Back on the farm
John Schlageck
Friday, April 24, 2009
On her first major farm tour since taking office, 2nd District Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins experienced a slice of agriculture in Brown and Doniphan counties. Hosted by the Farm Bureau organizations in these counties, the freshman congresswoman visited with producers on three working farms.
Jenkins said she learned a great deal and heard first hand some of the joys, fears and frustrations today’s farmers are up against. And while she didn’t come right out and say so, it was clear Jenkins enjoyed her time away from the Washington beltway and the company of the folks who work the land and care for this country’s livestock.
Row-crop farmer Ken McCauley welcomed the congresswoman to his operation on the first stop of the tour. McCauley, who farms in Brown and Doniphan counties, grows corn and soybeans on 3,300 acres. It’s all no-till and he’s incorporated this method of farming for more than 25 years.
“I call it ‘no looking back no-till,’” McCauley told the congresswoman and approximately 20 others who attended the April 8 farm tour.
While his original intent for no-till farming was to save equipment, time and fuel costs, the real return for the northeastern Kansas farmer has been improved soil quality and moisture retention.
“We’ve virtually stopped most of the soil erosion on our farm,” McCauley said. “During June and July crops can go without rain every two and sometimes three weeks instead of every week using conventional tillage.”
McCauley thanked the congresswoman for visiting his farm. The former president of the National Corn Growers Association took this opportunity to tell Jenkins the current farm bill should not be reopened.
“We don’t need to change something that just became enacted,” McCauley said. “Producers, farm organizations and our representatives in Washington worked very hard to enact a good, solid farm bill using less money and we can’t stand any more money being taken out of the agricultural sector.”
On the second stop of the farm tour, Congresswoman Jenkins was particularly tuned in during the Meng’s description of their family dairy operation. Jenkins was raised on a dairy farm in neighboring Jackson County.
This stop featured a demonstration by Fred, brother Norman and their sons who milk, care and feed 110-head of Holstein cows. Their father, Bernard, shows up every day to supervise.
Fred Meng served as spokesperson and walked the congresswoman through their operation. While stressing the importance of care and feeding of their cows, Meng related a story about the health of their dairy herd which remains the top priority on the farm — even more important than their own.
“We begin milking at 5 a.m.,” he said. “All of our cows are milked and fed before we even think about breakfast.”
By the time the Meng family does sit down to a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, butter and yes, milk, (no coffee, they can’t stand the smell) it’s often 9 or 10 o’clock — four hours later.
At the finish of this segment of the tour, Jenkins promised the farmers and ranchers she will be their number one advocate for agriculture.
“This industry is so near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I’m going to go through the wall for ag producers in Kansas.”
Doniphan County farmer and banker Thad Geiger hosted Congresswoman Jenkins on the last leg of the tour. Geiger voiced his concerns about the high input costs farmers share while doing business today.
Being a row crop farmer and livestockman, he said last year’s $7.50 a bushel corn was hard on those who fed livestock. Geiger suggested farmers could still remain profitable receiving $4.50 to $5 a bushel for corn.
Before leaving the last farm, Congressswoman Jenkins thanked the ag producers for their time and hospitality. She encouraged them to stay in touch and asked each and every one on the tour to “please pick up the phone or shoot me an e-mail. Don’t assume we know what your individual concerns are.”
Jenkins promised to take everything she saw and heard back to Washington. Here she will try to rally a group of “common-sense folks on both sides of the aisle” who represent agricultural interests across the country.
• John Schlageck is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. Born and raised on a diversified farm in northwestern Kansas, his writing reflects a lifetime of experience, knowledge and passion.
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