• ISA Shop Talk: Masonville

    Masonville Masonville, Iowa

    Join the Iowa Soybean Association Research Center for Farming Innovation and farmer Sean Dolan for a social event focused on practical cover crop management. Topics include establishment and drilling tips, equipment selection, grazing livestock on cover crops, seasonal management and termination strategies. Learn how to manage cover crops based on your goals — from holding…

  • PFI: Building a Seed Conditioning Business

    Carroll Carroll, Iowa

    Ryan Tiefenthaler grew up helping on his family’s row crop and hog farm near Carroll, Iowa. After college, he returned to the farm to help his dad and started a custom application business for area farms. When an opportunity to raise fish fell through in 2016, Ryan quickly pivoted his plans for the large facility…

  • PFI: Oats and Drones

    Osage Osage, Iowa

    Joe Rowe returned to farming in 2008 after growing up on a row crop farm but stepping away for a decade of schooling and other pursuits. Since then, he has farmed with a dedication to being curious and continually improving. He started strip-tilling and cover cropping in 2015 and has since adapted his fertilizer program…

  • PFI: Expanding Cover Crop Impact: Seed Production and Reduced Inputs

    Chad and Wendy Petersen raise corn, soybeans and cattle near Bennett, Iowa. They practice minimum tillage and use cover crops on their own farm, and they appreciate seeing more farmers integrating soil health practices. Chad and Wendy are passionate about expanding cover crops on the landscape: In addition to using cover crops on their own…

  • PFI: Trying and Promoting Soil Health and Water Quality Practices in Northern Iowa

    Wallingford Wallingford, Iowa

    Derek Young is a fourth-generation farmer who began farming in 1993 with his father and grandfather, running a soybean, corn and cattle operation. He strip-tills over half of his corn acres and no-tills most of his soybean acres while also maintaining conventional fields. He has covers flown on in the fall on over 1,000 acres,…

  • PFI: Starting a Cover Crop Business, Flying Drones and Seeding Covers

    Forest City Forest City, Iowa

    Mark and Brenda Kingland farm on 1,700 acres in Winnebago County, Iowa. Eight years ago, they began strip-tilling to change efficiency in their fertilizer program and improve soil health. In 2022, Mark added a drone on his farm to apply cover crops and do precision spraying. His goal is to have a cover crop mix flown on…

  • ISA Shop Talk: Homestead

    Homestead Homestead, Iowa

    Join the Iowa Soybean Association Research Center for Farming Innovation, Ross McCaw and Amana Farms for a conversation on making cover crops work in your operation. Discussion topics will include seeding methods, stand establishment, equipment considerations, livestock grazing, in-season management and termination approaches. Hear practical experiences from the field, connect with fellow farmers and pick up…

  • PFI: Conservation in Action on a Multigenerational Family Farm

    West Branch West Branch, Iowa

    Ken Fawcett has been part of Fawcett Family Farms for decades. The operation, in Cedar County, Iowa, is now run by Ken’s son, Thomas, and nephew, Kent Stuart. But though retired, Ken is still passionate about the legacy and stewardship of the family ground. Over the last 50 years, Ken and his family have adopted…

  • PFI: Grazing for a Goal

    Larchwood Larchwood, Iowa

    Karl Palmberg’s Larchwood, Iowa, farm has been in his family since 1938. But when he left for college, the operation was mothballed and put into hibernation. After retiring from the military, Karl returned to the farm and is building it back from scratch. He has been reevaluating the fundamentals and pivoting what he does to…