Today we spent most of the day listening to Iowa Corn and Iowa Soybean Association. To be completely honest with you, if I hear Iowa is number one in corn one more time, I might explode. We get it, trust me, we do, Iowa makes a lot of corn. So much corn in fact that there is actually a surplus of the crop. Iowa Corn explained that Iowa makes so much corn that there is an over flow of the crop and all of it is not being used right away. This fact was also briefly mentioned last week at Poet, an ethanol plant, when I raised a question about a possible lack of crop production for this season. Both sources say that there is enough corn to sustain if something were to go wrong for a season and yields are not as high as they have been in the past.

Reflecting on the idea and use of crop diversity, I started thinking, why don’t farmers grow something else? Then I really started thinking, WHY DON’T FARMERS GROW SOMETHING ELSE? There is so much corn that the value per bushel (farm unit of measure) has slowly decreased. But, what really fuels my question is the want for world hunger to end. When I picture farms, I picture them as one thing, food sources. As farming has industrialized over time, I find it frustrating that there are people still without food. As a state that produces so much of one crop that isn’t for human consumption, I find it almost irrationally irresponsible that they continue year after year to plant the same things. I could understand, maybe, if Iowa was the only state in the corn business, but they are not. Surrounding states, like Illinois, come in a close second or third for corn yields.

Iowa Corn did mention that the surplus of corn is not as stable because, “we are about one drought away from an international disaster.” Regardless, I am off put by the fact that farmers refuse to grow anything else. Tomorrow we see the, “World Food Prize,” organization, and I would love to see their take on Iowa’s role in world hunger. Also, I want to investigate more on crop rotation/diversity and see how farmers find themselves investing time trying to grow other crops, like the green pea example at the Neubauer Family Farm. I think that Iowa farmers have room to grow produce producing crops. I also hypothesize, after getting more understanding of the geography of Iowa that if it was consistently warmer year round, like in the south, it could even be a good place for rice crops. Many areas of the state used to be wetlands and actual lakes, before they were drained. After drainage there are still significant places especially in the smaller towns in and around Jewell that can hold a lot of water and create wetlands that can support vastly different ecosystems than what you would typically find on an Iowa farm.

There is a larger role for produce in Iowa. I believe it. There just needs to be more incentive to make it happen!

Lastly, we had the best opportunity so far (yes this was better than the goats and the bees)! We met the President of Des Moines University, Dr. Angela Franklin. What makes this so significant is that she is a Furman Alum! What added to this opportunity even more for me was the fact the she was a Black woman and a South Carolina native. She grew up in McCormick, SC which is not far from my hometown at all. One message that resonated with me was to never be anyone’s second choice. The people who want you and who treasure your input and value will seek you out and make room for you. I feel that here in Iowa. I was nervous that this trip was not going to be the best experience, but I am seeing that as our conversations increase and we begin to breakdown the things we are learning, that my perspective and curiosity is unique and valuable!