DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that Mike Marshall from Clarion in Wright County has been named the September winner of the “Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”
Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jay Johnson will present the award to Marshall on Friday, Sept. 28th at the Marshall home at 1680 Nelson Avenue, Clarion. The “Big Show,” which airs on both WHO and WMT radio, will broadcast live from the presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 28th.
“It is great to be able to recognize a livestock farmer like Mike who is not only passionate about caring for his animals, but who is also going above and beyond to help young people get started in agriculture,” Northey said. “In addition to caring for his animals and taking care of the land, Mike is active in his community and regularly goes out of his way to be a good neighbor.”
Marshall custom feeds cattle for Cyclone Trace Cattle company and also feeds some of his own cattle and has 250 acres of row crops. He also allows 4-H students to use his facilities for livestock projects. Marshall is also the operations manager at the Clarion Coop.
Kyle Frink, Marshall’s step-son, nominated him for this award. “I am nominating him because I see the hard work he puts in everyday to better the neighborhood. He is on call 24/7 for his community and is willing to lend a hand to whoever needs it,” Frink said in nominating Marshall for the award.
Marshall is also very involved with the Wright County Fair. In addition to helping 4-H students with their projects, he helps with weigh-in and works the show ring at the fair. He is also a bidder for the Clarion area buyers group at the fair sale. “He is very passionate about kids staying involved in livestock and farming through showing at the county fair,” Frink added.
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
