Pork Congress 2012 - Iowa Pork Producers Association
Pork Congress 2012 - Iowa Pork Producers Association
Pork Congress 2012 - Iowa Pork Producers Association
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<strong>2012</strong> <strong>Iowa</strong> <strong>Pork</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> Re-Cap<br />
One day, two awards for Wapello Co.<br />
pork producers<br />
Jan. 25 turned out to be a pretty<br />
big day for Ryan and Lana Reed of<br />
Ottumwa. Before receiving the 2011<br />
Environmental Steward Award from<br />
the <strong>Iowa</strong> <strong>Pork</strong> <strong>Producers</strong> <strong>Association</strong><br />
that evening, they were presented<br />
with the “Gary Wergin Good Farm<br />
Neighbor Award” for January.<br />
<strong>Iowa</strong> Secretary of Agriculture Bill<br />
Northey presented the award to the<br />
Reeds at the “Winter <strong>Pork</strong> Picnic”<br />
during the <strong>Iowa</strong> <strong>Pork</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> in<br />
Des Moines. The presentation was<br />
broadcast live on WHO Radio’s Big<br />
Show.<br />
“It is exciting to be able to recognize<br />
a young family like the Reeds that<br />
not only take great care of their<br />
livestock, but also go above and<br />
beyond to care for their neighbors<br />
and reach out to the community,”<br />
Northey said. “The Good Farm<br />
Neighbor Award was created to<br />
recognize families like this that are<br />
an example of the great livestock<br />
farmers we have in this state.”<br />
The Reed Family has a 4,800-head<br />
tunnel-ventilated pork facility on<br />
their home farm and has additional<br />
production at another site.<br />
with their neighbors and the<br />
community.<br />
“When the Reeds first approached<br />
us about building their barn in 2007,<br />
the very first thing we discussed<br />
was trees. The Reed family farm<br />
aesthetics are second to none.<br />
They have coordinated with the<br />
Coalition to Support <strong>Iowa</strong>’s Farmers,<br />
Trees Forever and the <strong>Iowa</strong> Nursery<br />
Landscape <strong>Association</strong>’s Green<br />
Farmstead Partner Program to plant<br />
an astounding 1,200-tree buffer<br />
around their facility to limit odor and<br />
particulate matter and provide a home<br />
to wildlife,” read the nomination.<br />
The Reed family also hosts an<br />
annual Fourth of July picnic for area<br />
residents to visit the farm, learn<br />
about pork production and ask any<br />
questions. “This shows the Reed’s<br />
strong commitment to neighbor<br />
relations and communications,” the<br />
Hollingsworths said.<br />
The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor<br />
award, made possible through the<br />
financial support of the Coalition to<br />
Support <strong>Iowa</strong>’s Farmers, recognizes<br />
<strong>Iowa</strong> livestock farmers who take pride<br />
in doing things right. This includes<br />
caring for the environment and their<br />
livestock and being good neighbors.<br />
It is named in memory of Gary<br />
Wergin, a long-time WHO Radio farm<br />
broadcaster who helped create the<br />
award.<br />
Ryan and Lana have three children:<br />
Conner, Kylee Jo and Colt Ryan.<br />
Gary and Debbie Hollingsworth<br />
nominated the Reeds. “We have<br />
been lifelong friends and neighbors<br />
of Ryan’s family and it is great<br />
to see him and his young family<br />
succeeding in livestock agriculture,”<br />
the nomination read.<br />
The Hollingsworth’s went on to<br />
praise the Reed’s efforts to care for<br />
the environment and communicate<br />
Pictured from left: CSIF Executive Director Brian Waddingham,<br />
Ryan and Lana Reed, Debbie and Gary Hollingsworth<br />
and <strong>Iowa</strong> Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.)<br />
(Photo courtesy of Coalition to Support <strong>Iowa</strong>’s Farmers.)<br />
March <strong>2012</strong><br />
47