Iowa Corn sTalk

Farm Family Recipe – Sour Cream Apple Pie

2012-02-24T10:45:00.003-08:00

We are starting a regular feature on our blog called “Farm Family Recipe”. It seems that just about every Iowa farm family has a go to “best” recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. These recipes are an important part of every family’s tradition and we are excited to feature some of them on our blog.

Our recipe this week comes from Kevin and Sara Ross. Kevin and Sara, are the sixth generation to farm near Minden, and they hope their son will be the seventh. On their farm they raise corn, soybeans, cattle and hay. Both Kevin and Sara are also active in the agriculture industry. Kevin is the current president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Sara is an Iowa CommonGround Volunteer. Sara also writes a blog about being a farm mom and wife at http://www.sarashousehd.blogspot.com/.

The Sour Cream Apple pie is from Sara’s Grandma Ruby Dinkelman.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sour cream

1 egg

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 pounds tart apples

1 pie crust

Topping:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Peel, core and slice apples. Mix sour cream, egg, sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the sliced apples and toss to coat evenly.

3. Place the pie crust in the bottom of a pie pan. Pour the apple mixture into the pie crust.

4. In another bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender. Sprinkle topping over the pie filling.

5. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour.

6. Serve hot or let cool and refrigerate and serve cold (both ways are delicious!). Enjoy!

CommonGround - Worried About How Your Food Is Produced?

2012-02-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

We are excited to have three new CommonGround volunteers here in Iowa and today we want to introduce you to Katie Olthoff. Katie and her husband farm in Central Iowa and on their farm they raise the turkey that is used in Subway sandwiches!

In this post - Worried about How Your Food Is Produced - Katie talks about why she is a volunteer for CommonGround.

Take a few minutes to view her blog and learn more about her family's farm.

Friday Fun: CommonGround - We All Fit In Here

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Iowa Corn is proud to partner with the Iowa Soybean Association, United Soybean Board and National Corn Growers Association on CommonGround. CommonGround and is all about starting a conversation between women who grow food, and the women who buy it. It’s a conversation based personal experiences as farmers, but also on science and research. The first goal is to help consumers understand that their food is not grown by a factory. It’s grown by people and it’s important to us that you understand and trust the process. We hope you’ll join in the conversation.

Meet some of the women here:

E15 Could Help Ease Rising Gas Prices

2012-02-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

Gas prices are on the rise across the country and are expected to increase even more throughout the spring and summer.

According to a press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture today, crude oil prices were up sharply this past week on the West Texas Intermediate, increasing $2.33 to close at $100.74 per barrel. Unleaded gasoline prices continued increase, up $.09 this week in Iowa to $3.45 and the mid-grade blend with 10 percent ethanol increased $.08 as well to $3.37. Read below how ethanol is helping to save consumers money and about how E15 could offer even greater savings.

American Coalition for Ethanol Says E15 Could Help Ease Rising Gas Prices

Sioux Falls, SD (February 14, 2012) –

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), a national advocacy association for the U.S. ethanol industry, today says E15 (a blend of 85% gasoline and 15% ethanol) would benefit consumers and that federal officials should immediately complete any work needed to allow marketers to offer the fuel for sale at stations across the country.

After years of testing by EPA and the Department of Energy, E15 was approved more than a year ago, as an option for cars and light trucks built in 2001 and later.

ACE Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty says national surveys indicate that gasoline prices are up about 45 cents a gallon compared to a year ago, while ethanol prices have dropped more than 30 cents in the same time frame. Current ethanol wholesale prices are about 80 cents less than gasoline.

“At today’s prices, 10% ethanol blends are already saving consumers 8 to 10 cents per gallon compared to unleaded gasoline. Nationally, that saves almost $30 million dollars a day,” Lamberty says. “E15 could offer even greater savings. Drivers with vehicles new enough to use E15 could be saving 12 to 15 cents a gallon by choosing the E15 blend, potentially cutting gasoline costs by an additional $10 million dollars each day.”

“Ethanol opponents continue to create new roadblocks, claiming to be “pro-consumer” and “pro free market,” while they do everything they can to keep E15 - a tested, approved, safe fuel - off of the market. That causes consumers to over-pay for gas and it is the opposite of a free market.” says Lamberty.

“E15 is approved as an option. Retailers don’t have to add it to their product slate and consumers don’t have to buy it. Yet there is considerable effort to continue misleading and frightening consumers into supporting this idea of an auto fuel Nanny Slate that only benefits the oil industry and those who depend on Big Oil’s support,” according to Lamberty.

“ACE is urging federal officials and Congress to get behind efforts to open up E15 for public sale to all vehicles that are 2001 and newer as soon as possible. It’s time that we allow American consumers the option to support a cleaner fuel that helps cut down on imports of foreign oil and supports American jobs. We think that the majority of Americans would be in favor of something this beneficial for consumers rather than supporting efforts that only go to increase profits for oil companies,” Lamberty said.

Iowans Report from Colombia and Panama

2012-02-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

A reminder that twenty Iowa men and women have been on an international agriculture trade mission to Colombia and Panama as part of the Iowa Corn Leadership Enhancement and Development Program (I-LEAD).

The group started in Panama last week where they were able to see what the expansion of the canal will mean for transporting larger ships of agricultural products.

In Colombia, class members have been amazed on what the implementation of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement might mean for the U.S. export market. However, infrastructure still is an important piece of the puzzle. After products hit the Columbian ports, transportation costs still add 18 percent to the cost of a final product, where other countries are just 9 percent.

Read more about this group’s experiences. Visit www.iowacornilead.blogspot.com

Feeding the World Is No Small Task by David Cron, CEO, Skyland Grain

2011-12-22T04:49:00.000-08:00

This article was taken from Skyland Grain. It is a well-written thank you note to farmers and ranchers across the nation who wake up each day and produce food for our dinner tables. As we gather this holiday season, let’s say thank you to those who do chores before Santa comes, for those who might spend Christmas keeping cattle out of a winter snow, and for those who lay their heads on the pillow each night with the task ahead of producing safe and affordable food, feed, fuel, and fiber for our families.

Feeding the World Is No Small Task
by David Cron, CEO, Skyland Grain

A farmer’s job isn’t easy. It’s essential. As an American agriculture producer, you make up only about 1% of the US population and yet you have been tasked with the incredible job of feeding the remaining 99% of Americans, as well as many people across the globe.

Thank you!

Your task will only increase as the world population continues to grow. On that note, I’ve been collecting some interesting facts. In 1960, we had a world population of 3 billion; in 1999 our world population was 6 billion. This fall, world population reached 7 billion, and by 2050, experts estimate our global population will reach 9.2 billion. That’s a lot of mouths to feed.

The growing population and increased demand for food, fiber, and fuel provides those of us in agriculture with exciting new opportunities as we look to the future.

As the global population increases, so have many of their income levels- which means many can now afford to eat protein, which requires more grain and animals.

Not only is the demand for food increasing, but your available land is decreasing due to urban sprawl. Thanks to your stewardship of the land, technological advancements, and increased efficiencies, you produce twice as much food today than your parents did while using less land, energy, water, and creating less emissions.

In 1931, the average farmer raised 24 bushels of corn per acre- today the average farmer grows 154 bushels of corn per acre. Think about it- in the last 80 years, we’ve increased corn production by about 130 bushels. Additionally, our environmental footprint is smaller. We produce 70% more corn per pound of fertilizer today than we did in the 1970s, and use 10% less fertilizer than we used in the 1980s.

The USDA says one acre of corn removes about 8 tons of carbon dioxide during its growing season. At the current averages, that means during a growing season, an acre of corn provides enough oxygen for 131 people to enjoy for one year.

As you’ve amped up food production, food quality hasn’t decreased. In fact, you grow the safest, most affordable food in the world. Americans spend the least amount of our disposable income on food- on average we spend 9.9%.

Compare 9.9% with countries across the globe: Indonesia 49%, India 39%, Russia 36%, China 28%, Mexico 21%, Japan 13%, France 13.6%, and Germany 10.9%.

Thank you!

As fewer and fewer people are involved in agriculture, the non-ag population is less connected to the farm. This disconnect can create an atmosphere that isn’t always farmer-friendly. Many have lost their appreciation for the job you do- many have forgotten that their food doesn’t come from the grocery store.

I want to thank you for what you do. As I said earlier, your job isn’t easy. Thank you for your stewardship of the land, your dedication to producing a quality product, and your contribution to the rural communities you call home. What you do each day is essential.

Friday Fun: Iowa Cornucopia Tour Blogger Recation

2011-12-16T12:18:00.001-08:00

In October, Iowa Corn and Iowa Farmers Feed US, invited eight bloggers to Iowa. The bloggers spent an intense two days learning about Iowa Agriculture. We interviewed each of them to see what they thought about the tour. Here what they had to say here!

Friday Fun: Farmer Defined

2011-12-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Sure, farming may seem simple, but farmers and ranchers have to fill many roles to be able to provide nutritious, safe, and affordable food for their families and yours. It's a 24/7 job. Thank a farmer today. (Video From Animal Ag Alliance)

Response To John Stossel on Corn Caucus Project

2011-12-05T09:08:00.001-08:00

The following post from Kevin Ross, ICGA President, is in response to an article written by John Stossel (http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/blog/2011/11/30/test-you-want-fail-1) about the Corn Caucus Project Presidental Report Card which was released last week. You can review that card at www.iowacorn.org/corn caucus.

In response to the Corn Caucus Project report card, Mr. Stossel wrongly associates the ethanol subsidy to corn farmers. Ethanol “subsidies” are in fact A TAX CREDIT given to the refineries owned by the oil industry. Corn growers did not ask the candidates about these tax credits, because it is not a key policy today. Other questions on the survey target the candidate’s support for a farm safety net, specifically on risk management programs and conservation cost share programs that require investments from the producer to participate in. Again, our corn grower survey did not ask about support for direct payments, because we are not advocating for continued implementation. Lastly, if Mr. Stossel did his research, he would see that corn ethanol is renewable, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and helps keep our fuel domestically produced. Talking about a report card, Mr. Stossel gets a failing grade in my book because of his misinformation and his one-sided view on biofuels.

Friday Fun: Miss America Speaks Up For Agriculture

2011-12-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

"Not everyone farms, but everyone eats", says Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan. This high-profile agriculture advocate is joined the Animal Agriculture Alliance to announce the launch of www.realfarmersrealfood.com with a call to action for Americans to celebrate the hard work of our nation's food producers. Visit the new website to learn more about American agriculture today.

And, Miss America is a pretty great spokeswomen for agriculture!

CommonGround – Thanking our consumers

2011-12-01T06:05:00.001-08:00

The holiday season is a time to be thankful and ourCommonGround volunteers are thankful for the consumers who purchase the food that theirfamilies produce on their farms. On Wednesday evening, Iowa and NebraskaCommonGround volunteers came together to “Thank Consumers” at Anthony’sSteakhouse in Omaha.

The evening offered an opportunity for moms, dads,dieticians, bloggers and friends to openly discuss facts about farming and foodwith the women who are helping to produce it on their family farms. Theyalso had the opportunity to get their nutrition and food safety questionsanswered by Dr. Ruth MacDonald, Department Chair of Food Science and Human atIowa State University.

Nutrition, food and how food is raised are hot topics rightnow, and the conversations that happened during dinner could have goneall night long! The goal of CommonGround is to create conversations aboutfood and farming and between the women and Dr. MacDonald they were able toanswer some great questions from everyone in attendance.

Below you will find some snippets of video from questionsthat Dr. MacDonald answered during the evening.

You can view more of the videos for the evening on Iowa's CommonGround YouTube channel.

We are very thankful for all of the consumers that came tothe event as well as CommonGround volunteers who took time out of their busyschedules to come and meet with consumers. Farmers are truly thankful forthe consumers who purchase our products at the grocery store.

We would also like to thank Dr. MacDonald for taking timeout of her schedule to come and answer some tough questions from everyone whocame to the event!

CommonGround: Trash or Treasure

2011-11-28T09:51:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow night we are having a joint event with the Nebraska CommonGround volunteers (we will make sure to provide a recap on Wednesday!). We are very excited for this event and to provide a place where consumers can ask their questions about how their food is raised. That being said it has been a little while since we featured one of our CommonGround volunteers on our blog.

And with harvest complete, we thought we would share a post from Suzanne talking about corn stover. Her post called "Trash or Treasure?" shows why corn farmers are leaving corn stover on the their fields.

You can read more here: http://suzannecommonground.blogspot.com/2011/11/trash-or-treasure.html

Harvest 98 Percent Complete - Nov. 15, 2011

2011-11-15T20:46:00.001-08:00

Harvest is nearly complete with 98 percent of the corn crop and nearly all the soybeans having been combined in the state, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Hay supplies are considered adequate to surplus across 79 percent of Iowa with only 10 percent considered to be in poor condition. Livestock conditions are generally good.

While snow hit much of the state last week, northwest Iowa saw little or no precipitation. Over half of northwest Iowa is now considered very short of both topsoil and subsoil moisture. The dry weather in that area allowed harvest and field work to near completion. With some equipment already put away for the winter, precipitation is now desired.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders, Nov. 11, 2011

2011-11-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders – Nov. 11, 2011

Rain and snow fell this week in many parts of the state. The precipitation halted fieldwork and applications of fall fertilizers for many farmers.

Mark Recker of Arlington says his area received a couple inches of snow which stopped farmers from continuing their fall tillage work. Lots of area farmers applied anhydrous last week. Recker is done with his tillage work. He does not apply anhydrous in the fall but rather does spring applications of liquid fertilizer. There is still about five percent of corn yet to be harvested in his area.

Deb Keller of Clarion says harvest is complete in her area and tillage is wrapping up as well. Many farmers are busy doing clean-up work around their farms.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tues., Nov. 8, 2011

2011-11-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Jerry Main of Fairfield received about one and one-half inches of much-needed rain on Monday so fieldwork has stopped. He estimates that corn harvest is nearly complete in his county. In the past four days, a lot of anhydrous has been applied in the area. Some dry fertilizer is also being applied. A few days ago, he traveled 70 miles west to Lucas and saw quite a bit of corn still standing in fields.

In southwest Iowa, Kevin Ross of Minden will be done with corn harvest this week. He has about 70 acres of corn left to harvest. He had some rain last night and is expecting more rain and snow later tonight.

In northwest Iowa, Roger Knoblock of Lester hasn’t received any rain. Farmers in his area have been busy applying liquid manure and some tillage work is being done. Roger’s family operation does strip tillage on continuous corn acres. They do not disturb the corn stalk. They make the strip down the middle of the row which will allow the soils to dry more quickly next spring before planting.

Friday Fun: Ride Along In A Combine

2011-11-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a great video on what it's like to combine corn, from Darcy Maulsby. Darcy is a graduate of Iowa Corn's I-LEAD program - thanks for sharing!

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders on Thurs., Nov. 3, 2011

2011-11-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders – Thursday, November 03, 2011

Roscoe Eggers of State Center will be done with corn harvest in the next 48 hours. He estimates harvest will be done in Marshall County by next week. Many farmers are working on tillage and applying fertilizer. Farmers have been concerned about whether it is too dry for the anhydrous to seal properly. They received a half-inch of rain on Wednesday which will help.

Deb Keller of Clarion says corn harvest is complete in her area. Many farmers are getting tillage done. She estimates about half the tillage work is done in her area. Some rain on Wednesday has stopped field work today but she expects it to start again soon.

Mark Recker of Arlington says corn harvest is nearing completion. There is some corn still standing in fields but it will be harvested soon. Farmers are moving into fall tillage and trying to put on fertilizer. He received about a half-inch of rain on Wednesday.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tues., Nov. 1, 2011

2011-11-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Jerry Main of Fairfield finished corn harvest on Monday, Oct. 31 and he estimates that corn harvest is at least 85 percent complete in southeast Iowa. It continues to be very dry and rain would be welcomed. Farmers with cow-calf herds have been feeding a lot of hay because the pastures are so dry. Some fall tillage is being done but because of the wet spring and dry summer and fall, the fields are very dry and the tillage equipment is pulling very hard.

Roger Knoblock of Lester says 95 percent of the corn harvest is complete in his area with only a few acres left. Liquid manure is being applied in the area and the weather has been good for those applications. August, September and October have been the driest harvest months he has seen for some time.

In southwest Iowa, Kevin Ross of Minden is still working on corn harvest. He estimates that 15 to 20 percent of the corn harvest is yet to be done. He expects that most of it will be complete by next week. Overall, corn yields have been good. Very little tillage is done in the rolling fields of western Iowa.

Disparaging corn and our way of life

2011-10-31T07:53:00.000-07:00

This article was originally published by the Des Moines Register. You can view the original article here: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20111030/OPINION01/310300020/1036/Guest-columnist-Disparaging-corn-our-way-life

Disparaging corn and our way of life

Foes of corn are trying to block the use of the term 'corn sugar' on food labels.

As a fourth generation Iowa farmer, it’s hard for me tostand by as opponents attack high fructose corn syrup with inaccuracy afterinaccuracy. And when they attack it, make no mistake: They are disparaging cornand our way of life in Iowa.

We are now in the midst of harvesting one of Iowa’s mostvaluable commodities — a high quality and safe product, a product that rightlyinstills pride among millions of Midwesterners. But when it comes to highfructose corn syrup — also a high quality and safe product made in our state —misinformation abounds. Foes of HFCS are throwing around bad science and areattacking corn, our livelihood.

Mark Twain wisely advised: “When in doubt, tell the truth.”

A petition before the U.S. Food and Drug Administrationseeks approval to allow the alternate name “corn sugar” for “high fructose cornsyrup” as an option on food ingredient labels.

The truth is the term “corn sugar” more accurately describeswhat this ingredient actually is — a sugar made from corn. Ingredient names onfood labels should be clear and reflect in no uncertain terms what theingredient is. You can’t get much clearer than “corn sugar.” This alternatename will enable consumers to better identify added sugars in the foods theypurchase and clear up lingering consumer confusion.

To further support the “corn sugar” label, look at thescience. The two ingredients contain almost equal parts of the two simplesugars, fructose and glucose. Bottom line: Sugar is sugar, whether it comesfrom corn or cane.

Iowans have an economic stake in the pending FDA decision.If we can help clear up the confusion among consumers, we will be able tomaintain the more than 2,600 jobs that the corn refining industry currentlyemploys with potential for further growth. These jobs create nearly $170million in salaries and are considered to be high-paying. $1.9 billion worth ofvalue is added to the 162 million bushels of Iowa corn used to make HFCS.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley also recognized the vital economicimpact of HFCS in his letter to the FDA supporting the name change: “Inaddition to clearing up consumer uncertainty about this ingredient, it isworthwhile to note the role that high fructose corn syrup plays in our nation’sfood supply. This ingredient keeps food affordable for American consumers andcreates high-paying jobs here at home.”

When it comes down to it, much of the consumer confusion hasto do with the name. High fructose corn syrup is neither high in fructoserelative to regular table sugar, nor is it the corn syrup in the baking sectionof the grocery store. It is an inaccurate label ingredient name that we in thecorn business have been stuck with for decades, and it is time to correct it.

Gov. Terry Branstad said the name change is essential bothfor Iowans and for consumers across the nation. “I believe FDA action to allowthe use of the term ‘corn sugar’ is imperative to stop the disparagement ofthis American made ingredient that increases consumer choices, drivesaffordability and helps the rural economy,” he wrote the agency.

There is precedent for what the corn industry is asking theFDA for. The agency granted permission to plum growers to label prunes as“dried plums.” Prunes are indeed dried plums, but the word “prune” sowed muchconfusion because many consumers apparently don’t think of them that way.

But despite the laudatory efforts to clear up considerableconfusion — an effort that the New York Times editorial board endorsed, by the way— our foes are stepping up the disparagement of corn. How? By attempting toblock the alternate name.

Iowans must let their voices be heard in this debate byposting comments to the FDA docket in support of the “corn sugar” petition at www.ncga.com/corn-sugar

Iowans and consumers around the nation deserve the truth.“Corn sugar” belongs on food ingredient labels because it is a truth.

Friday Video - Underwater and Overlooked: Crisis on the Missouri River

2011-10-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

It was a dry spring in the Midwest, not a cloud in the sky, but still the Missouri River rose. It overtopped levees, destroying crops, destroying towns, devastating lives. This was a disaster. But was it a natural one? Could it have been anticipated? Could it have been prevented? Did the flood of 2011 have to happen?

The short film Underwater and Overlooked: Crisis on the Missouri River tells the personal stories behind the unprecedented flood waters and its rampage through towns and lives across the Midwest.

This video is courtesy of our friends at Missouri Corn.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders on Thurs., Oct. 27, 2011

2011-10-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders – Thursday, October 27, 2011

In north-central Iowa, Deb Keller of Clarion estimates that about 90 percent of the corn harvest is complete in her area. Some downed corn has taken a little longer to combine. Yields are averaging from 175 to 200 bushels per acre. They haven’t received any measurable precipitation since harvest began and a burn ban is still in place. Fall tillage has begun and some fertilizer is being applied.

Mark Recker of Arlington says about 60 percent of corn harvest is complete. Yields in the area have been really good from 190 to 225 bushels per acre and even higher in some areas. Corn moisture levels are from 15-18 percent due to the dry, warm weather. Some tillage is starting as well.

Roscoe Eggers of State Center estimates there are at least 10 more days of corn harvest left in his area. Harvest has taken longer because of the large number of acres with goose-necked corn. It is very dry, so corn harvest hasn’t been interrupted much, although some rain would be welcomed. Some fertilizer is starting to be applied and fall tillage is starting as well.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tues., Oct. 25, 2011

2011-10-26T05:02:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Kevin Ross of Minden says corn harvest is moving fast with yields ranging from 180 to 210 bushels per acre. He estimates that corn harvest is 60 percent complete and will progress rapidly this week.

Jerry Main of Fairfield says soybean harvest is virtually complete in southeast Iowa. There might be a couple of soybean fields left to harvest that are late varieties. Main will be done with his corn harvest this week. He estimates that corn harvest is at least three-fourths done in his area. Some fall tillage is being done but because of the dry conditions, he says the tillage equipment is pulling very hard. He says farmers with cow-calf herds need rain to rejuvenate their fall pastures.

In northwest Iowa, Roger Knoblock of Lester says harvest is starting to wind down. He completed corn harvest last Friday night with yields ranging from 170 to 210 bushels per acre. He says it was an excellent crop, although it was probably not as good as last year. Manure is being applied in the area and corn stalks are being baled for livestock. Some tillage is taking place. Overall, he says they could use some rain but they’re thankful for their harvest.

Meet Iowa Farmer Mark Heckman

2011-10-25T10:41:00.001-07:00

Meet Iowa Farmer Mark Heckman

Mark Heckman of West Liberty was recently elected to the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. Heckman has served as an ex-officio director and as a director for district six on the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. “I enjoy talking about corn, explaining the benefits of this crop to the public and I enjoy exploring the possibilities of what can be done with this magnificent crop that we produce,” says Heckman. “A colleague has said, ‘we produce, food, fuel and oxygen,’ and it is a privilege to work with this industry – who else can say that?” Mark is currently serving on the ICPB’s Utilization and Production Committee.“I want to use my farming and work experience on this committee so that we can discover what will be the next ‘ethanol’ or the next great corn-based product,” Heckman adds. "I also want to make sure that farmers' checkoff dollars are being spent in a productive and responsible way."Heckman raises corn and soybeans in partnership with his brothers and parents near West Liberty in Muscatine County. He has been farming with his family for more than 25 years. He is a graduate of the Iowa Corn Leadership Enhancement and Development Program (I-LEAD) and is a member of the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Heckman is a graduate of Iowa State University. Mark and his wife, Rhonda, have five children.

Friday Fun: 90-Year-Old Farmer Spends Birthday In Combine - Video - KCCI Des Moines

2011-10-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

This is a great story about a farmer right here in Iowa. When he should be slowing down he's still driving a combine and harvesting all of his family farm's corn!

90-Year-Old Farmer Spends Birthday In Combine - Video - KCCI Des Moines

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders on Thurs., Oct. 20, 2011

2011-10-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders – Thursday, October 20, 2011

Mark Recker of Arlington is slowly combining downed corn. Today he was running the combine at two miles per hour in one direction. Many farmers in his area are dealing with the same challenges. If the corn isn’t completely flat, a lot of corn is leaning. He credits the auto-steer feature on his combine to help him get through the downed corn and still obtain good yields. Corn moisture levels are from 18 to 21 percent. Yields in his area are good, around 200+ bushels per acre, even in downed corn.

In north-central Iowa, Deb Keller of Clarion is combining lodged and downed corn too. Those corn conditions are pretty widespread in the southern part of her county. Moisture is around 15 percent. Yields are ranging from 175 to 200 bushels per acre. She estimates about 70 percent of the corn harvest is complete in that area. A few farmers who are done with harvest are doing some fall tillage. She expects to see more tillage next week.

Roscoe Eggers of State Center has lodged corn, from the July 11 wind storm, so corn harvest is taking longer. Today he was harvesting corn in a field where the rows ran east and west so the lodging wasn’t quite as bad and yields were a little better too. He estimates that corn harvest is about 60 percent complete in his area and soybean harvest is done.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tues., Oct. 18, 2011

2011-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, October 18, 2011

In northwest Iowa, Roger Knoblock, of Lester estimates that soybean harvest is complete for the most part. The earlier soybean varieties yielded better than later varieties. Corn harvest continues with yields that range from 170 to 210 bushels per acre. Fields that yielded better had more rain. However, with some hybrids that yielded better, there were still problems with weak stalks. Stalk cannibalization in hybrids was common in the area.

In southeast Iowa, Jerry Main of Fairfield had some rain on Monday afternoon. Corn combines are still running but soybean harvest has been halted until it dries a little more. Main estimates that soybean harvest is about 90 percent complete. The only soybeans left to harvest are the fields that were planted in July. He estimates that 60 or 70 percent of the corn in his area has been harvested.

In western Iowa, Kevin Ross of Minden wrapped up soybean harvest this past Saturday. There might be five percent of the soybeans left to harvest in the area. Corn harvest is going strong with yields ranging from 160 to 210 bushels per acre.

Friday Fun: Corn Farmers Coalition

2011-10-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

The Corn Farmers Coalition — an alliance of the National Corn Growers Association and 14 state corn associations (including Iowa Corn) — educates policy-makers in Washington about how innovative farmers are growing more corn every year with fewer resources while protecting the environment. Here is a short video about the families behind the Corn Farmers Coalition - including an Iowa Family.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders on Thurs., Oct. 13, 2011

2011-10-13T10:53:00.001-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders – Thursday, October 13, 2011

Roscoe Eggers of State Center received about one inch of rain on Wednesday, Oct. 12, so corn harvest has been halted until the fields dry some. Eggers has lodged corn, from the July 11 wind storm, so corn harvest is taking longer. He is running the combine at about 30 percent of normal speed, completing about 25 acres a day instead of the usual 60 acres a day that he is used to completing in a year with more typical crop conditions.

Mark Recker of Arlington also had enough rain to keep him out of the field for a while today. He has some lodged corn on part of his farm that is taking longer to harvest. Corn moisture levels are at 20 percent or less thanks to the dry, warm conditions last week.

In north-central Iowa, Deb Keller of Clarion is combining corn and estimates they are about 25 percent complete on her farm. Yields are averaging in the mid-190 bushels per acre. Some corn acres in her area lodged during a recent storm, which has slowed combining speed to about 2.5 miles per hour in those particular fields. Corn moisture levels are around 15 percent.

Farming For the Future Conference

2011-10-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

The livestock industry in Iowa is not only important to the economy as a whole, but is also an important customer for corn farmers. In fact, many corn farmers are also livestock producers. Iowa Corn is a major contributor to the Coalition to Support Iowa's farmers.

The 2011 "Farming for the Future conference: A Vision for Your Family's Farm" was held Friday, September 9 at the Iowa State Center’s Scheman Building in Ames. It featured several topics including a livestock, crop and feed outlook, as well as a rules and regulations update. There were panels of agriculture finance experts and young farmers who have used various strategies to return to the farm.

Due to the level of interest in bringing a young person back to the farm, video and powerpoint slides from the various sessions are available on CSIF's website. You can get to their page by clicking here.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tues., Oct. 11, 2011

2011-10-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, October 11, 2011

In northwest Iowa, Roger Knoblock, of Lester estimates that 85 percent of soybean harvest is complete. Around Lyon County, the later soybean varieties that had frost are yielding less than the earlier varieties. The late varieties yielded in the low to mid-50s (bushels per acre) while the earlier varieties yielded in the 60s (bushels per acre). The frost in September definitely hurt the later soybeans, Knoblock said. They’ve started harvesting corn and yields are ranging from 170 to 205 bushels per acre. They had a little rain, about .3 to .5-inch, in recent days which has helped with the extremely dry conditions. Knoblock said the rain helped stop the field and combine fires that occurred around his area last week.

In western Iowa, Kevin Ross of Minden expects soybean harvest to finish by this weekend. Many farmers around Pottawattamie County have been disappointed in the yields of the later soybean varieties. Corn yields have been pretty good so far but he expects to hear more results as farmers finish soybean harvest and combine more corn this week.

Jerry Main of Fairfield estimates that soybean harvest is about 80 percent complete in southeast Iowa. Yields in that area have been all over the board. Soybeans grown in clay soils have been extremely low (around 20 bushels per acre) while soybeans planted on better soils yielded in the 50s (bushels per acre). He estimates about half of the corn in his area has been harvested.

Meet Iowa Farmer Curt Mether

2011-10-11T07:38:00.000-07:00

Curt Mether is an Iowa Farmer with Iowa values who believes in the farming industry and his community. Curt grows corn and soybeans and sheep, with his wife and son, in Harrison and Monona counties. He has been farming for 36 years and was recently elected as an Iowa Corn Growers Association Director in District 4. He currently serves on the Iowa Corn Animal Agriculture & Environment Committee. In 2008, he was one of three county leaders selected to attend the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Congress as part of the ICGA delegation. Curt is a strong supporter of 4-H, serves on the Harrison County Fair Board, on the Harrison County Rural Electric Board and is active with the Logan Christian Church. Curt has been a member of ICGA for many years and wants to help Iowa Corn educate consumers about farmers and the food they raise. Curt and his wife Anita have three grown children.

Friday Fun: So God Made A Farmer

2011-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

As Harvest is in full swing across Iowa we want to take a minute to thank all of the farmers across our great state who have been working from sun up to way past sun down these past few weeks. We wish all of you a very safe and bountiful harvest. Thank you for all that you do to provide all of us with foods for our dinner tables!

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders on Thurs., Oct. 6, 2011

2011-10-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders – Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011

Deb Keller of Clarion says soybean harvest is nearly complete in her area of north-central Iowa. Soybean yields ranged between 50 to 60 bushels per acre. Soybeans were very dry at the end of harvest -- down to 8.5 to 9 percent moisture. The dry conditions have been beneficial to corn moisture levels and farmers are starting to ramp-up corn harvest. They had some corn lodge during recent wind storms so they are harvesting those fields first.

Soybean harvest is complete for Roscoe Eggers of State Center. Soybeans were extremely dry (around 8 to 9 percent moisture) as harvest wrapped up but yields were pretty good ranging from 50 to 60 bushels per acre. The July 11 wind storm that hit central and east-central Iowa will make corn combining slow. He expects to run the combine at one-to-two miles per hour in fields where the corn is lodged.

In northeastern Iowa, Mark Recker of Arlington says farmers in his area are busy harvesting soybeans. Many farmers were harvesting corn but switched to soybeans on Monday. Moisture levels are dropping quickly with the dry conditions. He expects the majority of soybean harvest to be wrapped up by this weekend. He has heard of soybean yield averages in the range of 60 to 70 bushels per acre.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders - Tues., Oct. 4, 2011

2011-10-04T09:59:00.002-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011

Jerry Main of Fairfield says farmers in his area are busy harvesting soybeans. Many farmers in southeast Iowa were harvesting corn but switched to soybeans on Monday. There were a lot of soybeans planted in July that were not quite ready yet, but still, he estimates that 75 to 80 percent of soybeans in the area will be harvested by the end of this week. He estimates that about 25 percent of the corn had been combined prior to farmers switching to soybeans. Yield reports for corn have ranged from 56 bushels per acre on the low side, to 150 or 160 bushels per acre in areas that had a little more moisture. Main says farmers are reporting soybean yields that are better than expected, just as the markets are reflecting.

Roger Knoblock, of Lester in Lyon County, says soybean harvest is underway with about 60 to 70 percent of it completed. Yields in northwestern Iowa vary depending on what areas had more rain. Areas north of Highway 9 had more rain and the soybean yields reflect that. Yields are ranging from the 50 bushels per acre to 65 or 70 bushels per acre. Some corn has been harvested but everyone is working on soybeans now.

In western Iowa, Kevin Ross of Minden in Pottawattamie County, expects harvest to ramp-up today and through the rest of the week. Many farmers in his area have been waiting for soybeans to be ready and for the corn to dry down more. He expects a busy week as harvest gets into full swing.

Friday Fun: Harvest 2011 Is Underway

2011-10-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

Combines started really rolling through Iowa's soybean fields this week but we are still a few days off of starting the 2011 corn harvest in full force. But that doesn't mean in other parts of the country that they aren't harvesting corn all ready. Below is a corn harvest video from a Nebraska Corn Farmer (@cornfrmr) that he posted last week.

We wish all of the farmers and farm families across the country, a very safe and bountiful 2011 harvest season.

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders on Thurs., Sept. 29

2011-09-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn leaders – Thursday, September 29, 2011

Roscoe Eggers of State Center has harvested all of his early maturity soybeans but is still waiting to harvest some later soybean varieties. His area had rain earlier in the week but farmers got back to harvesting soybeans on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 28). There has been very little corn harvested.

In northeastern Iowa, Mark Recker of Arlington has not started harvest yet. The seed corn harvest in his area will probably be finishing this weekend. Not many, if any, soybeans have been harvested. Some farmers in the area have harvested a little corn and some have downed corn from summer storms that they will start to tackle.

Deb Keller of Clarion hasn’t started harvest yet. Some farmers in the area have started harvesting soybeans. Other than a few headland acres, not a lot of corn has been combined yet.

Harvest Update - Tues., Sept. 27

2011-09-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Harvest Updates from Iowa Corn Leaders - Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Kevin Ross of Minden in Pottawattamie County was baling the last cut of hay on Tuesday and hoping to start harvesting soybeans by the end of this week. The weather is good in southwestern Iowa and there are a couple of soybean fields in the area that have been harvested. He expects even more combines to be rolling by the end of the week.

In northwestern Iowa, Roger Knoblock, of Lester in Lyon County, is done harvesting high-moisture earlage for cattle. (Earlage is ensiled corn grain, cobs and, in some cases, husks and a portion of the stalk. Earlage is higher in energy than corn silage with similar protein content.) Random sampling was taken across the fields and yields varied from 180 to 240 bushels per acre. Some test strips were left for harvest. Some early corn that was harvested on Monday, Sept. 26 was harvested from alfalfa sod and had yields over 200 bushels per acre. So, early yield reports on corn are good. He expects they will try to harvest some soybeans today (Tues., Sept. 27).

Jerry Main of Fairfield says his area received about four-tenths of an inch of rain on Monday, Sept. 26, so harvested has been halted temporarily. A lot of corn has been harvested in his area of southeastern Iowa. Yields have a large range from very poor to good. Moisture content on the corn has a wide range as well. Only a few soybean fields have been harvested so far.

Iowa Corn Checkoff Dollars Have Positive Return on Meat Exports

2011-09-29T07:28:00.001-07:00

A newstudy recently completed by Dr. Harry Kaiser, the Gellert Family Professor ofApplied Economics and Management at Cornell University and director of theCornell Commodity Promotion Research Program showed that U.S. beef, pork, cornand soybean producers are receiving a solid return on their checkoffinvestments in the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s (USMEF) export marketdevelopment programs.

The economic model showed that combined producer and USDA marketingexpenditures increased U.S. red meat exports by more than 30 percent per year.According to Dr. Kaiser, the increase in exports due to export marketdevelopment translated to between $46.3 million (for beef) and $85.7 million(for pork) in average annual extra net revenue to the industry, which is farhigher than the average annual $27.5 million cost invested by producers and theUSDA. In fact, every industry dollar invested in these programs over the past10 years returned an average of $15 in net revenue for the pork industry and $8to the beef industry.

The study determined that reducing export promotion and development programfunding by 75 percent between 1995 and 2010 would have reduced U.S. beefexports by 36.1 percent and U.S. pork exports by 30.1 percent, a total exportloss equal to almost 537 million pounds per year for the eight top foreignmarkets analyzed in the model.

These results suggest that U.S. export promotion have a very important impacton import demand for U.S. beef and pork. In comparing the results of this studyto those of 16 studies of similar programs for other commodities, Dr. Kaisernoted that the results of the study suggested that U.S. beef and pork exportpromotion has had a larger impact on imports of U.S. meat than most otherexport promotion programs.

The full reportis available online at http://www.usmef.org/downloads/USMEFReportFinal-Kaiser.pdf

Meet Two Iowa Corn Farmers: Dave Nelson and Daryl Haack

2011-09-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Throughout harvest, we will be introducing you to Iowa Corn farmers who are serving on ICPB or ICGA. Today we want to recognize Dave Nelson of Belmond and Daryl Haack of Primghar who are retiring from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Board.

Dave Nelson has held many offices including ICGA president and on every NCGA Action Team.
On a local level, Nelson was involved with the launch of Midwest Grain Processors in 2000. He has also participated on the national level with RFA, ACE, and Growth Energy.

Daryl Haack has served as the NCGA Corn Board liaison to the NCGA Public Policy Action Team and a member of the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee. Haack has served as a liaison to the BNSF Railway Ag Business Council and the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and as a member and chairman of the NCGA Ethanol Committee. Haack is a former chair of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.
We thank both of them for their years of service to Iowa Corn and to NCGA. We appreciate their contributions to our industry.

Friday Fun: 2010-11 Iowa Corn Year in Review

2011-09-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! 2010-2011 was a very busy year for Iowa Corn. Take a look at this video that was presented at the Iowa Corn Grower's Association Annual Meeting. We are looking forward to another great year in 2011-2012!

Wordless Wednesday - Chopping Silage

2011-09-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Corn silage chopping has just about wrapped up here in Iowa. Here's a few shots of this great feedstuff that is used to feed beef cattle and dairy cattle throughout Iowa. This photos are thanks to our CommonGround spokeswoman Jill over at www.cornfieldsandtractorwheels.com.

Ask America's Farmers And Ranchers Your Questions About Food

2011-09-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Many U.S. consumers have questions about how their food is being raised and the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers (USFRA) has announced a town hall-stile discussion to address those questions at four locations (Washington D.C., New York City, U.C. Davis - California, and Indiana) and online where consumers can ask questions. The event will be held on September 22.

Consumers can submit questions to farmers to be answered in the town hall meetings at: http://www.fooddialogues.com/dialogues/

Consumers can also participate in the town hall meeting at: http://www.fooddialogues.com/townhall/

CommonGround: ICGA Annual Meeting

2011-09-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

We love featuring our CommonGround ladies here on our blog. They do a fantastic job talking about raising food and their families on their farm.

Last week Sara over at www.sarashoused.blogspot.com talked about the ICGA Annual meeting where her husband, Kevin, became president of the Iowa Corn Grower's Association. We always love to hear from our ladies and their perspectives on different things.

Sara says:

"Well, these past few weeks months have been extremely busy for Kevin as he was preparing to begin his one year term as the President of the Iowa Corn Grower's Association. The last few weeks in August, Kevin was in Des Moines, IA for committee meetings and board meetings. This was all leading up to the Annual Meeting and Policy Conference on Saturday, August 27th.

I was able to attend this meeting as an Alternate Delegate, meaning I would get to vote on the new policies that they were going to bring before us if one of the other Delegates was unable to do so. As the incoming President, Kevin was the one running the annual meeting. He started out introducing the National Corn Grower's President, Bart Schott, who gave a welcome and update from the NCGA level."

To read more visit: http://sarashousehd.blogspot.com/2011/09/iowa-corn-growers-annual-meeting-and.html

Friday Fun: Iowa's Family Corn Farmers

2011-08-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series Trophy Unveiling

2011-08-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

If you are going to be at the Iowa State Fair on Friday. Be sure to meet us on the Grand Concourse for the unveiling of the new football trophy for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.

CommonGround: Cattle Show

2011-08-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Fair season is winding down here in Iowa with the Iowa State Fair going on until Sunday. A few weeks ago one of our CommonGround volunteers, Jill, wrote a blog post about her son showing cattle. It seems that growing up on a farm in Iowa and participating in FFA and/or 4-H to show animals go hand and hand! Below is a short blurb about the cattle show but you can read more of Jill's post at: http://www.cornfieldsandtractorwheels.com/2011/08/cattle-show.html

Cattle Show

Yesterday we entered 2 of our market steers in a local open cattle show to give JM some experience showing calves. He spent every day washing, grooming and walking the steers. They have become very close to him. He couldn't wait to take them to the show and parade them around in the show ring. This is only the 2nd time that JM has had the opportunity to show calves, and he enjoys every minute of it!

Friday Fun: Gordon Wassenaar Receives U.S. Grains Council Lifetime Achievement Award

2011-08-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

Gordon Wassenar, a farmer from Iowa, recently received a lifetime achievement award from the U.S. Grains Council. They put together a video about him. Watch it below!

New Research: Consumers Aren't Avoiding Non-HFCS Labels

2011-08-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a press release from the Corn Refiners Association about how consumers are not avoiding non-HFCS labels.

New Top-of-Mind Research from Mintel Shows Consumers Aren’t Avoiding or Reading Labels for HFCS
Separate Study Shows Food & Beverage Marketers Overestimating Consumer Opposition to HFCS

Most consumers look to avoid total added sugars, not high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) specifically, according to a recent study designed and executed by Mintel Research Consultancy.

In the study, more than 2,000 consumers were asked a series of questions about their dietary habits. By asking participants unaided (or open-ended) questions, the survey helped determine what was “top of mind” for consumers with regard to sweeteners.

Specifically, the study found that 17 percent of consumers were trying to avoid “sugar or added sugar,” as opposed to only 4 percent who indicated that they were looking to avoid HFCS. In the same question, 37 percent of consumers indicated that they were avoiding calories, while 20 percent were avoiding fats and oils.

“This study of thousands of consumers truly shows what is ‘top of mind’ when reading food and beverage package labels. It’s very telling that only 4 percent of consumers are avoiding HFCS,” said David Lockwood, senior analyst, Mintel Research Consultancy. “Mintel identified a major gap between what people say and what they really do. The answers to these unaided responses are the best indicators of true attitudes and behaviors.”

Additionally, in reading package labels for information, a quarter of respondents indicated that they were looking for “sugar or added sugar.” By contrast, only 3 percent indicated that they were reading labels for HFCS. In the same question, 38 percent of consumers read labels for fats and oils, while 37 percent read for calories.

“Consumers are independently confirming that HFCS is not a top of mind issue. In fact, one in four consumers is not focused on ingredients at all,” said Audrae Erickson, president, Corn Refiners Association.

Food & Beverage Marketers Overestimating Impact
The Mintel consumer research underscores that many food and beverage marketers are overestimating consumer opposition to HFCS. According to a separate study conducted by Equation Research for AdweekMedia, 63 percent of food and beverage marketers indicated they were either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about consumer attitudes towards HFCS.

The Equation Research study found that more than half (54 percent) of food and beverage marketers believe that more than 10 percent of consumers have already changed their purchase habits to avoid HFCS. In addition, 64 percent of marketers indicated that more than 10 percent of consumers would need to change their purchasing habits before manufacturers would reformulate their products. Interestingly, some food and beverage companies have changed to HFCS-free formulations even while the actual level of consumer concern about HFCS is less than one-third of the 10% threshold identified by marketers.

Further, many food and beverage marketers did not understand the science of sweeteners; specifically, that HFCS and sugar are nutritionally, metabolically and calorically equivalent*. The Equation Research study found that:

Only 48 percent of food and beverage marketers were aware that HFCS and sugar have the same nutritional value.
Only 47 percent knew that HFCS and sugar have the same calorie count.
Only 44 percent of marketers knew that HFCS metabolized the same as sugar.

About the Research
Mintel Research Consultancy provides syndicated research and custom research projects to more than 500 of the world’s largest companies. Surveying 2,005 household grocery shoppers, Mintel gathered a comprehensive overview of consumers’ attitudes and behaviors related to added sugars in packaged foods and beverages, including HFCS. Study respondents were randomly recruited to participate in the 30-question, 17-minute quantitative telephone survey. The study fielded results in April 2011.

Study respondents participating in the 15-minute quantitative online survey were recruited through invitations sent to Adweek subscribers. Participants were offered the chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. The study fielded results from November 10, 2010, to December 1, 2010, and surveyed 126 marketing professionals.

* According to the American Dietetic Association: “High fructose corn syrup…is nutritionally equivalent to sucrose. Both sweeteners contain the same number of calories (4 per gram) and consist of about equal parts of fructose and glucose. Once absorbed into the blood stream, the two sweeteners are indistinguishable.” Source: Hot Topics, “High Fructose Corn Syrup.” December 2008.

###

The Corn Refiners Association is the national trade association representing the corn refining (wet milling) industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, ethanol, starch, bioproducts, corn oil, and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein, and fiber. For the latest industry news follow CornNaturally on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cornnaturally

15-YEAR RAGBRAI RIDER WINS FARMERS FEED US CONTEST - Iowa Farm Groups Connect with 2011 RAGBRAI riders

2011-08-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

Gerald Ketterling of Clive not only enjoyed his 15th RAGBRAI ride last month, he also won an iPad2 through a contest sponsored by Iowa Farmers Feed Us (FFU). FFU hosted four stops along the statewide ride and handed out free food samples and four separate collectable FFU bike spoke cards to help riders understand more about their food and the farmers who grow and raise it.

“We learned about the campaign before the ride started and we were looking for them at their stops,” said Ketterling. “We enjoy those fun things to do along the way.”

Iowa Farmers Feed Us - RAGBRAI is the fourth project using the FFU platform to showcase the character of rural Iowa’s farming communities and the many farmers who provide a wide variety of nutritious, safe food. FFU was launched in 2010 to highlight farmers’ commitment to providing people with safe, nutritious and wholesome food, caring for the animals and the land, and supporting their communities, as well. Iowa Farmers Feed Us stops were staffed with farmers to explain to riders what they were seeing in the barns and fields that they passed.

Ketterling’s teammates not only hunted for the FFU stops, but talked about the cards and the farmers they represented. “I know lots of riders were amazed by what they saw and learned about Iowa farming,” he said. “We marveled at the size of the equipment and the amazing technology that farmers use today.”

Ketterling grew up on a farm north of Victor and remembers his grandfather using horses in the fields. (“GPS wasn’t on the radar screen yet,” he joked.) The family raised corn, soybeans, hogs and cattle and even milked cows for a time.

“It’s always a good experience to talk to people about farming,” said Dale Zahurones, a farmer who hosted the fourth stop on his land near Baxter. “We want people to have a better understanding of the state they are seeing and to understand what we do to raise crops and livestock.”

The front of each bike spoke card celebrated Iowa farming and RAGBRAI with exclusive drawings created by celebrated Iowa illustrator Brian Duffy. The back of the bike spoke card had a link to the Farmers Feed Us website and a number to enter in a drawing to win the grand prize: a new Apple i-Pad.

The 2011 RAGBRAI Farmers Feed Us sponsors include: the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Beef Industry Council, Midwest Dairy Association, Iowa State Dairy Association, Iowa Turkey Federation and Iowa Soybean Association.

For more information about the 2011 RAGBRAI Farmers Feed Us event and to see photos, check out www.iowafarmbureau.com/ragbrai.

Meet an Iowa Farmer -Jim Greif

2011-08-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Jim Greif, Jones County

Jim Greif from Crop District 6 has been operating his family farm for the past 37 years. Jim believes that a common misconception farmers get is that we don't work to help preserve the land. "We live on the land that we farm, and we want it around for our children and our children's children, so we work hard to try to maintain the quality land that we have."

Jim has witnessed first hand the evolution of farming practices and says that technology has played a pivotal role in that. With GPS, and biotech crops that are environmentally friendly, farming has come a long way since Jim first started farming.

Jim thinks that farming will continue to evolve and change, and that farmers will need to adjust their practices to allow that change. "Soil conservation is something that I think we will need to look even closer at in the next 10 years. I also think yields will increase with less fertilizer per bushel as technology continues to improve." Jim is proud to call himself an Iowa corn farmer.

Iowa Corn Student Advisory Team Goes to Washington D.C.!

2011-07-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

Iowa Corn recently traveled to Washington D.C. for the annual Corn Congress policy meeting and Capitol Hill visits. This year, seven Student Advisory Team (SAT) members representing Iowa Corn joined the group. The SAT was formed this year through an application process and is composed of thirteen college students. I joined the group in DC to help see how the policy process happens and how we can make a difference in agricultural legislation. Overall, the SAT had a busy, informative and fun-filled experience.

On Tuesday, the group started off in the Delmarva Region (Delaware and Maryland) where we visited a cucumber farm, and watched as the cucumbers were harvested and then sorted. The Team also toured a free-range poultry farm, this was a great experience for our SAT to see a different side of agriculture. We finished off the day visiting Wye Angus in Maryland to see their conservation practices and their genetic research. They had a 19 year old cow that until recently has still been having calves!

Wednesday and Thursday morning were filled with an informative Corn Congress where the National Corn Growers Association states joined together to talk about policy on things like ethanol and farm bill. Then we had the excellent opportunity to meet with our Iowa Legislators. Lastly, the USDA was on the SAT schedule. This is where we had an opportunity to voice their opinion on the future of agriculture. It was amazing they were asking what we wanted to see in the next Farm Bill and encouraged students in agriculture to get involved as they needed more policy makers with agriculture backgrounds in D.C.

It wasn't all work and no play after all, we were in the Nation’s Capitol- rich with history and memorials. The SAT did get to spend a night exploring monuments on a trolley tour and an afternoon of seeing the sights. The week was filled with informative meetings, great food, and an experience, I am sure the Team will never forget!

Meet an Iowa Farmer

2011-07-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Kevin Ross, Pottawattamie County

We would like to introduce you to Kevin Ross from Crop District 7, who has been farming for ten years with his wife Sara. Kevin is proud to grow corn and soybeans and knows how lucky Iowa is to have the environment, markets, and infrastructure to produce such a high-yielding crop. Kevin believes that one of the common misconceptions consumers tend to have is that the food supply that we produce as farmers isn't always safe to eat, when in all actuality it is safe, and we feed it to our own families. In the next ten years farming practices will continue to change. Kevin thinks that the future holds higher yields, large risk, and even more precise placement of fertilizer and seed. Kevin is proud to call himself and Iowa Farmer and is currently serving as Vice President of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and will become President of the ICGA in September.

Meet an Iowa Farmer

2011-07-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Deb Keller, Wright County

We would like you to meet Deb Keller from Wright County in North Central Iowa. Deb has been running a family farm, producing corn and soybeans with her husband, Gary, for 25 years. Deb believes in the importance of educating consumers on farmers and farming practices. "As a steward of the land, farmers know the importance of using efficient farming practices to protect the land, water, and our livestock. The health of the environment is crucial to the health of our business." Over the past 25 years Deb has seen first hand how farming has evolved. One of the largest changes Deb has witnessed has been the cost of inputs and farmland, and how efficient farming has become. If you were to ask Deb where she thinks farming is going in the next ten years, she would say there will be more changes coming our way. Deb believes that Biofuels and Bio Preferred products will become an ever increasing factor, and with that the potential to increase profitability. She also thinks farmers need to prepare for the possibility of having more regulations on their farming practices. Deb is proud to call herself an Iowa Farmer. Deb is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, and will become Chair of the ICPB this September.

Friday Fun: Black And Gus

2011-07-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Here at Iowa Corn we talk a lot about how many people are multiple generations removed from the farm. While the following video is funny, it does indicate the need for more of us to help tell agriculture's story by talking to our neighbors about what we are doing.

Hot Topic Thursday - Technology Increasing Our Yields

2011-07-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

FACT: By the year 2050, it’s expected the global population will grow to 9 billion people. To feed them, farmers are faced with a huge task -- produce more food in the next few decades than they have in the past 10,000 years combined. (http://www.monsanto.com/americasfarmers/Pages/mobile-experience.aspx)

Wow! That is a somewhat daunting and scary fact when you sit down and think about it. And really how are farmers going to do that - the amount of land that we can use for farming isn't growing.

So how are we going to do just that - feed a hungry planet? We will do it through new technologies from GPS to need seed traits that will allow us to produce more with less. And the truth is Iowa corn farmers have been doing that for a very long time.

In fact "Yields of 153 bushels per acre in 2010 were 24 bushels per acre greater than those just eight years earlier. Researchers estimate yields may surpass an average of 210 bushels by 2020 and reach a national average of 300 bushels by 2030. By sustainably producing more bushels per acre, farmers can develop new markets for corn – and replace their petroleum-based counterparts." (Corn Farmers Coalition).

Just think with even more improvements in technology what Iowa farmers will be able to do!

CommonGround: Ag Study Mission

2011-07-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

Jill Vander Veen, who is a CommonGround volunteer here in Iowa, also happens to be a member of our I-LEAD Class V (http://www.iowacorn.org/index.cfm?nodeID=31482&audienceID=1). Last week the class went on an Ag Study Mission to learn more about agriculture in the Pacific Northwest.

Jill says " I think the group agreed that we found common ground with the different farms that we studied. The farms in Washington and Oregon that were part of our mission are very labor intensive and yet still deal with many of the same issues that our Midwestern farmers deal with."

To read more visit www.cornfieldandtractorwheels.com or visit I-LEAD's blog at www.iowacornilead.blogspot.com.

Friday Fun: Iowa Corn Indy 250 Wrapup

2011-07-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

The fifth annual Iowa Corn Indy 250 was another resounding success!!! Ken Root with the Agribusiness report did a recap of the event. Watch the video here:

Iowa's Pork Industry

2011-07-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes they say that Iowa is know for pigs and corn. And that might be true but we couldn't be more prouder of having the pork industry here in Iowa! They are an important customer for many corn farmers and there are many corn farmers who also raise hogs.

Here are some Iowa Pork industry facts from www.iowapork.org.

At the end of 2008, Iowa had 8,300 hog operations.

At any one time, there are approximately 19 million pigs being raised in Iowa.
Approximately 30 million hogs are raised in Iowa each year.
Iowa producers marketed more than 37 million hogs in 2008.
The U.S. pork industry marketed more than 121 million hogs in 2008.
Iowa is the number one pork producing state in the U.S. and the top state for pork exports.

Iowa Pork Production Economic Contributions:

The Iowa pork industry generates nearly $950 million in household income for pork producers.
More than 39,000 jobs are directly related to raising and caring for hogs in Iowa.
Iowa pork production alone contributes nearly $5 billion to the Iowa economy.
Several billion dollars are generated in the state each year from pork processing activities.
The total value added by Iowa pork producers to the state is more than $2.5 billion

CommonGround: VanEss Dairy

2011-07-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

Last week Iowa CommonGround Volunteer Jill and her family visited VanEss Dairy in Northwest Iowa.

Here is a little bit of her post. You can read the rest of her post here: http://www.cornfieldsandtractorwheels.com/

Last night we had the opportunity to attend an open house at VanEss Dairy, which is our largest local dairy. We walked around to different stations in the barns, and they explained what happens in each area and how it is done. Harvey and Lisa VanEss and their sons are the owners/operators of the dairy. Harvey and Lisa moved their family to Northwest Iowa from Idaho and built this new dairy to enable all five of their sons to be involved in the business. They are a wonderful family and their business is a true asset to the area.

2011-06-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

ICPB Chair, Dick Gallagher, recently returned from a trade mission to China. Dick thought the trip was an eye opening and positive experience. “I was astonished at the amount of quality farmland, and corn produced in the northeast region of China. The farmland is great, but space as everyone knows, is the issue. We were in a city that was considered “less dense” than most and were in an area the size of Chicago with 9 million people in it. A key issue is keeping trade with China as they continue to grow, and in turn helping to boost our economy.”

Here are some pictures Dick toke while in China:

I Choose Ethanol

2011-06-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Check out Iowa Corn's new ethanol spot - I Choose Ethanol!

Iowan Elected As National Corn Growers Association Executive Officer

2011-06-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

Pam Johnson, a corn farmer from Floyd has been elected as first vice president for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. When she becomes NCGA president in October 2012, Johnson will be the first woman to lead NCGA.

"It is an honor to be elected an officer for the National Corn Growers Association," Johnson said. "This is an organization whose farmer leaders and staff members are supremely dedicated to an industry vitally important to our country and our world. I look forward to working with farmer members, state leaders and many partners as NCGA continues its mission as the leading national voice for corn farmers, and as a thought leader when it comes to growing opportunities for American agriculture."

Johnson is a director of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and former Iowa Corn Promotion Board chair. Johnson's election is scheduled for a ratification vote by delegates at the July 13 Corn Congress meeting in Washington, D.C.

“Pam has given a lot of time and leadership as an advocate for agriculture at the local, state, national, and international level,” said Craig Floss, Iowa Corn’s chief executive officer. “I have no doubt she will do an outstanding job representing Iowa’s corn farmers as a member of the NCGA executive committee.”

Iowa Corn Indy 250

2011-06-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

2011 Marks the 5^th Annual running and is the 5^th year of sponsorship for the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and the Iowa Corn Growers Association - Presenting sponsor, Pioneer has supported the race since 2008. 2011 also marks the first night race for the Iowa Corn Indy 250. It is also the first “Green Out” for the “green” fuel choice, and this race is the only Indy Race fueled by 100% corn ethanol.

Iowa Corn Ethanol Facts:

· Iowa is the leader in corn and ethanol production

· 1 bushel of corn produces nearly 3 gallons of ethanol

· 1 acre of corn can produce 300 gallons of ethanol-fueling 4 cars for 1 year on a 10% blend

· Ethanol production provides nearly 50,000 Iowa jobs

· Iowa has 40 Ethanol Plants with 3.6 billion gallons at capacity

· Livestock, which also benefits from DDGS (a high protein feed) from ethanol production

· 149 E85 pumps

· In the Midwest ethanol saved consumers approximately $1.37/gallons last year

Come out to the race and help us in supporting the Indy Series and ethanol!

Missouri River Flooding

2011-06-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

The Missouri River is expected to crest in Iowa this week. And the river is expected to stay high throughout the summer. Our thoughts go out to those families, business and farmers who are all being impacted by the flood.

Last week Maddi Sieck, and I-LEAD Class V member took some photos of the Missouri River flooding. Below are a few of the photos that she took. You can view the whole collection here: http://flic.kr/ps/RSCSv

Friday Fun: 2011 Iowa Corn Indy 250

2011-06-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Check out our Ethanol commercial that will debut during the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on Versus on June 25, 2011. We hope you can join us at the Iowa Speedway for this event, but in case you can't be sure to watch it on TV. The green flag drops at 8 p.m.!

June Is Dairy Month

2011-06-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Dairy Month! After the warm temperatures we've had in Iowa this week, we all deserve a big scoop of ice cream to celebrate the Iowa Dairy Industry!

Did you know that Iowa Ranks (according to the Iowa State Dairy Association):

12th in total pounds of milk produced
12th in milk cow numbers
12th in production per cow
9th in fluid milk bottling
8th in total dairy products processed
7th in number of dairy herds
7th in cheese production
6th in cottage cheese production
6th in production of American cheese
4th in ice cream production

Dairy products are an excellent source of critical nutrients, that help improve our diets and are an excellent for our overall nutrition. You can learn more about how milk is an important part of any diet at: http://www.midwestdairy.com/pages/index.cfm?page_id=70.

The Midwest Dairy Association also has some great healthy recipes at: http://www.midwestdairy.com/0t8p14/recipes/

Iowa Corn in South Korea

2011-06-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

Iowa Corn's Kevin Ross and Deb Keller join a group of Iowa delegates on a trade mission to South Korea and China. The goal of the trip is to boost Iowa exports to these countries and help our economy at home. To see more images of the trip go to http://www.flickr.com/iowaagriculture

Iowa trade mission delegation in South Korea

Iowa Corn's Deb Keller talks with other Iowa delegates

Iowa Corn's Kevin Ross talks trade in South Korea

CommonGround: Artificially Inseminating Cattle

2011-06-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

CommonGround Volunteer, Sara Ross and her family Artificially Inseminated Cattle last week. She took this video:

Be sure to read her post at www.sarashousehd.blogspot.com

Friday Fun: I'm Only One Voice In A Million

2011-05-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

This video was put together by Laura, a CommonGround Volunteer from South Dakota. She has a YouTube Channel called The Real Farm Girl.

Laura has this to say about the video:

"Farmers are less than 1% of the population, and I feel like "Only one voice in a million" rings true to each and every one of us. For anyone who doesn't know a farmer this song really describes their character in my opinion. Farmers have so much passion and love for their land and animals. It is like "my heart is like a loudspeaker, and always on 11". Farmers are the most prideful people I know. They really live by "when it all boils down at the end of the day, it's what you do and say that makes you who you are". So to HSUS, PETA, and other Anti-Ag groups: you may try and steal our pride but we'll be just fine. We will prosper and continue to proudly provide quality food that feeds the world."

Check out this video and be sure to visit her channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/therealfarmgirl.

A Tale Of Two Corns

2011-05-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Last fall, Iowa Corn hosted a group of bloggers from around the country for the Iowa Cornucopia Tour. Many of these bloggers thought that they were coming to learn about Sweet Corn when in fact they were coming to learn about Field Corn.

We know it can be confusing on exactly what the difference is. NCGA published a document called "A Tale Of Two Corns" that helps to explain the difference.

There are two corns in the United States, and field corn is by far the most common, grown on more than 99 percent of all corn acres. While a small portion is processed for use as corn cereal, corn starch, corn oil and corn syrup for human consumption, it is primarily used for livestock feed, ethanol production and other manufactured goods. It’s considered a grain. (Believe us when we say, you will know when you grab an ear of field corn and bite into it, much less sweet and more starchy!)

Sweet corn is what people purchase fresh, frozen or canned for eating. It’s consumed as a vegetable. Unlike field corn, which is harvested when the kernels are dry and fully mature, sweet corn is

picked when immature.

Meet an Iowa Farmer

2011-05-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Meet an Iowa Farmer

Mark Recker, Fayette County

We would like you to meet Mark Recker of Fayette County. He has been operating his corn/soybean family farm for the last fifteen years and not only enjoys the rewards of farming but overcoming the challenges that go along with it as well. With change comes challenges, and Mark said that over the years one of the biggest changes he has seen in farming is the advances in technology in seed and equipment, and how is has affected how he manages his operation. As we all know, some agriculture practices tend to get a bad reputation, especially when it comes to chemical and fertilizer application. For all the individuals who do not come from a farm background, Mark wants you to know, "In crop production, we do use chemicals and fertilizers. However, to use more than necessary not only could harm the environment, but also decrease our profitability as well." Mark, along with most farmers know that we have ideal conditions here in Iowa, and don't want to harm our land and environment by overworking and over applying chemicals. There is a long future of farming yet to come in Iowa and Mark sees the potential that is in the industry. Ten years from now,Mark believes that there will be many more opportunities in farming to increase efficiency, improve production, and further benefit the consumer.

Friday Video: Ethanol Performance

2011-05-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

We are gearing up for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 25 here at Iowa Corn. This year the event will be held underneath the lights at the Iowa Speedway.

See why the pros use Ethanol in the IndyCar series:

Ethanol: Saving You Money At The Pump

2011-05-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

According to a study recently released by the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, U.S. ethanol saves drivers money at the pump. The study tracked historic data over the past decade and looked specifically at 2010. The study concluded that using ethanol is saving consumers money at the pump.

In the study, professors Dermott Hays and Xiaodong Du find that “the use of ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by an average if $0.89 per gallon in 2010.” The Renewable Fuels Association extrapolates that, in 2010 alone, ethanol reduced the average American’s household gasoline bill by $800.

Gas prices could almost double to “historic proportions” if ethanol production immediately halted.
Drivers saved an average of $0.25 per gallon from 2000-2010.
Annual savings from 2000-2010 averaged $34 billion dollars

Update on Planting Season around Iowa

2011-05-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

Planting Update-SE Iowa- Dick Gallagher, Washington, Washington County- Most of the corn has been planted and is starting to emerge. It’s coming up a bit yellow due to the cold, but optimistic that it will improve. A little over half of the bean crop is also in the ground as of today and planting is still going strong. There is also a lot of spraying going on now, but progress in the field has been a little slow in the past couple of days due to the rain. 1 ½ -2 ½ inches of rain fell here, leaving the fields pretty damp still, but hopefully be back in the field tomorrow.

Planting Update- W Central Iowa- Curt Schweers, Arcadia, Carroll County- Corn in the area is all planted and beans should be finished up by Thursday. The sprayers are out and things are looking good. It has been a great planting season so far!

Planting Update-SW Iowa-Julius Schaff, Randolph, Fremont County- Most of the corn is in the ground and beans are going to be finished up within the next few days.Some early planted corn had to be replanted due to the cold spell after the first planting took place. The corn that is up is looking good and the sprayers are out in the fields. Planting is ahead of schedule for the area this year compared to last year when planting was still going on during the 4^th of July. Everything is looking great, and this is the best start we have had in about three years.

Planting Update-NW Iowa-Bruce Rohwer, Paullina, O’Brien/Sioux County- The planting season is progressing well with all of the corn in and beans should be done by the end of the week. Thankfully, there haven’t been any replants yet this year, and the early planted corn emerged slowly, but did come. There are a few sprayers out, and expecting more later this week if the rain stays off. I would say it has been a successful planting season so far.

Planting Update-NE Iowa-Bob Hemesath, Calmar, Winneshiek County- Corn is about 90% done in the area and a little over half of the beans are in as well. There are a fair amount of sprayers in the fields now. Conditions have been good this planting season and continue to impress.

Sara's House HD - The Corn Is Up!

2011-05-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Sara over at Sara's House HD is one of our CommonGround Volunteers.

Last week Sara had a post called The Corn is Up! Here in Iowa we are very excited that the corn is starting to come up. After a delayed start, Iowa farmers have been working long hours to get the crop into the ground. She took some great photos of the new plants just starting to emerge!

To read some more of her post and see some more of her photos visit: www.sarashousehd.blogspot.com.

Friday Video (On Monday): Iowa Corn Indy 250 - Join The Team Promotion

2011-05-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Blogger seemed to be having a few problems last week, so again we are posting our Friday video on Monday!

Last week an Iowa Corn Indy 250 pre-race promotion was held at the Iowa Speedway in Newton. Two teams competed against each other. The teams were made up of individuals from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University coaching staff, Iowa corn farmers and Indy car drivers. For a look at the event click on the video put together by Chuck Zimmerman at AgWired.com

For more of Chuck's coverage on the event click on the following links!

You can also view more photos of the event by clicking here.

Update on Planting Season around Iowa

2011-05-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

Planting Update-SE Iowa-Dick Gallagher, Washington, Washington County-90-100% of the corn is in the ground at this point. There is spraying going on when the wind isn't such a factor, and it has presented itself to be a very successful corn planting season.

Planting Update- West Central Iowa- Curt Schweers, Arcadia, Carroll County- 90-100% of the corn has been planted. Everyone is pushing hard to get some spraying and planting in before the weather front moves in tomorrow. It has been excellent planting conditions, and with a good rain things should be looking fine.

Planting Update- SW Iowa- Julius Schaff, Randolph, Fremont County- Most of the corn has been in the ground for about a week. Replants for any corn planted around the 11-13^th of April that didn't make it through the cold are taking place now. We are ahead of schedule this year, compared to the extremely wet conditions we had last year in the area. Everything is looking great and hoping for a rain in the forecast.

Planting Update- NW Iowa- Bruce Rohwer, Paullina, O’Brien County- Planting is occurring at a break-neck pace with most of the corn done. With the warm weather, some weeds are already coming out. The ground is way too dry and could use a good rain. The years planting season happened pretty quickly with the farmers not backing off.

Planting Update- NE Iowa- Bob Hemesath, Decorah, Winneshiek County- About 75% of the corn has been planted. There was a good rain here yesterday making farmers unable to be in the field today, but will hopefully be dried out by tomorrow to get back at it. There is a lot of spraying going on as well. Planting conditions have been terrific this spring.

Meet an Iowa Corn Farmer

2011-05-09T13:57:00.000-07:00

Look how great our Iowa farmers are! They may have gotten in the field later than anticipated, but made up for it in record numbers. 61% of the corn crop was put in within six days, thanks to the great weather and the size of equipment our farmers use now. The 61% increase in a single week hasn't been reached since 1992. What an accomplishment! We wish our Iowa farmers continued success during this planting season, and into the summer growing months.

Friday Video: Farming For Generations, A Portrait of American Farmers

2011-05-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

"I love the way farmers live.

I love they way they treat others.

I love the way they respect the earth.

The communities they've created and live in

are as close to a perfect world as I can imagine."

Paul Mobley - Photographer "American Farmer: The Heart Of Our Country"

Iowa Secretary of Ag: "Consider Conservation Needs on the Farm and in Town this Spring"

2011-05-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Bill Northey is the Secretary of Agriculture here in Iowa (he also happens to be a past president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association). Last week he sent out this statement reminding all Iowans that conserving soil is important to all of us and that we should all do our part.

As spring enters full swing farmers and gardeners alike are excited to kick-off the growing season and plant what will hopefully be a bountiful crop.

Spring also presents an opportunity to review the conservation needs on your land, whether it is a farm, acreage or an urban lot in a city or small town.

Iowa gets an average of around 35 inches of rain each year, a little less in the Northwest and more in the Southeast, and that means each of us will receive about three feet of water on our property over the course of the year. Our Department is available to help landowners of all size manage that water to better protect the precious natural resources in our state.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Division of Soil Conservation, partnering with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, has been working with farmers and landowners for 70 years to help them design and install conservation practices that help prevent erosion and protect water quality.

You can visit your local USDA Service Center to learn more about the assistance, both technical and financial, available through the Department’s Division of Soil Conservation to support the installation of a wide variety of conservation practices.

These practices, such as terraces, filter strips, grass waterways, buffers, etc., are designed to prevent rainwater from running off and carrying soil and other pollutants into our river, lakes and streams.

In recent years, the Department has also created an urban conservation program that takes the lessons we have learned from that 70 years of working with farmers and landowners and applies them to our urban areas.

Our towns and cities also get rain and we have found that parking lots, streets and yards can also generate runoff that impacts the water quality in our state and can contribute to flood flows, especially in smaller urban streams with a significant amount of development in their watersheds.

So, we now have 5 urban conservationists that work with homeowners, developers, businesses and community leaders across the state. They help educate them about strategies and practices that can be installed so that rainwater movement is slowed down and allowed to infiltrate into the ground rather than run-off and carry any pollutants with it.

They show how rain gardens, bioretention cells, soil quality restoration, native landscaping, permeable pavement and other practices can be used in new construction or made to work with existing infrastructure.

They have also created a “Rainscaping Iowa” campaign. One of the goals of this effort is to train landscaping professionals in designing and installing these urban conservation practices so that homeowners can work with these professionals to install these practices in their community.

For more information on the different types of urban conservation practices or to find a “Rainscaper” near you just visit www.rainscapingiowa.org.

So, whether you are on the farm, living on acreage or in town, I would encourage you to take a look at your property and consider how you will manage the rain that falls on it this year. If we all take steps to take better care of precious resources we can make sure future generations can enjoy them as well.

Meet An Iowa Corn Farmer - Tim Recker

2011-05-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Meet Tim Recker - he is an Iowa corn farmer from the Arlington area. He farms with his brother and also owns and operates Recker Excavating.

Watch what Tim has to say about growing corn for Food AND Fuel:

Friday Video: Spring Planting

2011-04-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Spring planting in Iowa hasn't officially started because the weather has been a little wet around here. We found this video that provides a brief look at farmers planting their crops in Iowa and the hard work they do every year to provide food to a hungry world while caring for the environment from jmurphpix.

Here's hoping for drier weather next week!

Hot Topic Thursday - Using No-Till

2011-04-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's Hot Topic Thursday and today we want to talk about No-Till.

Many corn farmers have implemented conservation tillage, such as no-till or minimal tillage practices on millions of acres. No-tilling means that remnants from the previous year's crop are left untouched. No-till improves soil over time because of the increase in organic material and also helps to reduce soil erosion during snow melt and heavy rains. The USDA has noted that corn farmers have cut soil erosion 44% in two decades by using various conservation methods, such as no-till.

Eliminating soil run-off keeps not only the soil but also helps keeps crop nutrients and moisture in the soil during the growing season.

And farmers are traveling across the field less often, which reduces the use of diesel fuel and compaction in the soil.

Here is an example of what a farm employing no-till looks like:

(Photo courtesy of Pioneer.com)

No-till is just one example of the many different practices that Iowa corn farmers are using to grow more corn with less inputs!

Iowa CommonGround - Anhydrous Ammonia Application

2011-04-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we told you about CommonGround (you can read that post here). From time to time we will feature posts from the volunteers.

It is a very rainy day here in Iowa and many corn farmers are waiting to get into the fields to plant this year's crop. Last week Suzanne did a great job explaining what exactly is involved in preparing your fields for the 2011 corn crop.

Anhydrous Ammonia Application

"Anhydrous ammonia (NH3 for short hand) is the form of nitrogen we use in our farming operation. There are several different forms of nitrogen fertilizer - liquid 28% and 32%, urea, ammonium sulfate - but in our operation NH3 is the best form to use. Corn being a grass plant requires nitrogen to grow. The soybean is a legume and manufactures it's own nitrogen."

You can read and see more photos from Suzanne's post here.

Friday Video (On Monday): One Hungry Planet

2011-04-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Even though it is Monday, we thought that we would post this video for you all, in celebration of Earth Day that was last Friday. It is from BASF and is entitled "One Hungry Planet".

This video shows how farmers are producing more with less. Take a look, there are some great facts that you might be able to use. And remember, Every Day is Earth Day for farmers in the United States!

EPA Administrator Jackson and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Meet with Farmers, Ranchers, and Renewable Energy Leaders in Iowa

2011-04-20T09:46:00.001-07:00

This week EPA Administrator and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack met with farmers and other leaders to learn about what they are doing to protect air and water quality. Below is the press release about the event.

WASHINGTON – Today, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa
Jackson and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met with farmers and
ranchers in Iowa to discuss EPA and USDA’s joint efforts to ensure that
American agriculture continues to be productive. Jackson and Vilsack
highlighted the cutting-edge conservation measures producers have
pioneered over the past decades and met with renewable energy leaders to
discuss agriculture’s role in making the nation more energy secure.

“These opportunities to talk with farmers on their land and see their
operations at work are incredibly valuable. Open communication and
transparency are the essential first steps toward protecting air and
water quality and ensuring the health of farming communities,” said EPA
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Agriculture is part of the foundation of
the American economy. EPA’s mission to safeguard clean air, clear water
and productive land is a critical part of sustaining farming jobs and
productivity, and it’s vital that we communicate and work together on
these issues we share.”

“The farmers and ranchers we visited with today – and hundreds of
thousands like them around the country – are our nation’s first and
finest conservationists. They understand better than anyone that you
cannot continually take from the land without giving back and they have
taken incredible strides to protect the land they rely on,” said
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA will continue to work
hand-in-hand with EPA to ensure that both agencies are pursuing
common-sense regulation that will let farmers make the decisions they
feel are best for their own operations.”

Jackson and Vilsack toured a livestock farm in Pleasantville, Iowa and a
1,600 acre row crop farm in Prairie City, Iowa. They also toured REG
Newton, LLC, a biodiesel plant in Newton, Iowa, to discuss agriculture’s
role in renewable energy development.

EPA and USDA have worked together to encourage conservation work and the
profitability of American farmers. EPA’s recent decision to waive a
limitation on selling gasoline that contains more than 10 percent of
ethanol represents one of several steps needed from federal and state
government and industry to commercialize E-15 gasoline blends.

The Renewable Fuel Standard EPA proposed will encourage farmers to
continue to work with industry to innovate and provide the nation with a
source of clean renewable fuel. At the same time, it will create jobs
around the country and increase farmers’ income by $13 billion annually.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday Video: Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Annoucement

2011-04-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

This week we announced that Iowa Corn will now be the sponsors of the Cy-Hawk series here in Iowa. We are very excited for the possibilities that the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series will bring us. It will allow us to tell the story about corn and the farmers who grow it here in Iowa on a much larger scale.

Take a look at the video announcement here:

Penn State ag economist says rising food prices not the farmers' fault

2011-04-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

As commodity and fuel prices continue to rise, the Food & Fuel debate continues to rise.

This article is from Penn State and points out that rising food prices are not because of the high price of corn. You can view the original article here.

Monday, April 4, 2011

University Park, Pa. -- Wholesale food prices rose last month by the most in 36 years, and experts can't say how high they'll ultimately go. As the effects appear everywhere from the supermarket to fast food restaurants, an economist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences said farmers probably won't be reaping much of the increase.

James Dunn, professor of agricultural economics, said prices for corn, wheat, soybeans and just about all large-production crops are higher than they were one year ago. He points to a long-term increase in global demand as the most salient of several factors.

"We had a big spike in commodity prices in 2007-2008, when there was a good worldwide economy and the prices of everything went high that year, too," he said. "Then the global recession hit. As we come out of it, we're seeing increasing demand resume. Then last season's bad weather in northern Europe, Poland and Russia really hit the feed-grain markets."

The United States typically exports grain to cover worldwide shortfalls, but U.S. production also faltered last year. Demand for soybeans outstripped supply despite a record crop, and there was record demand for wheat. It all results, Dunn said, in a perfect storm for high commodity prices.

"Last year was a particular challenge, and we're going into this growing season with a very small crop inventory," he said. "Ethanol production now consumes nearly 40 percent of the nation's corn crop, up from about 10 percent a decade ago, and there's growing demand for meat and dairy products in places like India and China.

"The combination of more people, low agricultural production and weather snafus means we'll have pretty high commodity prices for the next year or so."

Dunn cautioned that the current high food prices originate at the farm level, but few people buy food at the farm level. Most of the modern American food dollar goes to processing, transportation and marketing and not to the producers. So, rising farm prices won't hit all foods equally.

"The fact that corn prices are doubled doesn't mean that foods made from corn will double," he said. "In fact, the basic commodities are a relatively small portion of retail food prices. Labor, packaging, transportation and processing represent the majority of your food prices, and those don't change as rapidly as farm commodities.
"The actual food-cost increase will vary, first according to what percentage of the retail price the farm value represents, and second, how much the commodity price has gone up, because all commodities haven't risen equally," he said. "So we're going to see particular items in our market basket cost more. Some of them, like milk, have a fairly large component in the retail price, and so if milk prices are higher, the consumers will notice that."

Most products have a fairly small agricultural component, but Dunn says some manufacturers won't let these facts hinder their pricing strategies.

"Sometimes the processor will use the excuse of higher farm prices to recoup some profit that slipped away because of other input costs," he said. "We've seen cereal companies cite high corn prices when raising their prices much higher than the value of the corn in the flakes.

"Sometimes you can increase the palatability of a price increase with an argument that sounds better than it actually is."

Internationally, the specter of high food prices is much more threatening. Dunn explained that for countries with lower standards of living than the United States, high commodity prices could bring serious hardship. And it may not be limited to nations that traditionally struggle with poverty.

"For example, in Ukraine, which seems like a relatively prosperous country, about 50 percent of their income is spent on food," he said. "So, when food prices go up quite a bit, their real income goes down sharply. Americans only spend 10 percent of their income on food, so the doubling of commodity prices is less important.

"And if you're spending half your income on food, you're not buying a lot of processed product. You're buying unprocessed ingredients, and they're more like the commodities -- they'll go up and down more than pizzas and things that have a lot of marketing in them already. But for onions and potatoes, the farm value is a big part of the retail price."

Iowa Farm Women Creating CommonGround With Consumers

2011-04-12T06:39:00.000-07:00

With more Americans growing up in urban and suburban areas, miles from farm life, there is an increasing disconnect between consumers and the people who grow their food. In a uniquely mom-driven campaign, Iowa farm women are joining together to talk to other women about food production, food safety, the environment, farm life and their common ground.

The Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Iowa Corn Growers Association, the National Corn Growers Association and the United Soybean Board have joined together with five states including Iowa to spearhead a grassroots campaign that showcases the common values and expectations between farmers and consumers. The grassroots program is called CommonGround.

The program aims to feature farm women as the face of production agriculture. Three woman from across Iowa are participating in the pilot program: Sara Ross, Minden; Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg; and Jill Vander Venn Hartley.

This video was taken at the launch of the Iowa program in February:

Besides holding various events across Iowa, the Iowa volunteers also use social media tools to talk about life on the family farm. They use Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and blogs to connect with Iowans about modern food production.

You can follow each of their blogs via the links below:

Sara - www.sarashousehd.blogspot.com
Jill - www.cornfieldsandtractorwheels.blogspot.com
Suzanne - www.suzannecommonground.blogspot.com

And from time to time, we will feature their posts right here on Iowa Corn sTalk!

HSUS Revealed

2011-04-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Every Friday on Iowa Corn sTalk we will feature a video that helps to tell the story of American Agriculture. We posted this video earlier in the week on our facebook page (www.facebook.com/iowacorn) but thought it would be great to share this with you all.

This video is titled HSUS Revealed, and was produced by the channel Missouri Farmers Care (www.mofarmerscare.com). Agriculture is under attack by the Humane Society Of The United States. They are not your local animal shelter and most of their money goes for salaries and to lobby on issues that hurt agriculture in the U.S. They raise money based on the fact that many people think that they are donating to their local animal shelter, only one-half of one-percent of the money they raise each year actually goes to help animals.

Take a glance at the video here:

You can learn more at HumaneWatch (www.humanewatch.org)

Food and Fuel Debate Oversimplified

2011-04-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

This post was originally published in the Thursday, March 5 edition of Iowa Farmer Today. You can view the original article here.

Deb Keller, who farms near Clarion with her family, is chairwoman-elect of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.

The food and fuel debate is a great oversimplification of a complex issue. It just doesn’t work that simply, and neither does hunger.

The discussion should include the current food supply and food-supply chain, trade politics, animal feed, world economics and the advantages of producing ethanol from corn.

A very easily missed fact is with most renewable-fuels production, you remove the energy and are still left with feed for livestock. With corn ethanol, the feed value is enhanced: The distiller’s dried grains (DDGs) co-product is more nutritious than the original unprocessed grain because of the yeast.

Local production of ethanol from locally grown corn can cut dependence and cash spent on foreign fuel, increase local community resources, and provide a spur for state job creation and growth. And, growing biofuels crops can encourage food-crop production rather than reduce it, creating a food and fuel partnership.

Each time corn prices increase, alarmists start talking about higher food prices. In fact, the U.S. farm and food sector is so efficient consumers’ food costs — as it relates to their entire income — has been shrinking for decades. Americans pay less for their daily food than any other nation in the world, and the farmer’s share of each dollar spent on food is less than 19 cents.

Corn ingredients are important in many foods and more than 4,000 everyday products, but corn is often present in amounts too small to justify price changes at the grocery store checkout. For example, if corn goes from $4 per bushel to $6 per bushel, the price change at the grocery store for cereal is just pennies worth of corn. Other products such as hamburger, pork chops, eggs and milk also have pennies worth of corn value in the final cost.

The largest driving factor for changing food prices is the cost of transportation and labor. If added with marketing, packaging, and advertising, you see where 80 percent of your food dollar is spent.

I heard a very good quote from Bill Hudson with ProExporter at a recent meeting. He said we will need to drive to eat in this country. That statement supports it is not an either-or scenario, but it is the need for food and fuel — food for a growing world population and fuel for a nation hungry for energy.

AS A farmer getting ready for another planting season, I feel tremendous pride and also apprehension for the upcoming growing season. I know looking at trend-line yields today would have been unbelievable to the first generations farming our family farm. And, being involved in the mapping for the corn genome research, I know the power packed into the corn plant and its amazing ability to grow in challenging weather.

But, as a farmer, I know there is too much information out there for consumers. With more Americans growing up in urban and suburban areas, there is increasing misinformation. In 1950, 75 percent of the world’s population was rural. In 2050, 75 percent of the world’s population is expected to be urban.

Because of this, there are many misconceptions about farming and the food we eat. Today’s U.S. farmer feeds 155 people worldwide, up from 25.8 people in 1960, according to the Center for Food Integrity. Thanks to farmers, U.S. families enjoy the safest, most-affordable and abundant food supply in the world. To do this, we are producing more food on less land because of technology and seed advancements.

HOW DO we share what we know from the tractor cab with our city cousins? It starts with talking to your family, friends and neighbors. Then they can talk to their family, friends and neighbors, and so on. It also starts with reaching consumers where they shop, eat and fill up their vehicles.

The Iowa Corn Promotion Board has many educational programs and events under way including partnerships with NASCAR, the Indy Racing League, the state of Iowa, Iowa State University and a new consumer mom-to-mom program called CommonGround.

The purpose of each partnership is to talk to consumers about what farmers are doing and reassure the general population we are producing food and fuel in the most-efficient and environmentally sustainable manner. As a mother, wife and farmer, I take this responsibility very seriously.