Happy New Year's to all our supporters! It's been a momentous year, and we hope you are finding ways to relax, rejuvenate and reflect on a year that brought unexpected hardships, but also unforeseen silver linings. Here at Practical Farmers of Iowa, we are looking forward to the many ways we can all come together in the months ahead to help build resilient farms and communities.

Normally, this section houses our photo of the week, but since this is the final "Practical News" issue of 2020, we wanted to feature our favorite photo of the year! This photo is of Martha McFarland as she prepares to work on fencing in one of her bison pastures on a late-September day at Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch near Fredericksburg, Iowa.

Martha will be featured in our first documentary film – "Livestock on the Land" – which debuts Jan. 21, 2021, at our virtual annual conference. Learn more about the event and sign up here.

We are seeking experienced farmers who plan to hire an employee in 2021 to participate in our Labor4Learning program.

The program is intended 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.

We are seeking a diligent, respectful and passionate person to serve as a strategic initiatives manager for the strategic initiatives team.

The strategic initiatives team works creatively to build collaborative connections between the private and public sectors that accomplish the goals of our farmer members on the broader Iowa and Midwestern landscape.

In the Corn Belt, markets for small grains are limited. But as cover crops gain momentum, the demand for cover crop seed is on the rise.

Enter selling small grains as cover crop seed. Seed should meet purity standards, and therefore should be cleaned.

For Bill Frederick (left) of Jefferson, Iowa, seed cleaning for small grains is a crucial part of his business, Iowa Cover Crop.

On Jan. 8 at 12:15 p.m., call in to hear from Bill as he shares his experience with cleaning seed, from purchasing a cleaner, to settings and maintenance, to marketing.

Chad and Tammy Ingels of Randalia were featured in Food Tank: Niman Ranch Family Farmers Give Back to the Land and Their Community

Ron Rosmann of Harlan was featured on NPR: Farmers Got A Government Bailout In 2020, Even Those Who Didn't Need It

Chris Deal of Jefferson, Monika Owczarski of Des Moines and Suzan Erem of West Branch were featured in the Des Moines Register: Meet the Register's People to Watch in 2021, a list of Iowans working for good in the new year

Alice McGary of Ames was featured in the Ames Tribune: Mustard Seed farm wins $6k grant to help feed Story County's hungry

Practical Farmers of Iowa was mentioned in No-Till Farmer: Honoring Stalwarts, Pioneers in the No-Till Movement

PFI was mentioned in Morning Ag Clips: Farm to River Partnership water quality strides

PFI was mentioned in an article in Canadian Cattlemen: Forage intercropping trials show promise in Western Canada

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.

Contact: tamsyn@practicalfarmers.org