Iowa Livestock Insider // Winter 2021

Report Suspicious Vehicles Near Livestock + Poultry Farms

Recently, there have been reports of suspicious vehicles parked along the road near livestock + poultry farms throughout the Midwest, including Iowa. In some instances, people are just taking photos of the livestock + poultry barns, but in more extreme cases, people are entering the buildings to take photos + videos of the animals. It...

Not your grandfather’s hog house

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – January 9, 2020 –The latest addition to Kyle Halls’ farm sits just south of Osceola along the picturesque Jefferson Highway Heritage Byway, a primary national north-south freight route prior to construction of the Interstate system. Halls’ 2,400-head feeder to finish hog unit sits well back from the road, and boasts...

Secretary Naig Honors Max Schmidt with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Keely Coppess 515-281-3375 or 515-326-1616 (cell) Keely.Coppess@iowaagriculture.gov Max Schmidt, pork producer from Howard County, will be honored at the 2020 Iowa Pork Congress DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 20, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will present the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to Max Schmidt, owner of KMAX Farms...

Halls family hosts new hog barn open house

Event to highlight new environmental safeguards, economics and technology WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – December 6, 2019 – Families, neighbors and community members are invited to tour the Kyle Halls family new hog barn, enjoy a complimentary lunch and visit with members of the family to learn more about how they raise livestock, use technology...

Leading by example

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – September 19, 2019 – Livestock production is important to Iowa’s economy, contributing $48.5 billion to the state annually, up more than $17 billion from the 2012 U.S. Census of Ag. But Iowa isn’t the only state relying on agriculture. Across the Midwest, other states are hoping to shore up their...

New study shows Iowa agriculture even stronger driver of state economy, contributing $121.1 billion

One in five Iowans employed by Iowa agriculture   WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – September 6, 2019 – Iowa’s 86,104 family farms continue to be a key driver of Iowa’s economy, contributing 10 percent more to the state economy than in 2012, according to a new study commissioned by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers...

Starting Out Right – The Tjelmelands of Story County

Lucas and Krista Tjelmeland are exactly the kind of young farmers Iowa, and agriculture, needs and wants to attract. At age 28, Lucas is the fifth generation of Tjelmelands to farm in Story County. The tradition comes with a strong background in livestock and land stewardship practices. Like many of today’s young producers, farming is all Lucas ever really wanted to do.

Partnership Launched to Plant Windbreaks on Hog Farms

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA– May 31, 2018 —The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) announced a new partnership with Iowa Select Farms to plant trees on each of their farms through CSIF’s Green Farmstead Partner program.The partnership was announced recently at an open house near Williams for a new hog finisher. CSIF’s Green Farmstead Partner...

Brenneman Family Receives Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – May 18, 2018 – Rob and Char Brenneman and family were honored with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award on Friday, May 4, 2018, at their farm in Washington, Iowa. Nearly 250 friends, family members and industry representatives were in attendance, making it one of our largest events to date....