Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, travel Benton County on Wednesday, September 24th, visiting area farms and businesses.  The tour was hosted and organized by Benton Development Group to give Secretary Northey the opportunity to experience the wide variety of agriculture operations thriving in Benton County.  Throughout the day, Northey toured: Kerry, Vinton; Old School Produce, Vinton; Pheasant Run Farm, Van Horne; Wallace Farms; Keystone.   

 

Secretary Northey was very impressed with the diversity of our local agriculture industry.  While at Pheasant Run Farm, Northey learned Eric and Ann Franzenburg’s main crop this year is milk thistle.  Milk thistle is a medicinal herb used for purification of the liver. In Old School Produce’s second crop season, Mike and Cindy Elwick showed how they produce a to z … asparagus to zucchini.  Dan Van Steenhuyse, Homer Showman and Marlyn Jorgensen, establishers of Iowa Soy Specialty which was sold to Kerry in 2001, were able to show Northey a very sophisticated business that is taking their product creation to the next level. Nick Wallace showed how his business has taken off and the ways he makes it easier for his customers to purchase and receive their product.  Through the Wallace Farms website, you are able to select your pickup location, your product and submit your order.  

 

Each of the operations have very distinct qualities and Secretary Northey was very impressed with each.  He was also able to recognize that with these very qualities, challenges are quick to follow.  While some challenges may be advertising, workforce, or in Wallace Farms position, finding an individual to raise grass fed cattle for his booming Nick’s Stick product, these operators are quick to find solutions to minimize the effects of these challenges.  Northey engaged in great conversations with owners and operation while expressing the need for the Department of Agriculture to know that is going on and the challenges being encountered so the departments is able to help find solutions.   

 

Benton Development Group truly appreciates Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, for spending the day in our county.  This opportunity would not have been possible if it wasn’t for Kerry, Old School Produce, Pheasant Run Farm, and Wallace Farms opening their facilities for the secretary to tour.  Each of these operations take pride in their customers knowing their product are safe and produced fresh. To learn more about each of the businesses toured, we encourage everyone to visit each website: 

Kerry: Kerry.com 

Old School Produce: Facebook.com – Old School Produce 

Pheasant Run Farm: Pheasantrunfarmiowa.com; Facebook.com – Pheasant Run Farm, Iowa 

Wallace Farms: Wallacefarms.com; Facebook.com – Wallace Farms