Equipping farmers to build resilient farms and communities.
The last of our fruit and vegetable farmer meet-ups wrapped up this week. In the photo above, farmers gathered at Salt Fork Kitchen in Solon to talk about the upcoming growing season and network with one another.

Thank you to those who made it out to a meet-up this February!
NEWS
Do you know an exemplary farmland owner who has built constructive relationships with farm tenants, stewarded land on behalf of rural communities or the broader landscape or helped extend opportunities to beginning farmers? Today is the last day to submit your nominations.

Hear from beginning hog farmers Andrew and Melissa Waldo, and fifth-generation farrow-to-finish hog farmer Phil Kramer, on the opportunities provided by raising pigs.⁠


Field day planning season is upon us.

Each field day season we include non-PFI events in our field day guide to help get the word out about your on-farm events across the state

After our visual rebrand last fall, we're excited to have new offerings for sale at our events and in our online store.

Browse through new water bottles, coffee mugs, hats, hoodies, T-shirts and more. Represent PFI wherever you go!
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 4-5 | Springfield, IL

If you've been holding off registering for 2020 small grains conference in Springfield, Illinois, sign up now: preregistration ends today.

This event gathers the top small grains growers, researchers and buyers from the region to share their expertise on making the most of these crops. Learn about growing small grains, cover cropping and the benefits of an extended rotation.

Monte Bottens is unwavering in his quest to incorporate livestock back onto the land. With his team, he runs Project MOO, an integrated grazing project that develops tools, systems, management and marketing to support profitable stacked grazing enterprises.

Facilitated by financial planners from Syverson Strege, these workshops will discuss retirement planning and implementation strategies and will lay out a roadmap to retirement as part of a larger farm transfer or estate plan.
March 20 | Ottumwa | RSVP

March 25 | Coon Rapids | RSVP
April 1 | Cedar Falls | RSVP

April 9 | Humboldt | RSVP
Mar. 3: Farminar - Livestock and Cover Crops
7 p.m. | Online

Mar. 4-5: Conference - Small Grains
Springfield, IL

Mar. 10: Farminar - Farm Trusts
7 p.m. | Online

Mar. 17: Farminar - Pork Marketing
7 p.m. | Online

Mar. 20: Workshop - Farm Retirement
10 a.m. - Noon | Ottumwa
Mar. 23: Listening Session - Strategic Planning
10 a.m. - Noon | Ames

Mar. 23: Listening Session - Strategic Planning
3:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Cedar Rapids

Mar. 23: Listening Session - Strategic Planning
3:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Avoca

Mar. 25: Workshop - Farm Retirement
10 a.m. - Noon | Coon Rapids
MEMBERSHIP
We're nearing our response goal for the 2020 member survey! But we're not there yet – so if you are a PFI member and you have not responded, please do.

All respondents from now until we reach our goal will receive a new PFI sticker as a thank you.

We only ask this of our members every three years, and the information you provide us is very important to guiding our member-led group into the future.
IN THE NEWS
Members in the News
Brent Larson and Mark Thompson, both of Fort Dodge, were featured in The Messenger: Sunderman Farm acquires Taylor Land Management

April Wilson of Paullina, Ron Mardesen of Elliot and Michael Mardesen of Griswold were featured in National Geographic: The courageous optimism of young farmers

Hannah and Brady Barnstable of Seven Sundays, in Minneapolis; Renewing the Countryside of Minneapolis; and Grain Millers of Eden Prairie, MN, were featured in The Organic & Non-GMO Report: Farm-to-table muesli: Seven Sundays cereal supports production of regenerative, organic grains in the Midwest

Andy and Melissa Dunham of Grinnell, Liz Kolbe of Ames and Ryan Marquardt of Van Meter were featured on Iowa Public Radio: Lack Of Structural Support Crippling Local Foods, Farmers Say

Tom Frantzen of New Hampton was featured on the Field, Lab, Earth podcast: The Organic Systems Mindset with Tom Frantzen

Andrew Dunham of Grinnell and T.D. Holub of Coggon were featured in Lancaster Farming: Organic Weed Management Possible
PFI in the News
Celize Christy, PFI's swine and poultry coordinator, was featured on Farm Credit's blog: MANNRS: Melding Self-Confidence And A Passion For Ag

Practical Farmers of Iowa and Sarah Carlson, PFI strategic initiatives director, were featured on Sustainable Food Lab's website: Cover Crop Leadership Lab Takes Root

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.