(FAIRFIELD, Iowa) Jefferson County has a higher percentage of farmers in relationship to its total population than many other counties. It also has a higher percentage of jobs related to agriculture than the statewide average. Yet the southeast Iowa county lags behind state averages when it comes to sales per farm, percent of sales attributed to livestock and the value of its ag industry exports.

The quickest way to close the gap and rejuvenate the county’s economy is for farmers to raise more livestock.

Iowa State University economist Mark Imerman, speaking January 24 to nearly 100 farmers and community leaders in Fairfield, said livestock farming is a critical value-added opportunity for farmers and the county. Raising livestock converts corn and soybeans into protein and generates demand for a variety of local inputs, many of which are produced and sold locally.

Bottom line: Jefferson County can enhance its economic fortunes if farmers raise and market more cows, pigs and chickens.

Timely message

The pro-livestock message was heard by elected leaders, bankers, lenders, construction and manufacturing workers, teachers and other professionals gathered for an Ag Celebration Dinner. The event was hosted by United for Agriculture Jefferson County, a farmer-led initiative organized last fall to enhance consumer awareness of animal ag and revitalize the county’s economy and quality of life through the responsible growth of livestock farming.

“Farming is Iowa’s bread and butter,” said Imerman, who helped lead a first-of-its-kind ag economic impact analysis last year on behalf of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers.

The numbers back it up. Iowa’s food production and processing industries account for nearly one of every 10 jobs and 8.2 percent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product. And while farmers account for only 5.8 percent of the state’s population and represent just 5.6 percent of Iowa’s workforce, their productivity leads to a significant amount of ag industry exports accounting for a whopping 25 percent of Iowa’s industrial production.

“Some may ask who cares about farming when it represents such a small percentage of the population and jobs. However, Iowa’s ag industry exports accounts for a significant chunk of the economy,” Imerman said. “Even in Jefferson County, monies generated by ag exports is still huge. And there’s plenty of opportunity for growth.”

Some opposed

The renewed focus on animal agriculture in the southeast Iowa county is welcomed by farmers and those dependent on a strong ag economy.

Not everyone, however, is supportive of progressive livestock farms finding a home in Jefferson County.

Last year, Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors Inc. (JFAN) was created to stop the growth of new livestock farms, including the construction of new confinement barns. The group has lobbied local and state officials to restrict where and how livestock can be raised and is working to amass a legal defense fund to deter some farm families from adding livestock to their enterprises.

The organization relies on Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI) and the Global Action Resource Center for the Environment for information and support (GRACE). Both groups are outspoken critics of progressive livestock farming. Members of ICCI have likened hog farmers to terrorists and child abusers and clamored for more local control of agriculture. The group also decries the corporate concentration of agriculture, yet has received millions of dollars from out-of-state foundations with ties to some of America’s largest corporations including 3M, Standard Oil and the Ford Motor Company.

Last month, JFAN helped promote interest and attendance in ICCI’s annual rally and lobby day held in Des Moines. Despite the cooperative effort and heavy publicity, attendance at the rally totaled less than 90 (including ICCI staff and media), down sharply from past years.

Motives questioned

JFAN calls itself “an ally of the family farmer and supporter of traditional hog farming and other small faming methods.” The Fairfield Ledger, in characterizing the group in a story last September, said the group favors wean to finish, farrow-to-finish, hoop houses and sow houses, anything but factory size hog farms.”

Yet there are disturbing signs that JFAN’s story is changing.

On January 23, its leaders approached the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors and Fairfield City Council with drafts of resolutions calling for a moratorium “on construction and expansion of factory farms” and support of “local control of factory farms.” When pressed on the number of hogs that comprise a “factory farm” and should therefore be subjected to increased regulations, cost and paperwork, JFAN members suggested buildings as small as 300 head.

JFAN leaders are not shy about their intentions to change the agricultural landscape in Jefferson County. “If we create enough problems for CAFO builders, operators will see that they’ll have to put up with nuisance lawsuits,” says JFAN secretary Robert Swanson. “That’s the only recourse that’s been successful.”

And Jim Rubis, the group’s president, says progressive livestock farmers aren’t a good match. Nancy Pfoutz, writing for the Fairfield community’s Heartland Spirit publication, said Rubis believes “that the tremendous growth and potential witnessed in the county recently, including applications to be designated as a ‘Great Place’ and a ‘Cultural District’ are not compatible with hog confinements.”

A visit to JFAN’s web site (www.jfaniowa.org) finds the “Farms not Factories” jingle prominently displayed across the front page. One section titled “Local CAFOs” features a drop-down “violations” selection. The page is blank.

In another section, JFAN used the fear factor to promote a meeting held last September.

“As many of you know,” the letter reads, “the community has had growing concerns about the proliferation of HOG FACTORY FARMS (CAFOs) in our area. We have now learned that several CAFOs may be built within one mile of the city limits of Fairfield and one person alone is planning on building 20 in the future.

“A plan,” it continues, “has been created by national experts consulting with JFAN that has helped save other communities facing this same threat. They key to our success is that we must act together and we must act now while there is still time. I would not write to you in this matter if this was not a very serious situation.”

While the web site does include a section highlighting how people can donate to the group via credit card or mail, it does not provide supporting information documenting the “growing concerns” against CAFOs, the person planning 20 new buildings or the “national experts” that JFAN has consulted with.

A different perspective

United for Agriculture Jefferson County takes a different approach to county, community and agriculture. A strong and robust agricultural community -- including livestock production – is an integral piece of the area’s heritage. It also enhances the county’s quality of life by creating jobs, keeping families on the land and providing much-needed commerce for main street businesses.

The farmer-led initiative was launched last fall. Its goal is to help livestock farmers grow responsibly and successfully while enhancing rural-urban relations regarding the importance of animal agriculture.

“Jefferson County farmers generate a great deal of economic output that benefits our local communities,” says Fairfield farmer Kendra Hellweg, who helps chair the United for Agriculture effort.

According to ISU’s research, corn, soybean, hog and cattle farming in Jefferson County is valued at nearly $50 million. Economic activity generated by crop and livestock farming in the county totals $21 million.

“These are dollars that change hands up to seven times – going from our banks to our schools to our grocery stores, hardware stores and local community groups,” Hellweg added.

Many Jefferson County farmers take their lead from those living and working in Sioux County, an area that is thriving because of livestock farming.

“I grew up in a little place in Minnesota and businesses left when livestock died out,” says Garrett Englin, a feedlot manager for Farmer Cooperative Society of Sioux Center. “That part of the world did not keep up. Livestock is one of the best things that can happen to a community.”

He should know. Sioux County is home to bustling main streets, growing school districts, one of the state’s youngest populations and largest family sizes. It also leads the state in livestock farming, with hogs generating $11 million and cattle $8.7 million in personal income.

Jefferson County hopes their county will embrace a strong livestock industry just like those living in northwest Iowa.

Reason for change

Imerman, speaking at the Ag Celebration Dinner in Fairfield, said livestock farmers must have an opportunity to grow, citing Super Valu’s recent purchase of the Albertson grocery store chain.

The purchase happened due to shrinking grocer margins. Companies like Super Valu and Albertsons, he says, have consolidated to regain margins and satisfy shareholder demands. Grocer consolidation has forced processors to merge to gain economies of scale. This has put pressure on commodity prices to help processors maintain margins and the bottom end.

“And the farmer, well, they typically have only one or two shareholders and no one to pass along the costs,” Imerman said. “Therefore, Iowa’s farm families must maximize production scales to squeeze costs so they can live within the margins that the consumer leaves in the system.”

In many ways, he added, the economic drivers leading farmers to grow their enterprises can be traced to consumer demands made at the grocery store, including low prices.

“If we weren’t all consumers, we’d all be mad at consumers,” he said.

For farmers like Hellweg, the continued prosperity of Jefferson County must include vibrant, growing farms.

“Our communities have a strong and long heritage when it comes to farming,” she said. “I, just like my parents, hope to make a life and a living from the land. Then, if the opportunity exists, I’d like for the next generation of Hellwegs to have a future in farming and Jefferson County, too.”

That seems to be a reasonable request.



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