6/3/24 Rotary Meeting at HUB
Attendance – Hubert, Adam, Ron Eich, John, Casey Bunleua, Bob Fasbender, Joel Swanson, Ann, Deb, Trevor, Dave Martin
Club Business – Approved $500 to Jim and Regency for the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk (Motion made by Bob, 2nd by Hubert and all voted in favor).
Speaker – Darcy Maulsby (Farmer Conservationist) + Guest
Topic – Surprising Ways Iowa’s Farmers are Protecting Iowa’s Natural Resources
Pork Producers – (We Care Program) – 75.9% less land used for production, 25% less Water, 7% less energy, 7.7% Lower Emissions
Puck Custom – Manure Management – 40 year old company – 250 employees at 5 locations in 4 states (134 employees in Carroll County) – Their process/product minimizes odor in Manure applications and is more precise in placement.
Cattle – Wiese and Sons in Manning – Cattle genetics and Production – Rotational Grazing and use Cover Crops
Cover Crops – Rye, Oats and Other Plants – help control erosion, protect water quality, provide weed control, forage for cattle and build soil health. Dramatic Increase of Cover Crop use (2009 = below 10,000 acres vs 2022 = 1.3 Million acres)
Healthy Soil = Health Crops
Teaspoon of soil contains 100 million to 1 billion microbes – Cover crops and no till practices helps soil health – Also land dries out quicker allowing famers back in fields sooner in wet years like we are having now.
Haney Test – modern method of soil testing – measures Microbes (N,P,K) – “Test don’t Guess”
Dwight Dial, Lake City – Farm Environmental Leader
James Hepp, Rockwell City – June 21st Field Day being hosted and is open to the public.
Trees = Wind Breaks – Green Farmstead Partner Program – keep soil in place, reduces odor (Bruce and Jenny Wessling, Grand Junction)
Soil and Water Outcomes Fund- Public/Private Farmer Partnership - $33 per acre 1 year contract – 300,000 acres in 12 states
Interconnected Supply Chain – Dan Glandork, Williamsburg Iowa.
Next meeting: Monday, June 10th with the historic society coming to talk to us about the remodel of the band shell in Graham Park.