9/29/25 Meeting Minutes

9/29/25 Meeting Minutes
Attendees: Catti, Chris, John, Aaron J., Bob W., Dave, Lynn, Cindy, Ben, Hubert, Deb, Ron, Bob F.
 
Brag bucks/Anniversary:
Aaron Putze: 24th wedding anniversary.
Bob F.: ISU undefeated
Deb: Brown family from LeMars put on a country concert at the rec center last week
Chris/Catti: Carroll SuperDraft donated $1000 to Cory Wiederin cancer benefit on Saturday, September 27th at Wasted Grain. Carroll community donated over $30K towards his cause. Very proud to be a part of this community.
 
Speakers: Aaron Putze, Soybean Association
  • Born in KS and moved to IA when father passed at age of 2
  • Raised corn, alfalfa, oats and soybeans
  • Graduated from UNI
  • LOVES agriculture
  • Soybeans harvest around 9.2 million acres in Iowa according to USDA
  • More corn acres this year.
  • 9.2 million @ 60 bushels per acre would result in 552 bushels
  • We produce approximately 14% of nations’ soybean crops.
  • Issues: margins are tight; yield isn’t there; low market prices; difficult economic times; input prices (rent, fertilizers, seed) are high; farmer returns are in the red; crop disease is high.
  • One of every two rows of soybeans grown in Iowa are exported
    • When it comes to trade wars and tariffs, Iowa agriculture has little to gain and everything to lose.
  • Tariffs: Brazil, India, Mexico, China, Canada, Japan – buy a lot of our agricultural products and when tariffs go up it creates issues for us; these countries are purchasing billions of dollars from us
  • Iowa soybean industry is a $6 billion industry
  • Iowa corn industry is a $12 billion industry
  • Iowa hog industry is a $7.5 billion industry
  • Iowa ethanol industry is a $7.5 billion industry
  • China consumes 60% of the world’s soybean industry.
    • Have massive hog confinements and use soy for their food preparation/consumption.
    • Moving their soy purchases to Brazil/Argentina.
      • They still have a lot of land that they can expand too to create more soybean fields.
  • Disaster aid will be coming to farmers from government.
 
Next meeting is Monday, October 6th at Piranha Club from 12-1 PM with school board candidates as our speakers.