February Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to be presented to Calhoun County cattleman

02-14-2012 in Good Farm Neighbor

West Des Moines, Iowa – February 14, 2012 – The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) commends Kevin Poen of Lake City for his outstanding efforts as a neighbor and community leader. Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jay Johnson will present the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award to Poen Friday, Feb. 17th at the Lake City Community Building, 118 E. Washington St.

“Iowa farm families go to great lengths every day to provide the best possible care for their animals and the environment, while still being good neighbors and active community members,” CSIF Executive Director Brian Waddingham said. “This award is a great way to recognize farmers like Kevin who represent who we would all like to have as a neighbor.”

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.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award, made possible through the financial support of CSIF, 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.

The full release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is below:

KEVIN POEN FAMILY FROM LAKE CITY NAMED FEBRUARY WERGIN GOOD FARM NEIGHBOR AWARD WINNER
Award Presentation to take place on Feb. 17 in Lake City

Contact: Dustin Vande Hoef, 515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that Kevin Poen, a cattleman from rural Lake City in Calhoun County is the winner of the February “Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”

Jay Johnson, the Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will present the award to Poen on Friday, Feb. 17th at the Lake City Community Building, 118 E Washington St. 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.

“Kevin is one of many livestock farmers in Iowa who do a great job caring for their animals, the land while also serving in their local community,” Northey said. “The Good Farm Neighbor Award is a great opportunity to recognize these farmers that make Iowa agriculture so special.”

Kevin and Lynn Poen and their children Tiffany and Kyle operate the family’s row-crop, popcorn, alfalfa and beef cattle operation between Lake City and Yetter. Kevin is a fourth-generation farmer.

The Poen’s were nominated for the award by their neighbor Darcy Maulsby saying, “Not only is he a successful farmer and livestock producer, but he is a progressive, community-minded Ag leader who is committed to creating a brighter future for rural Iowa.”

Maulsby went on to say, “Kevin is always interested in finding new solutions to make his beef operation more efficient, and he is the kind of cattleman who works hard throughout the year to protect soil and water quality… He uses minimum tillage, terraces and waterways on his cropland to prevent erosion. He also uses grid sampling on all his acres so he can adequately fertilize his fields without over-applying nutrients.”

Off the farm, Kevin stays very active in the community, according to Maulsby. “Kevin is also a tremendous asset to the local community, where he is a long-time supporter of the Southern Cal FFA, the Lake City swimming pool project, his church and the local school district,” Maulsby 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.

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.

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