I’m a little perplexed.

For the first time ever, the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have adopted rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel efficiency of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. These new rules sound pretty tough. But wait… Apparently stopping “climate change” is only important unless a company can afford to buy its way out of the new rules! I know the government needs the money, but isn’t this really just extortion?

Another example of getting permits to pollute is The Des Moines Waterworks (DMWW). The waterworks is suing three Iowa counties for nitrates running off fields in these drainage districts that supply water to our state’s largest city. Ironically, nutrient levels in the Raccoon River have actually trended steady or down since the 1990s. The number of times the DMWW has operated its nitrate removal system also has declined over time, according to the Iowa Farm Bureau and other farm and agribusiness organizations. Yet the lawsuit continues.

Most likely, the lawsuit will require farmers and landowners to get federal discharge permits. Basically, the waterworks wants farmers to get a permit for their tile outlets the same way a city gets a permit to release sewage in to a river. They literally get a license to pollute! Apparently, it’s okay to pollute as long as the government collects payment.

A few years back, a program was being pushed on farmers to trade carbon credits. Essentially, polluting companies could buy what a farmer was doing help the environment such as no-till and then the company was allowed to continue to pollute!

Is it just me or does anyone else get the feeling that “climate change” is little more than a money game? If you follow me, you know I believe the climate is changing. It always has and it always will! It’s fascinating to study history and see that many deserts were once lush forests. Huge seas covered what is now dry land. Glaciers moved over the Great Plains of the Midwest before mankind could even be blamed for the change!

The big questions are: “How much of this change is caused by mankind?” and “How much can paying the government for permits or fine will actually stop climate change?”

Mankind has proven its ability to adapt. If the government would get out of the way – and stop draining free enterprise of all its cash, innovation and the ingenuity – Americans will make this world a better place! Our economy is straining under the burden of all these regulations. I seriously doubt any of these regulations will have a positive impact when they can be bypassed simply by making a payment. All it does is add unnecessary burden and cost to doing business. And that’s not good for anyone!

By Kilah Hemesath, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Coordinator

Picture this: A pig-tailed, seven-year-old girl climbing up the combine ladder with lunch in hand to spend the day in the field riding along with her dad. There’s a special kind joy in this memory, as I later realized I was doing what I loved years ago.

I spent the next few years doing just that. I became involved in 4-H and FFA and learned there’s no frustration like the last pig slipping by me when loading hogs or the sadness of watching a 9-week old piglet struggling to stay alive. Those experiences have taught me to not stop until the job was done and to let go of things that are out of my control.

After high school, I earned a degree in Agricultural Business from Iowa State University and now work for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds as a Marketing Coordinator. I find myself lucky to have a career in both an industry and an in a position that I am excited about. But that’s not to say I haven’t learned some tough lessons along the way.

The harsh reality of being a young woman in a male-dominated field is that many people quickly jump to the conclusion that you are under qualified, lack knowledge and can’t relate to the farmer in the field. The good news is that I have learned how to earn people’s trust, and I have the opportunity to show what I know.

I’ve found reward within the challenge of proving people wrong, which is a “must-have attitude” for women in agriculture who are just out of college. There is such large opportunity in agriculture, especially in the emerging population of women. The agriculture field is very rewarding and is filled with ample opportunities. I can’t encourage others enough to give it a shot and find their niche.

My family has always supported my interests and encouraged me along the way. My dad taught me that you need to work for what you want, and my mom taught me the need for patience and understanding that everything happens for a reason. Side note – she also taught me how to bake a killer chocolate chip cookie, apple bars and many more. 🙂 My brothers taught me countless lessons. (I like to think I taught them some things too… hah!). Plus, they have pushed me to be the best version of myself.

I am grateful for such a strong support team, especially my parents who have been irreplaceable role models for myself and my brothers. I plan to continue my #RootsinBoots throughout my life, and someday hope to provide my kids with the same inspiring experiences I had.

My best advice for any young women in agriculture is to find what grinds your gears and do that! Hang on to your passion and run with it. Never underestimate a woman in boots!

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Without strong women to help shape and manage our company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds would be a very different company than it is today. We understand the key roles women play in everything from purchasing seed to marketing grain, from public relations and event planning to sales and customer service. That’s why we’re celebrating women who are doing what they love. From now through November we’ll be showcasing women in agriculture by telling their #RootsinBoots stories. Follow along and be inspired by FarmHers across Iowa!

If you’ve ever taken projects to the fair, you know it’s rare to make it past the livestock barn or exhibition hall. There’s probably a few “annual stops” that you make on the fairgrounds to see old friends or make take in a new fair attraction. That’s why the third and final session of the 2016 Soy Scholars program occurred yesterday at the Iowa State Fair to provide a different perspective to students interested in ag careers.

Four Iowa high school students were selected last spring to participate in the inaugural Soy Scholars program, sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association and Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. The objective of the program is to allow students to explore career paths before they graduate high school or declare a college major.

Visits in June and July to both the Iowa Soybean Association’s office and Latham’s headquarters showcased a wide-array of ag-related careers from agricultural production and marketing communications to seed sales and precision farming. During these sessions, students work directly with a mentor in their field of interest to gain hands-on experience, ask questions and make connections.

Yesterday the Soy Scholars spent time at the state fair, advocating on behalf of the Iowa Food & Family Project of which Latham Seeds is also a proud sponsor. Students worked at stations just outside the 50-ton, 14-feet tall sand sculpture that fairgoers literally watched take shape from the opening day of the fair.

After working their two-hour shift, Soy Scholars were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour by Iowa State Fair ambassador Don Greiman. Don was gracious enough to point drive us around the grounds, providing us with interesting fair facts. Did you know that polled Herefords are the only cattle breed native to Iowa? Beef breed meetings are held inside the Gammon Barn throughout the state fair.

Did you know the Iowa State Fair was the inspiration for three motion pictures plus Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway musical? Midwest Living named the Iowa State Fair one of “Top 30 Things Every Midwesterner Should Experience,” and it’s the only fair listed in The New York Times best-selling travel book, “1000 Places to See before You Die.”

One of the icons at the Iowa State Fair is, of course, the Butter Cow. The butter cow consists of 600 pounds of low moisture, pure cream Iowa butter, which is reused for up to 10 years. (Click here for 25 fun facts about the butter cow.) This year the butter cow had a Star Trek companion to help the television and movie series toast its 50th year.

There’s so much ground to cover at the Iowa State Fair – so much to see and do – that it’s no wonder this event continues to attract media attention and draw record-breaking crowds. The food alone makes it worth the visit! Yesterday the Soy Scholars dined at the Iowa Turkey Federation food stand for turkey drumsticks and “Not Your Mama’s Tacos,” winner of the 2016 Iowa State Fair New Food contest.

The final stop on our fair tour was Nitro Ice Cream from Blue Sky Creamery. Not only is it super smooth, but unlike traditional ice cream that melts faster than you can eat it, Nitro Ice Cream stays firm. We put it to the test as the mercury reached 99 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday on the fairgrounds!

Although many of the notorious state fair foods can only be enjoyed once a year, you can treat yourself to Honey Lemonade all summer long. Today we’re sharing the recipe, courtesy of the Iowa Honey Producers Association. (Click here for tips on keep your honey fresh and for links to additional honey recipes.)

Anyone else feel like it’s time to charge the ol’ batteries? While some of the new cell phones don’t even need to be plugged in to charge, this old pig farmer needed jumper cables to get going!

This past month has been extremely busy. I’m overseeing 11 different building remodeling projects. We’re down to the small details on these, but several change orders are getting filed. I’m also halfway through the construction of a new barn, while cleaning up about a million pounds of scrap iron. I have to shower in before entering each barn, plus all parts and tools must be disinfected. I’ve been working extra-long hours. One day last week I worked 20 hours!

On top of all this construction work, my wife and I recently took the trip of a lifetime to Japan. All of these are good things, but honestly, they’re taking a toll. That’s why last Thursday and Friday and I changed my routine to attend the Global Leadership Summit. It’s just what I needed!

Some of the greatest leaders shared ideas on how to improve the way I interact with people, work with people and make the most of my time. Bill Hybels is the driving force behind this summit, and he started with a talk about evaluating your vision. Vision, he says, is your road map when the terrain can keep changing.

One of my favorite speakers was Alan Mulally. This man is a master of getting people to work together! “Mulally’s turnaround of Ford will likely be studied by business students for years to come as an artful combination of needed financial belt-tightening, plus a cultural change that took the car and truck maker from the brink of bankruptcy to the forefront of growth in the U.S. auto industry,” according to an article in Forbes.

The list of speakers continued with Melinda Gates of the Gates Foundation and Danielle Strickland, senior officer in the Salvation Army. Both had wonderful experiences to share, but the session that really struck a chord with me was by Erin Meyer, author of The Culture Map.

“Where once an employee might have been expected to primarily collaborate with colleagues from his own country, today many people are part of global networks connected with people scattered around the world. Yet most managers have little understanding of how local culture impacts global interaction,” says Meyer.

Certain cultures, like in the USA and Canada, hate silence in a conversation. If there is a pause of even two seconds, we feel we must fill the space with something – even if we’re just saying “um!” In Japanese and other eastern cultures, however, it’s considered respectful to pause before answering a question. A pause shows you’re giving it some careful consideration. Yes, calm and respectful is how I found the people of Japan. I’m wondering what they thought of the 130 Iowans who came to visit them!

Attending the Global Leadership Summit reminded me that we’re all a part of something much bigger than ourselves. In the words of Jane Goodall, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what difference you make.”

How will you make a difference in your family, your community, and the world?

Related Article:

• “My 3 Biggest Takeaways from the Global Leadership Summit”
• Be the Ripple

Amy Rohe, Sales Project Manager for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, has roots in boots but not in the traditional way we think of in Iowa.

Amy grew up in the Upper Midwest where her family moved often for her dad’s job in agricultural sales. They lived in North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota before making Iowa their home. Amy started kindergarten in Parkersburg in Central Iowa and graduated from Batavia in southern Iowa.

Horses were one constant during Amy’s childhood. She enjoyed showing Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Showmanship and English.

“Showing horses made moving easier because I made friends throughout the Midwest on the show circuit,” explains Amy. “Plus, working with horses teaches you great lessons like work ethic, responsibility, dedication and commitment. You also learn how present yourself.”

Now Amy enjoys sharing her love for horses with her kids. Their family enjoys camping with their horses. They take weekend trips to Brushy Creek, which is only about 20 minutes from their house in Central Iowa. Their favorite vacation spot is in Central South Dakota.

“Camping and riding horses allows our family to step away from our crazy busy lives and just spend time with each other,” says Amy. “We stay with my parents’ best friends in South Dakota. I’ve spent so much time with them over the years that I consider them family. Our boys fish in the morning. Then we ride horses throughout the day, eat lunch on the trail, and the boys end the day by fishing again!  They couldn’t ask for a better day than that!”

The Dakotas hold a special place in Amy’s heart as her father grew up on a farm in North Dakota and farmed for five years in South Dakota before taking an ag sales job. He recently retired after serving 12 years as sales manager for Hagie Manufacturing, which had been family owned and celebrated its 65^th anniversary the same year as Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds.

It’s no wonder that Amy also desired to follow a sales career path. While studying Business Management at Iowa State University, she accepted a part-time sales job selling cellular phones. The mobile phone industry was emerging at that time, and she was selling people on the value of new technology.

Working in mobile phone sales taught Amy how to quality a customer, so she could help them choose the plan that best fit their needs. She learned how important great service is after the sale, and that’s why she says she’s chosen to work customer-centric companies throughout her career.

“Before I started at Latham, I didn’t think I could have a family and a fulfilling career,” says Amy. “I was watching Opera while on maternity leave with our oldest son. The topic of that day’s show was stay-at-home verses working moms. A panel of moms discussed the advantages and disadvantages of both.  It seemed like each group was envious of the other, but the overall message was that a mom really couldn’t juggle both. What a sad message for a new mom who had ambitions of doing both!”

Amy decided to stay at home until she met an amazing women who did in home daycare. Then she and her husband felt comfortable with Amy getting a part-time job. She says she was fortunate to meet a great businessman, who understood the importance of family and was flexible with her schedule. Unfortunately, his office wasn’t a good fit logistically. Amy then decided to take a job in Latham Seeds’ Boone office, just a five-minute drive from her boys.

“Latham Seeds’ owners and managers lead by example,” says Amy. “Shannon Latham is an outstanding mom who is very active in both of her children’s lives. She also heads up our marketing department and has started two successful companies of her own. Plus, office technology allows us more flexibility and enables us to be very mobile.  This ‘family first philosophy’ makes for a great work/life balance.”

One of the biggest fallacies deterring young women from pursuing challenging careers is the notion that women can’t be active in their family members’ lives and still have a successful career. Amy proves that wrong every day. Her biggest piece of advice to women pursuing careers in agriculture is: “Find a career that will enable you to do what you love. Do it and do it well. Always be coachable because you can learn something new every day.”

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Without strong women to help shape and manage our company, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds would be a very different company than it is today. We understand the key roles women play in everything from purchasing seed to marketing grain, from public relations and event planning to sales and customer service. That’s why we’re celebrating women who are doing what they love. From now through November we’ll be showcasing women in agriculture by telling their #RootsinBoots stories. Follow along and be inspired by FarmHers across Iowa!