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DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that the David Schmidt from rural West Liberty in Muscatine County is the winner of the March “Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will present the award to Schmidt on Thursday, March 24 at the Schmidt home. The “Big Show,” which airs on both WHO and WMT radio, will broadcast live at the presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“David is a great farmer who not only cares for his animals and the land, but has gone out of his way to be a great neighbor and help a young family get started in agriculture,” Northey said. “It is great to be able to recognize families like this that care so much about their farm and the community with the Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”
Schmidt has cattle operation and also raises corn and soybeans. He also has a custom hay operation.
Dustin Lampe nominated Schmidt for the award, citing the key role Schmidt has played in helping him get started as a new farmer, saying, “I think that Dave enjoys watching a young family start farming. I think that he really enjoys helping us out and I have told him many times how much we appreciate it and he just says no problem and goes about his day.”
Lampe also highlighted the support Schmidt had given to his grandparents in the final few years on the farm before Lampe took over the operation.
The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award, made possible through the financial support of The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in doing things right. This includes caring for the environment and their livestock and being good neighbors. It is named in memory of Gary Wergin, a long-time WHO Radio farm broadcaster who helped create the award.
Anyone interested in nominating their neighbor for the award should write a letter or e-mail explaining why their neighbor should receive this designation. Applications may be submitted to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Attn: Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, Henry A. Wallace Building, Des Moines, IA 50319 or emailed to Communications@iowaAgriculture.gov.
Northey, a corn and soybean farmer from Spirit Lake, is serving his second term as Secretary of Agriculture. His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are promoting the use of science and new technologies to better care for our air, soil and water, and reaching out to all Iowans to tell the story of Iowa agriculture. |
