WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Conservation is an important part of Tom and Tammy Vittetoe’s multi-generation crop and livestock farm near Washington, Iowa. Over the years, the family’s calculated farming practices have not only earned them a reputation as environmental stewards, but as good farm neighbors.
“We’ve been neighbors since I moved here in 1974 and I’ve always been impressed with their level of management,” said Mike Hora, a Washington County cattleman. “They are pioneers of no-till in our area, they apply manure where and when it needs to be, and in my mind, they serve as a great example in the community.”
In recognition of the Vittetoe’s model efforts, Hora nominated the family for the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, presented the award to the family on Friday, April 7th.
Family Partnerships
In 1983, Tom and his brother, Jerome, decided to focus on individual facets of the family farm. While Jerome honed in on raising hogs, Tom took to the cropping operation and slowly began to implement new conservation practices on their acres. He was convinced no-till methods were the right fit for his farm after attending a field day in Illinois and learning from no-till pioneer Jim Kinsella.
“I came home and told my dad that we were going to no-till all of our corn and soybean acres, and of course he was very skeptical of that,” said Tom Vittetoe. “I was determined to make it work and that’s what set the stage for where we are today.”
Tom’s determination to continuously improve the environmental impact of his family’s farm led him to become an early adopter of no-till as well as other conservation practices. For the past four years, the Vittetoes have planted cereal rye as a cover crop on one-third of their acres to improve soil health and water quality. They have also incorporated terraces and grassed waterways in their fields to control erosion.
The Vittetoe brothers’ decision to specialize has proven to be valuable in terms of division of labor and for the sustainability of the farm. A majority of the grain Tom harvests is used to feed the hogs Jerome raises, and the manure produced by those same hogs is then returned to the Vittetoe’s fields to provide nutrients for the next crop.
Growing Together
The Vittetoe family farm has grown to include Tom and Tammy’s three adult sons, Josh, Jonathan and Joel. A memorable childhood of riding in combines and tractor cabs inspired each of the sons to follow their own unique path back to the family business.
“They all have different talents and different personalities,” said Tammy. “As parents, it’s been interesting for us to sit back and watch them find their place (on the farm).”
For the Vittetoes, being a good neighbor is part of living in a rural community. Together, the family has grown and sold sweetcorn within the local area for the past 30 years. Tom also serves as the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner and has participated in various roles with the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Pork Producers Association and the Iowa Soybean Association.
“My family is very honored to be nominated and selected for this award,” said Tom. “It will just set the bar higher for us to be even better neighbors than what we are.”
The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, presented by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Ag Radio Network in partnership with CSIF, is awarded to Iowa farm families who raise livestock. It’s given in honor of distinguished late WHO radio farm broadcaster, Gary Wergin, and recognizes families who take pride in being good neighbors and stewards of the land.
To nominate a deserving livestock farmer or farm family, contact Brian Waddingham at bwaddingham@supportfarmers.com or (515) 225-5531.
The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers was created more than 10 years ago by farmers to help farmers raise livestock responsibly and successfully. It’s a joint partnership involving the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Turkey Federation and Midwest Dairy Association.
— The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers
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