So how do we cultivate a culture of leadership? Our state is fortunate to have Leadership Iowa, which began in 1982 “to instill passion in our current and emerging leaders while fostering a high level of civic engagement.” A fundamental founding principle of Leadership Iowa was to educate and motivate new leaders from all sectors: business, education, farming, labor, nonprofits and government.

These leaders have different careers, different interests and different points of view, providing a valuable learning environment for all participants. They come to realize that public and private sectors share common interests, and they see how their teamwork can help benefit Iowa and its communities.

Leadership Iowa participants travel around the state, focusing on economic development, health care, education, government services, environment, recreation and other issues. This month they are focusing on agriculture, and Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds had the pleasure of hosting the group’s first stop. We shared our story of how we’re proud to carry on the family tradition of producing the highest quality seeds for farmers to plant throughout the Upper Midwest.

“I had no idea where farmers got the seeds they plant and was impressed by how much science and research go into modern agriculture. It’s fascinating,” said Leadership Iowa participant Maureen “Mo” Lockwood, manufacturing manager for Thombert, Inc. in Newton.

John and Shannon Latham explained how farmers don’t plant the seeds they harvest. A lot of science goes into the development of seed, and as a result, yields have dramatically increased. (Click here if you’re interested in learning more about why farmers don’t save their seed.)

“Much of what we discussed about ag is all new to me. I didn’t know much about GMOs. I also had no idea how many complicated decisions farmers have to make. When you drive by a soybean field, you don’t think about details like where the seed comes from, how the land is managed or where the crop goes after it’s harvested. I learned a lot here in Franklin County,” said Sandy Byers, director of surgical services at CHI Health Mercy in Council Bluffs.

At Latham Seeds, we contract with farmers to grow seed stock. Most of our soybeans, for example, are grown within 30 miles of our plant in Alexander, Iowa. Upon harvest, that seed is delivered to Alexander. We then check each wagon load or semi load by hand. Each variety that meets our initial inspection is stored in separate grain bins until we’re ready to clean, condition and bag it. The quality of the seed is checked every step of the way.

“I was impressed by how high tech today’s corn and soybean seeds are. I also learned a lot about what cover crops are and why farmers plant them. I liked the opportunity to visit with farmers and ask them questions,” said Leadership Iowa participant William Sonderman, manager of transmission planning and tariffs, Central Iowa Power Cooperative, Cedar Rapids.

One question asked by participants was related to succession planning. Succession planning helps ensure the family business or family farm will continue to operate by identifying future leaders and managers. We also talked about the importance of work experience and succession planning.

“I noticed how many speakers talked about the importance of working for someone else before returning to the family business. This is something that’s important to my family for our business, too,” said Michelle Cassabaum, COO/CFO, 21st Century Rehab in Nevada.

From Alexander, Leadership Iowa participants traveled to Mayne’s Grove near Geneva where they met with young Franklin County farmers about how they got started farming. They also learned about drones and precision technology that can help farmers use variable rate planting to match plant population to field conditions, as well as manage micronutrients through foliar feeding and nitrogen through timing and placement.

“Some of the things I take for granted as common knowledge about ag aren’t common knowledge for our non-farm friends. This struck me during our Leadership Iowa ag sessions in Franklin County, and I’m reminded why sharing ag’s story is so vital. Some of my Leadership Iowa classmates weren’t raised in rural Iowa but grew up in New Mexico or Massachusetts. Others are Midwesterners but grew up in large cities like Minneapolis. Even native Iowans in my class have little or no contact with modern agriculture. They have a lot of interest in learning about ag, though, and ask a lot of thoughtful, honest questions about what defines a factory farm versus a family farm, what’s being done to address water quality, why do farmers plant cover crops, and more. Who better to help answer these questions than farmers and other ag professionals?”  Darcy Maulsby, fifth generation farmer and author-preneur from Lake City.

Yesterday afternoon the Leadership Iowa group also toured the Whispering Willow Wind Farm south of Hampton before ending their day with a meal on the farm of Charlie and Barb Brown of Hampton. Sitting down to share a meal allows people to reflect upon the day, share stories and reflect upon experiences.

“Even though our business serves agriculture, I don’t come in contact with all the different aspects of crop and livestock production. Now when people talk about various ag terms and farming methods, I have a much better idea of what this all means and how things work.”  –Molly Varangkouhn, president, Hy-Capacity, Humboldt

We hope the Leadership Iowa group departs Franklin County with fond memories! Good food also helps make good memories, so today we’re sharing with you a favorite recipe from Claire Masker, who was a member of Leadership Iowa 2015-16 and also is director of public relations for the National Pork Board. Find other recipes, like Pulled Pork Tortilla Soup, at Pork.org.

Spring has officially sprung! The first day of spring marks National Ag Day, which began in 1973 to help Americans understand the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products, as well as in maintaining a strong economy.

The theme for this year’s Ag Week celebration is “Agriculture: Food for Life,” which is fitting since those of us engaged in agriculture and agribusiness are responsible for growing and producing what each person needs for daily living: food, clothing and shelter. In addition, agriculturists get the credit for golf courses and grass turf used for sports like soccer and football. Through science, innovation and caring hands, a seed was the start of all these things that contribute to our quality of life!

One of the things I enjoy most about Ag Week is watching what others in our industry are doing to celebrate and advocate. Agronomist Karen Corrigan (@weedgirl24 on Twitter) put together Ag Bags for each student in her daughter’s preschool class to take home on National Ag Day. Each bag included a beef stick from Clint & Sons; the company donated one stick for each one that Corrigan purchased. Each bag also included ag mags, coloring books and soybean crayons donated by the Tazwell (Illinois) County Farm Bureau. In addition, Corrigan gave a bag full of books to the two preschool teachers.

“My daughter’s teachers mentioned they were having a hard time finding materials to teach kids where food comes from, so I made it a point to find them resources for their nutrition unit,” says Corrigan.

Corrigan’s unique Ag Day celebration inspired Pam Smith, who is crops technology editor for DTN/The Progressive Farmer magazine, to fill a “little free library” with agriculture-related books. Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and sparks creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world.

“The idea of the little free library is to ‘take a book, return a book’,” explains Smith. “The only thing better than finding a book that touches your heartstrings is to share that joy with someone else.”

What I love about Smith’s little library is its unique barn shape. The barn shape is fitting for Smith, who as a child, snuck into the barn loft to read books.

“My husband and I were on a bicycling trip in Ohio and started noticing what looked like very fancy or interesting mail boxes. We finally stopped to check them out and realized they were little libraries. I was smitten,” says Smith. “About five years ago, my husband surprised me by giving me this barn-shaped little free library as a Christmas gift.”

Now these ladies have me thinking about what difference I can make in my own community to help residents better understand agriculture. Although we live in a rural community, we can’t take it for granted that everyone understands farming and food production. I know Iowa’s commodity groups have done a great job of producing children’s books, so I plan to stock little free libraries in Latimer and Hampton with children’s books that tell stories about farmers who raise the corn, soybean and forage crops that are fed to cattle, pigs, turkeys, chickens and other animals.

In honor of the hardworking men and women who care for land and livestock, today we’re featuring a recipe for the Ultimate Pork Breakfast Burgers. It really could be called the Ultimate Farmer’s Breakfast as it includes something from every food group including burger, bacon, eggs and cheese plus onions and peppers served on a sweet Hawaiian bun. Thinking about it is enough to make one’s mouth water!

Jerry Mork knew at a young age that he wanted to farm, but he never thought he would have the opportunity to do so. His patience was tested like Job in the Bible, but he persevered after 40 years.

After graduating in two years from the North Dakota State College of Science, Jerry spent 12 years in the oil industry. Two and one-half of those years were spent in the Middle East, where he encountered many harrowing experiences including facing the wrong end of an AK47 in Libya. Jerry worked a five-year stint as a hydraulics specialist on the northern slope of Alaska, as well as one winter in Northwestern Alberta, Canada.

Jerry worked numerous job locations in the western half of the United States before he decided to return to college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He then worked another 18 years as an electronic engineer primarily in Nebraska before his path led him to Day County South Dakota.

“When I first got out of college, I started investing. My first opportunity was with an old family friend, who wanted me to own his farm. I was blessed with other opportunities adjacent to where I grew up, and I was able to grow my farm base in South Dakota,” says Jerry. “I started farming 25 acres just two miles from the farm where I grew up, although I was living in Nebraska at the time. I would plan time off to plant my 25 acres in the spring and hire it harvested in the fall. Eventually, I had enough land that I could consider making it work to farm full time.”

Jerry and his wife, Rita, decided they wanted to raise their sons in the country. In 2008, they moved to Webster, South Dakota.

To supplement his farming income, Jerry worked as a sales and service technician for the healthcare division of GE until he could justify farming full time. He then decided to replace his off-farm income with a seed dealership in 2008. He noticed that Latham® seed products were performing well in the F.I.R.S.T. trials and decided to learn more after passing by the Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds booth at the Watertown Farm Show in 2015.

“I know I have superior products to sell, but I’ve found that selling seed requires deep, long-term relationships. I enjoy forming these relationships,” says Jerry. “With Gary Geske and Myron Keltgen on the Latham team, we really have access to two of the industry’s leading product specialists. I know that I can pick up the phone and call them whenever I have a question. I also appreciate Latham Seeds’ commitment to continuous training for its dealers.”

Another thing Jerry says he likes about Latham Seeds is that it’s a family-owned business that encourages families to enjoy spending time together at its business meetings. Rita and their two sons enjoy the annual Latham® dealer sales meeting. Their oldest son, Brian, is a sophomore at Webster Area Community School. He enjoys basketball and track. Last season he went to state in cross country. He is also working toward becoming an Eagle Scout. Brian is interested in technology and computers; he plans to pursue a career as an architectural engineer. Matthew, 13, loves anything that deals with farming. He’s excited that he was old enough to join FFA this year. He wants to learn how to weld and plans to sell seed, too. Matt also enjoys competed in the state 4-H archery competition.

Interest in shooting sports is growing thanks to a unique partnership between Webster 4-H clubs and the Isaac Walton League. The community of Webster got a new outdoor 3-D archery range from a $5,000 grant from the South Dakota Farm Bureau Centennial Community Initiative plus contributions from local businesses. The addition of the outdoor 3-D range means competitions can now be held in Webster, drawing in shooting sports enthusiasts from miles away.

“This has really been a cooperative project,” says Jerry, who serves as president of the Clark/Day Counties Farm Bureau. “I believe its location along U.S. Highway 12 will increase the visibility of shooting sports here and serve as another draw to Webster for people who enjoy outdoor sports. A new sign will go up at the shooting range this spring as part of an Eagle Scout project. It’s all coming together.”

In addition to serving on the Farm Bureau board, Jerry is serving as grand night for Knights of Columbus. He’s also in his fourth year as a CCD teacher. When he’s not busy working or volunteering in his community, Jerry enjoys riding snowmobiles with his family. They also enjoy traveling and attending KC Royals games in the summer.

guest blog by: Ann Foster Thelen, who also writes for the Iowa Food & Family Project, of which Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is a proud sponsor

Your mom has been diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. When I heard those three words – inflammatory breast cancer – it was almost as if her doctors were speaking a foreign language. Of course, I was mindful of breast cancer, thanks to effective public awareness campaigns, education from doctors and regular screenings. But, it was that one word – inflammatory – that made all the difference. On Jan. 15, 2014, my family quickly learned about this aggressive cancer that would claim my sweet mom’s life in just a few short months.

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is rare, accounting for only 1-5 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses annually. It differs from other types of breast cancer in its symptoms, outlook and treatment. Often, a lump is not present.

When my mom’s cancer was diagnosed, it was already Stage IV. Cancer had spread to her lungs, bones, liver and lymph nodes. During a 24-hour period, our discussions went from “mom will need a mastectomy; possibly a double mastectomy,” to “how long does she have?”

My mom was humble, and in many ways, a private woman. Raised on a farm in Pomeroy, Iowa, she carried her early life lessons and experiences with her until the day she died. Her upbringing was exemplified in her strength, hard-working nature and appreciation of life’s simple pleasures.

Mom was the type of person who wore her emotions on her sleeve, and it’s something I cherished about her. You always knew what mom was thinking. Throughout life, she taught me it was OK to cry – saying that now and then we all just need a good cry. She taught me generosity and gratitude and the importance of being thankful every day. Along with my dad, she gave me the greatest gift of all – a strong faith.

While mom’s diagnosis was shocking – especially since there is no history of breast cancer in our family – there were some early signs, just not the ones Mom expected to have with breast cancer. Symptoms of IBC include breast swelling, purple or red color of the skin, and pitting or thickening of the skin of the breast so that it may look and feel like an orange peel. Due to this cancer’s ability to spread rapidly – sometimes in a matter of just days – by the time the symptoms are at this level, the cancer is often at an advanced stage.

That’s what is often most troubling about cancer – silent symptoms that don’t have “cancer” written on them. Silence while the cancer is quietly and aggressively wreaking havoc. Heart disease has long been referred to as the “silent killer.” However, thanks to the incredible work of the American Heart Association and people across the country – many of them our relatives, friends, neighbors or co-workers – the silence of heart disease is being broken. Survivors have given a powerful voice to the warning signs of heart disease.

We can do the same with cancer. Collectively, we can break the silence by listening to the signs – no matter how small they may be – and speaking up by telling our doctors about family history or unusual symptoms. We need to take advantage of the gifts of modern medicine that come in the form of mammograms, MRIs, colonoscopies and more.

Mom was 75 when she died, which is far too young. I’ll always remember that when faced with her terminal cancer diagnosis, she had a quiet strength about her – a different strength that I had not seen before. I think it was her way of giving her family one last gift – to be courageous, brave and strong as we struggled with the devastating reality. In her final days, I remember those attributes most.

In honor of my mom, I vowed that I would bring a voice to IBC. When discussions about parents come up, I share that I lost my mom to cancer four years ago. It would be easy to stop there, but I often share information about IBC and its rapid progression. Nine times out of 10, people (both men and women) are not aware of this type of cancer. Asking people to learn more about this cancer is how we break IBC’s deadly silence.

If detected early, we know that people have a fighting chance to beat cancer. Based on my new family history and increased risk, I have a 3D mammogram every June and a breast MRI every January. I also had genetic testing to see if there were any clinically significant mutations in the numerous cancer genes that were tested. Receiving a negative test result gave me a little peace of mind, yet it doesn’t change the fact that I must be vigilant in routine screenings. My husband had his first colonoscopy this week. We were surprised when the doctor informed us he removed four pre-cancerous polyps, which if they had not been detected could silently turn into cancer. We are grateful for these screening opportunities.

Cancer is a horrible, ugly disease that has likely touched every single person reading this article. I hope that together we can be a strong voice for cancer – breaking its silence – by learning early warning signs and faithfully doing routine screenings.

My mom was an amazing cook, and she instilled in me a love of cooking. Many years ago, we found this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine. It’s been a family favorite ever since. When Mom and Dad came to our house for dinner, they would frequently request this meal. The pork is mouth-watering and tender, and the glaze is bursting with flavor. I serve it with mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas. I often double the glaze recipe so that we can pour it over the slices of roast and potatoes!

Guest blog post by Lindsey Foss, Public Relations Manager at the Iowa Soybean Association

As consumers’ education levels and household income increase, so too does their trust in modern agriculture and today’s food system, says the latest Consumer Pulse Survey. In contrast, Iowans with less disposable income report being more concerned with how and where their food is grown.

The annual poll, administered Nov. 10-14 by the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP), surveyed more than 400 Iowans ages 18 and older who are the primary food purchasers for their household. Now in its sixth year, the Consumer Pulse Survey gauges consumers’ food preferences, tracks shopping habits and keeps in touch with Iowans’ overall confidence in Iowa agriculture.

“The Consumer Pulse Survey provides perspectives that challenge conventional wisdom as it relates to interacting with consumers about food topics,” said Aaron Putze, director of communications at the Iowa Soybean Association. “One would assume that with increased income and education comes greater discernment over food choices. At the macro level, this survey shows that important socioeconomic factors hold great influence over consumers’ purchases and, ultimately, their confidence in how their food is grown and raised.”

“Trust” is on the menu this holiday season

Four out of 5 respondents are satisfied with Iowa agriculture from how animals are raised and cared for to farmers being stewards of air, soil and water quality. Specifically:

• 57% say farmers are doing a good to excellent job in protecting Iowa’s air, soil and water (up 7% from 2016)
• 39% say farmers do an excellent job producing safe, quality foods (up 12% from 2016)
• 35% say farmers do an excellent job in raising healthy animals with care (up 9% from 2016)

“Food purchasers have consistently given Iowa farmers high approval ratings since the Iowa Food & Family Project’s inaugural consumer trust survey,” said Laura Cunningham, marketing manager of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. “I was encouraged to see in 2017 that a record number of respondents said farmers are on the right track with water quality, animal housing and biotechnology and are overall good community members and environmentalists. That’s the same experience I have working with farmer-customers, too.”

 “Trendy” labels push expiration dates

Food labels such as “organic” and “all natural” showed a continued downward trend among survey respondents in terms of influencing their purchasing decision. Just 27% said they’re likely to purchase an item labeled organic, down 6% from 2016. A survey record 52 percent of respondents say the notation doesn’t affect their shopping habits. In fact, 1 in 5 shoppers is less likely to purchase food labeled organic.

“This is interesting because USDA Organic forecasted increases in organic-labeled products through 2018,” said Anne Hytrek, Hy-Vee Dietitian (Ankeny Prairie Trail) and Certified Diabetes Educator. “These results make me wonder if Iowans are learning more of the differences — or lack thereof —  in ‘organic’ or ‘all natural’ foods and discovering these labels may not necessarily mean food is healthier.”

The assumption doesn’t apply to all consumers, however. According to the survey, shoppers without advanced education are more than twice as likely than those with a college degree to say attributes such as organic and all-natural are extremely influential in their purchase decisions.

Responses show that college graduates whose household incomes exceed the state median of $54,000 are, at large, more trusting of modern agriculture and that food is of good quality.

“The survey results demonstrate that more affluent consumers are more likely to ask questions when they have concerns, focus more on specific ingredients and are not easily swayed by labels or clever advertising campaigns,” said Putze.

The results were also reassuring for Cunningham.

“I was pleasantly surprised by the survey findings that food labels like ‘organic’ and ‘all natural’ have little to no influence on actual purchases made,” said Cunningham. “Given all the media attention on water quality and food labeling, I would’ve expected different results. I’m convinced that ongoing, proactive efforts by Iowa farmers and industry advocates are making a positive impact and will continue to result in increased consumer confidence.”

The Consumer Pulse Survey results shows Iowans are more trusting than ever in farmers to raise healthy animals and safe, quality foods — and for good reason! Iowa is No. 1 in pork production and is among the nation’s leaders in growing soybeans, which means you can enjoy delicious, homegrown ingredients this holiday season, like in this Cheesy Ham & Edamame Pasta Bake. It’s the perfect hearty casserole for leftover Christmas ham or to enjoy on a chilly winter day.