Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
We captured this drone image of corn harvest last week at Ben and Kristi Dwire's farm near Arco, Minnesota. The Dwires grow corn, soybeans, oats, wheat and annual forages on 550 acres, and are 100% no-till and non-GMO. They have an additional 150 acres of hay and pasture where they raise cattle, pigs and chickens.

The Dwires are participants in Practical Farmers of Iowa's small grains cost-share program, and they hosted an episode of PFI's "Live From the Farm" in June exploring their use of red clover in extended rotations.
NEWS
In this episode, we talk with Adam Janke, who is the wildlife extension specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. We talk a little about what wildlife habitat actually means, how the landscape has changed (and how that has affected wildlife) and more.

You can learn more about creating wildlife habitat on farms in "Bringing Back the Edges" on our YouTube channel.


We are seeking experienced farmers who plan to hire an employee in 2022 to participate in our Labor4Learning program.

Labor4Learning is designed to benefit both parties: aspiring farmers get a paid, on-farm job and additional training on how to run a farm business, and the experienced farmer gains an eager-to-learn employee.

Trainer applications will be open until Dec. 10.

Do you know someone who is making a difference in sustainable agriculture?

Nominate that person for our 2022 Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award! We are accepting nominations through Friday, Dec. 3 -- and you are welcome to submit multiple nominations.
PFI gives this award annually to someone who has been most influential in creating healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms and vibrant communities. PFI board members will choose the winner based on the nominations you submit.
The recipient(s) will be recognized at our annual conference, Jan. 21-22, in Ames, Iowa. To nominate someone, please fill out this short and simple nomination form.

Pictured here are Margaret Smith and Doug Alert, the 2019 Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award recipients. View all past recipients.
For questions on the nomination process, please contact Sally Worley.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Dec. 16-17 | Ames, IA

Have you ever asked: “What’s better, the practice I’ve been using or this alternative I’ve heard about?” Do you have something you’d like to investigate on your farm?

If so, consider the Cooperators’ Program, PFI’s vehicle for farmer-led, on-farm research. Click here to learn more.
Nov. 18 and Dec. 2 | Noon-1 p.m.

If you’re curious to learn more about on-farm research through the Cooperators' Program, or wonder if it might be a good fit for you, join this call over the noon hour on Nov. 18 or Dec. 2.

A PFI staff member and an experienced farmer-cooperator will be available to answer your questions about the on-farm research through this long-standing Practical Farmers program.

Want to learn about this year’s on-farm research? We’ve scheduled public virtual meetings on three successive nights in December to share and discuss results from our major farmer-led research areas.

Field Crops – Tuesday, Dec. 7 | 7-8:30 p.m.
Horticulture – Wednesday, Dec. 8 | 7-8:30 p.m.
Livestock – Thursday, Dec. 9 | 7-8:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 18 | 6-8 p.m.

Join us online for the next Explore Farming workshop of the series, where we will discuss how to create a plan for farming.

Getting started in farming can be hard, but with a solid understanding of your purpose and readiness, you can create a plan to guide you into farming.

This workshop series is $20 for PFI members and $30 for non-members.
Join us at a Conservation Programs Forum to share your experiences, questions and concerns with other farmers and staff from Practical Farmers of Iowa. We want to help you harness the power of conservation.

Nov. 16 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Oskaloosa, IA
Nov. 17 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Storm Lake, IA
If you can arrive early to the cover crop boot camp, join us the evening of Monday, Nov. 29 at Uptown Garage Brewing Co. for a pre-boot camp happy hour at 4:30 p.m., followed by a complimentary dinner and a keynote by Jen Simpson at 6:15 p.m.. Get a head start on your networking and learning!
IN THE NEWS
Members in the News
Paul Mugge of Sutherland, IA, was featured in Iowa Farmer Today: Space remains for conventional tillage as trends change

Jamie Bierman of Tipton, IA, and Seth Watkins of Clarinda, IA, were featured in Little Village: The ‘War on Meat’ isn’t real, but small Iowa farmers face an uphill battle against Big Ag

Jack Boyer of Reinbeck, IA, was featured in No-Till Farmer: Putting 60-Inch Corn to the Test

John and Beverly Gilbert; Sarah and John C. Gilbert; and Kate Gilbert, all of Iowa Falls, IA, were featured on Niman Ranch's website: Iowa’s Gibralter Farms Named Niman Ranch Sustainable Farm of the Year
PFI in the News
Practical Farmers of Iowa was mentioned in an article on Farms.com: What We Learned Feeding Oat To Cattle

Jorgen Rose, PFI's habitat and policy coordinator, was quoted in AgWeek: Pheasants Forever partners with ag group on new conservation program
Have you been featured in the media? Tell us when and where to find a link to the article, and we'll feature you in a future issue of Practical News.