”

On the farm

Being able to work on her family’s Heritage Farm does not escape Miller’s mind.

“Farming is in my blood, and being the sixth generation is an honor,” she says. “I see photos of my ancestors and have read the biographies. I love tracking down where some of their first farmsteads

were located. It is a tremendous honor to come from a long line of farmers.”

Miller joined her father Brent and mother Julie on the family farm.

She has been soil sampling and making recommendations to improve their farm’s soil fertility, and she plays a large role in planting and harvesting. She has also taken over as the farm’s leading pesticide applicator.

Most recently, Miller has a new title — landowner. She purchased land from her great-grandmother.

New lessons

Miller recently completed the Corteva Young Leader program through the American Soybean Association. This program is leadership training in agriculture, identifying and training new, innovative and engaged growers to serve as the voice of the American farmer.

Learning how to help bridge the farm-to-fork gap was a program highlight for Miller.

“It was an amazing opportunity,” she says. “It can sometimes be hard

to reach out to people not involved in agriculture. It is fun to learn how to talk to the public about what we do and why we do it.”

Many Corteva Young Leader program graduates will assume leadership roles with their state and national soybean associations — an opportunity Miller says she looks forward to pursuing.

She serves on the Monona County Farm Bureau board and plans to become more involved with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) as she settles into her farming career.

“I have met a lot of good people that have gone through the Corteva Young Leaders program in previous years and have had conversations about how they have become more involved in the Iowa Soybean Association.”

Besides potential leadership involvement, Miller says she is interested in participating in ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation on-farm trials.

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

DISTRICT 4

Farming is in my blood, and being the sixth generation is an honor.

Alexandra Miller

DISTRICT 5

Tony Lem

BY BETHANY BARATTA

After years of working on the railroad and moving around, Tony Lem got the opportunity to farm. With assistance from the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), he feels like he’s on the right track.

Lem found an interest in farming by working on a neighbor’s farm. He didn’t grow up on a farm; his mom was a teacher and his dad was a publisher.

He took ag classes at nearby North Polk High School to supplement his on-farm learning experiences.

“I tried my hand at livestock — cattle, hogs and horses. I've always loved the farm,” Lem says.

Mechanically inclined, Lem started working for the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad as a mechanic while still in high school. He went on to Des Moines Area Community College for diesel technology, and then earned a degree in ag systems technology from Iowa State University (ISU). Walking through a career fair at ISU, Lem was looking

for the next step in his career.

And that’s when a Union Pacific recruiter saw Lem walking around in his overalls — literally dressed for a job on the railroad.

“So, the railroad literally dragged me back,” Lem says.

Thus began his career with the railroad. He oversaw teams of mechanics whose job was to keep the railway line functioning. He spent nearly five years in locomotive shop management and another four years in train management.

His wife, Ashlea, obtained her Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree while they were living in Omaha, and the two decided that the railroad career wouldn’t be ideal for raising a family.

Back to the farm

Tony, Ashlea and their daughters, Elizabeth, Avery and Molly, now reside on their farm near Slater. Lem farms with his in-laws, Kurt and Lynda Lehman, raising soybeans and corn. They’ve leaned on the ISA team

for research and information to grow better crops.

Working with ISA Agronomist Scott Nelson, Lem has compared tillage methods in his fields. He’s put fertilizers head-to-head, and has researched protein levels and cover crops.

Lem has used the results from those on-farm trials to grow a better crop.

“The results of the tillage and row spacing trial were pretty much what we expected,” Lem says.

In the trial, strip tillage proved that it was going to work on their farm.

“Row spacing didn’t make a bit of difference, and it reinforced that strip tillage was going to work. We can keep the spacing and still raise a good crop,” Lem says.

They’ve added a second planter this year to plant no-till soybeans in 15-inch rows.

“We like the idea of reducing trips with a machine on the ground,” he

says. “We also hope to see better weed control and a reduction in erosion potential from the narrow rows and no-till.”

Working with ISA, he’s come to also understand the benefits that reduced tillage can do for his soils.

“Our goal is to improve our cost of production per bushel,” Lem says. “By reducing tillage, we can reduce our input costs and also improve soil quality.”

Lem seeks out opportunities for trials with ISA, understanding he can benefit from both on-farm trials and aggregated data analyzed from trials on other farmers’ fields.

“We’re always trying to learn, and that’s a great way to take in a bunch of data. A lot of these are randomized trials you can get a lot of good pertinent data out of them,” he says. “Maybe the data is not pertinent to your area, but it gets you good idea on something that will work or not. In my eyes that alone is worth the checkoff.”

The opportunities to engage with ISA research are plentiful and timely. One example is the opportunity to test products to destroy volunteer corn in fields hit by the 2020 derecho. The hurricane-like winds decimated Lem’s crops in four fields and damaged nine bins. They are rebuilding the

site, replacing the damaged bins with three larger bins to make the operation easier to manage.

The family continues to explore trial opportunities that will bring value to the farm, including a planned fungicide trial this year.

Conservation efforts

Located in the Fourmile Creek Watershed, they’ve implemented several conservation practices over the past two decades to protect water quality and preserve the soil.

“It's the right thing to do,” Lem says. “We must do what we can to take care of it.”

ISA aided Tony in understanding how a saturated buffer and bioreactor could work on the farm. Considered new technology at the time, the trials helped update the specifications to expand utilization of the technologies on Iowa farms.

It’s all a part of continual growth and learning, Lem says.

“If we’re capturing the nutrients, that’s less I have put to down as a fertilizer and less going into the water. Anything I can do to find efficiencies and improve plant and soil health — it’s all tied together.”

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

Our goal is to improve our cost of production per bushel. By reducing tillage, we can reduce our input costs and also improve soil quality.

Tony Lem

Marc Schneider

BY JEFF HUTTON

Marc Schneider was raised on an Iowa farm, growing corn, soybeans, hay and oats. The family also had a sizable sheep herd and a farrow-to-finish hog operation.

But in the 1980s, he went to college and pursued a different path — supply chain and logistics. For more than 25 years, Schneider traveled, lived and worked in California, Australia, Singapore and other stops in Southeast Asia. He focused his skills on industrial goods, aerospace, automotive, construction equipment, consumer goods, supply chain management, mergers and acquisitions, facility startups and the implementation of logistics programming.

It was rewarding work, but the call to return to the farm was even stronger.

“I needed to get back to my roots,” Schneider says. “I wanted more control of my destiny.”

Singapore to soybeans

He returned to the family farm 14 years ago, effectively transitioning the farm’s management from his father, who was nearing retirement.

“I sold my condo in Singapore and bought my first farm in 2009,” he says, noting that his primary emphasis is on soybeans, corn and a sizable number of cover crop acres.

His past work in supply chain management has proven beneficial as he navigates the fields outside of Lost Nation in eastern Iowa.

“The biggest benefit with supply chain experiences has been understanding the business side of farming,” he says.

The changes in the market, price fluctuations, COVID, the trade war with China and seeing how the ag sector made its way through all those trials has been an education, Schneider says.

“The impacts, the ups and downs of the ag market is not a challenge

per se, but creates an understanding of the cycles,” he adds.

Since returning to the farm in 2009, Schneider is learning a different kind of management. This time: the farm. He says understanding how cash-intensive farming is and managing cash flow has been challenging, but he’s adjusting.

“You have to identify what’s in your control and the things you can’t control,” he says. “It’s about how best to mitigate those risks. I try and stay on top of it, but I don’t worry about what I can’t influence.”

Expanding his skill set

Schneider has participated in a few Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) programs and says he appreciates ISA’s emphasis on education and development.

“It’s not just soybeans, but there’s an emphasis on overall farm operations,” he says.

Schneider is part of ISA’s

Communications Squad, a program that helps farmers and those in the ag industry gain skills so they’re more confident in sharing their farm or industry story.

“For me, farming is the complete package,” Schneider says. “You’re the chief marketing officer, the chief technology officer and you have to know agronomy and science. You must be good at purchasing, seeding your crops, business planning, risk management and more; that’s makes it interesting for me.”

And ISA involvement is reflective of Schneider being able to be his own boss.

“I enjoy running my own enterprise and seeing it from beginning to end,” he says. “You see the results of how the decisions and the choices you make either pay off or they don’t. Having the opportunity to be in charge of your own business, your own life and making your own decisions and experiencing the impact of those decisions is great.”

Conservation efforts

Schneider says he hopes to engage in more conservation efforts while also being more productive and profitable.

“I wouldn’t say I’m on the cutting

edge of conservation, but certainly cover crops have had the biggest positive impact,” he says.

When he first started farming, he was implementing cover crops with about 60 acres — that’s now grown to 500 acres of rye this fall.

While it’s a lot of extra work, cover crops, Schneider says, have proven beneficial with weed control and retaining soil moisture, producing better crops.

Happiness abounds

While farming is Schneider’s fulltime job, he hasn’t completely escaped his previous work.

He also works part time with the Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa State University (ISU), providing management and support to manufacturers across the state who aim to create growth and performance improvements. Those areas include supply chain management, transportation, warehousing and international logistics.

“I always say farming is my fulltime job and ISU is my hobby,” he says.

“I have the best career. I’m the happiest I have ever been.”

Contact Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

Farming is a lot more than seeing a tractor out in the field. It’s food, fiber, fuel — contributing something to the world and the environment.

Marc Schneider

( YOU )

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Moving

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Steve McGrew

BY KRISS NELSON

Taking part in on-farm trials, being a recognized conservationist and using data, Steve McGrew takes full advantage of his Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) membership.

“The Iowa Soybean Association looks out for our interests,” McGrew says. “They always do a good job of being at the forefront of production and keeping members updated with policy matters. I’m glad to be an ISA member; it’s a good organization.”

McGrew, a fourth-generation farmer, works alongside his three brothers and a nephew on their farm near Emerson in Mills County.

Their no-till soybean and corn rotation includes cover crops and other conservation methods to preserve their family’s legacy in farming.

“You always feel a close tie to the land, and that’s why most

farmers try to take care of it,” he says. “We take care of our land with conservation measures, such as cover crops and terraces. You see it every day. It’s more than just an asset.”

On-farm field trials

Working with ISA’s Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) agronomists, McGrew has participated in a variety of on-farm trials, including nitrogen and cover crop studies.

“Trials confirm what you read,” says McGrew.

He and his family use their variable rate technology to apply fertilizer and ensure they are farming economically and environmentally.

Cover crop trials have included researching different modes of application. They have tried drilling, aerial seeding and broadcasting.

Through these trials, McGrew says they have pinpointed which method works best for their farming operation.

“The drill is always better, but broadcasting the cover crop seed fits us best for time,” he adds.

Besides applying what he’s learned by participating in on-farm trials, McGrew also takes advantage of ISA’s online tools.

“The field trial data on the Iowa Soybean Association’s website is a hidden secret,” he says. “There is a lot of good information there. It’s all very educational.”

Recognized conservationist

McGrew was recognized as a member of ISA’s Iowa Front Forty inaugural class in 2021. Front 40 recognizes farmers and others who utilize and promote innovative conservation methods. These

farmers also inspire further action in improving water and soil quality while illustrating how public funding can dramatically increase the pace and scope of conservation activities in Iowa.

McGrew says they have signed up to sell carbon credits through Indigo Ag and have been a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources of Conservation Service’s

Conservation Stewardship Program. They also have filter and buffer strips enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.

“The future of farming could mean more programs like those,” says McGrew. “Society has taken more of an interest in how we farm.”

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

We take care of our land with conservation measures, such as cover crops and terraces. It’s more than just an asset.

Steve McGrew

8

Aidin Dittmer

BY JOSEPH HOPPER

Aidin Dittmer is a man of few words. Instead, the young farmer is a man of action. After high school, he began farming with his dad near Lacona.

“I grew up on a farm in Warren County, and I’ve been involved since I was old enough to bottle-feed calves,” Dittmer says. “My parents wanted me to have some skin in the game. So, I dove in and began growing soybeans, corn, wheat and alfalfa on ground of my own.”

Signing up for the Soy Squad

Dittmer is new to engaging with the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). His introduction to ISA began by participating in the Soy Squad program — an opportunity for current and former students looking to gain insight into the association’s research, demand, policy and education efforts. Dittmer credits one person in particular for sparking his

involvement: ISA Chief Officer of Strategy & Brand Management Aaron Putze.

“I went into the program thinking, ‘this doesn’t really make a lot of sense’ but by the end, I realized the Iowa Soybean Association isn’t just about politics. It’s actually people who care about the farmer. It’s pretty cool to learn about the work being done to achieve better soybean yields and grow marketing for biofuels.”

Putze isn’t the only ISA figure pleased to see Dittmer become more involved. Randy Miller, ISA president and soybean farmer near Lacona, says he’s thrilled to see Dittmer and other young farmers like him pursuing involvement with ISA.

“Aidin is a great kid. ISA involvement allows you to meet other farmers, learn new things and have someone to bounce ideas off of,” Miller says. “Getting a young farmer involved at that age

is beneficial because they can see firsthand what the checkoff does for the average farmer and the true value it brings back to the farm.”

Dream come true

Now in year two of his farming career, he says getting to work on the farm each day is incredible. His family is happy for him, too.

“You can’t ask for anything else; I wake up every morning ready to work,” Dittmer says. “At the end of the day, farming with my dad has shown me that we love each other and are working toward the same goal.”

The Lacona farmer says he’s looking forward to getting more involved with ISA in the future. His long-term goal? Hang on.

“I suppose my goal is to not go broke by 2050,” he says with a laugh.

Contact Joseph Hopper at jhopper@iasoybeans.com.

DISTRICT

I realized the Iowa Soybean Association isn’t just about politics. It’s actually people who care about the farmer.

Aidin Dittmer

Lance and Kerri Bell

BY JEFF HUTTON

For Lance and Kerri Bell of rural Keota, farming is family. And family is farming.

“We’re on the farm where I was raised,” says Lance. “This is where I grew up.”

“I also grew up on a farm,” says Kerri. “We were both in 4-H and FFA, and our daughters were part of those organizations as well.”

And while farming is ingrained in the Bells’ DNA, sharing the message about farming and the value it brings to Iowa and the world is just as important.

Giving back

The Bells and their twin daughters, Sophie and Ellie, plant and harvest soybeans and corn and raise a small cattle herd in southeast Iowa. Sophie and Ellie graduated from Iowa State University in May; they each own their own farmland and immediately started their careers in off-farm agricultural jobs after receiving their degrees.

Sophie and Ellie are following in their parents’ footsteps, both of whom have given back to the farming community. Kerri and Lance have participated at the local, state and national levels

with various ag associations.

Lance has served as president and Kerri as secretary for the Washington/ Keokuk County Corn and Soybean Growers, and both are involved in the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

The couple is also involved with the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) District Advisory Council and Communications Squad.

“It’s important to share our story because there are so many myths and misnomers about farming,” Kerri says. “We want people to know more about a farming operation, and it’s really important that we share this story.”

Kerri is also a CommonGround Iowa volunteer.

“It’s gotten me more involved in ISA,” she says. “I want to better tell the story about where our food comes from, including sharing information about GMOs, antibiotics and other topics. People need to know we care about the soil than most people realize we do. That food on the table, well, we eat that food too.”

In the classroom

The lessons from the farm find themselves in Kerri’s second-grade

classroom at Mid-Prairie School District in Kalona. Kerri says it’s important that she shares the message of farming with her students.

“Every day in my classroom, my kids are learning what we do on the farm,” she says.

She connects agriculture to subjects such as environmental impact and social studies. She invites in other guests from Washington County Extension Ag in the Classroom, FFA, and the Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation, who create lesson plans based on every level of learning.

The similarities in the classroom and what happens on the farm are not lost on Kerri. Each year of teaching brings about another season and another ‘crop’ of students.

Like in farming, effort, training and education are important in shaping students’ knowledge.

Passion and change

The importance of family, giving back and educating others has been the basis of the Bell mantra.

Married for 33 years, they now share the philosophy with Sophie and Ellie.

Twins Sophie and Ellie with dog Cash and parents Lance and Kerri on the family's farm near Keota.

“Farming is a passion,” says Kerri. “We want to give back, like our parents and grandparents. And now we’re seeing that firsthand with our daughters becoming involved in the profession.”

Farming has evolved, and the Bells are part of the change.

Strong no-till farming efforts and more emphasis on cover crops have increased since Lance and Kerri’s grandparents were farming.

“No-till and cover crops keep the soil in place,” Lance says. “Our equipment is much more efficient — the technology that’s involved and the advancements in the seed we use has evolved.”

“We’re not walking beans as we did as young kids,” says Kerri.

Building on a legacy

Farming, in the end, is what you put into it, the Bells say.

“I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing the results of our efforts,” Lance says.

“I cannot imagine not farming — I think I would really miss it. It’s what I grew up doing; it’s what I do.” Kerri agrees.

“We don’t know any other way of living, and we’re proud to continue that legacy,” she says.

“The farm is the best place to raise a family. It’s our livelihood, and we just don’t know anything different.”

Contact Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing the results of our efforts.

Lance Bell

Awarded Grants Seek to Build on Intercropping Research Efforts

BY BETHANY BARATTA

Collaboration and cooperation were the words of the day at Iowa State University’s (ISU) Sukup Hall.

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), in partnership with the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA), received a $910,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.

The Cropping Systems Approach to Increase Farmer Profitability, Reduce Nutrient Losses and Improve Soil Health in Soybean and Corn Production project will propel conservation and water quality efforts forward in Iowa.

“We know that Iowa farmers are great stewards of the land and the best in the world at what they do,” says ISA Research Center for Farming

Innovation Director of Research Joe McClure. “We also know that Iowa’s ag industry can improve and become more efficient and sustainable without sacrificing production for a growing world. This conservation innovation grant project will research a novel cropping system to do this.” Work will begin immediately to initiate farm recruitment for fall field implementation.

“This research will be focused on combining the best practices that have been identified independently into a holistic system on corn and soy fields by leveraging the farmer networks, the technical expertise and the resources of various organizations to conduct innovative and practical field research,” McClure says.

ISA and ICGA will deliver on three key objectives of this project:

1. Characterize profitability and natural resource outcomes for improved cropping systems via on-farm research.

2. Develop new insight into current and improved cropping systems in terms of economics, natural resource conservation and yield stability via crop modeling and statistical analysis.

3. Accelerate adoption of improved cropping systems via participatory learning, enablement of conservation agronomists embedded in ag retail businesses and ongoing outreach.

“This project will attempt to identify and validate a cropping system that delivers reduced erosion, increased nitrogen sequestration,

Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

Photo credit: Bethany Baratta.

improved water quality, reduced inputs and increased profitability in a changing environment where resiliency is needed,” McClure says.

Understanding intercropping opportunities and apprehension

At the same event, ISA was announced as a sub-awardee of a $539,000 grant awarded to ISU.

Through on-farm trials coordinated with ISA farmer members, the project will demonstrate the advantages of a relay intercropping system to maintain or enhance productivity and profitability while improving soil health and increasing nutrient reductions.

This proposed demonstration project in 2024, 2025 and 2026 will take a multifaceted approach to evaluate a relay intercropping system that integrates cereal grains (either winter wheat or cereal rye) into corn and soybean production systems.

A diverse intercropping system will add cropping system resiliency and promote a more diverse and stable community of soil organisms — from microbes to earthworms — while suppressing pathogens and crop pests and benefiting nutrient cycling and soil structure, says ISA research agronomist Alex Schaffer.

“The practice is beneficial to the farmer because it is a rare opportunity to show immediate return on investment in a conservation practice,” he says.

Research done by ISA finds the practice can be more profitable than mono-cropped soybeans. The next step is identifying best management practices to protect soybean yield in the system.

“We hope our work will give farmers the information necessary for more widespread adoption of the practice leading to more profitability and sustainability of Iowa farmers,” Schaffer says.

Dr. Jacqueline Comito, director of ISU’s Iowa Learning Farms, will lead the project. As an anthropologist, she has extensive experience in evaluation and qualitative research methods.

“Relay intercropping addition of a third cash crop could be a game changer in Iowa in terms of diversifying cropping systems,” Comito says. “If farm profitability can be improved with relay intercropping, this system can be beneficial to farms of all sizes and types. It could particularly be beneficial to historically underserved farmers, such as beginning and limited resource farmers, seeking to maximize profit on each acre.”

Learning through outreach

Productivity and profitability are vital to the economic success of farmers, says ISA President Randy Miller. And seeing is believing.

“Until you have this research to see some of the benefits or disadvantages of adding a third crop, farmers will be reluctant,” says Miller, who farms near Lacona. “But if you can prove that it will be beneficial and doesn’t negatively impact them economically, farmers will adopt the practices. But somebody has to step out and try some of these practices.”

Miller says understanding the practice

can help build more resilient cropping systems on farms of all sizes in Iowa.

“In the back of any farmer’s mind, you wonder, ‘What are my neighbors thinking?’ If you know that it works, it’s one thing to take a chance and do it,” he says. “If you’re just trying it, you’re not going to try it on a very big scale or where the neighbors can see it. Through its on-farm research and social understanding, this project should help expand these practices in the state.”

“ The practice is beneficial to the farmer because it is a rare opportunity to show immediate return on investment in a conservation practice.”

Alex Schaffer, ISA research agronomist

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation Sr. Director of Research Christie Wiebbecke, Ph.D.; Research Agronomist Alex Schaffer, Director of Research Joe McClure, ISU President Wendy Wintersteen, ISA President Randy Miller and Iowa Corn Growers Association Vice President of Research and Sustainability Rod Williamson.

Photo credit: Bethany Baratta.

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