Bacon and eggs, a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato), and Cheerios with milk, that was the breakfast we were offered when we were warmly welcomed in the Midwest by Jack Irwin. Jack is a quarter Lithuanian, but he is so deeply connected with Lithuania that he has visited the country more than 80 times and has been contributing to educational programs in Lithuanian schools. What’s even funnier is that I first met Jack when I was still in my mother’s belly. He has seen the entire uptick in Lithuania right after its independence until today, and he has also watched me grow up. So, imagine yourself coming to a house in Geneva, Illinois, and finding multiple photos of your family and yourself from childhood. Jack was a wonderful host, and once we explained our interest in visiting a farm, he quickly made a few calls. A call to Steve led to another call to another Steve, and through mutual connections and word of mouth, our trip took us to DeKalb, Illinois. The town’s name was vividly in my memories from the blue, yellow, and red logo of the DeKalb seed company, which is now owned by Bayer. I immediately knew we were in the right place to get a glimpse into conventional American agriculture.
The farm, a 600-acre operation half-owned, half-rented, specializes in hogs, corn, and soybeans. The hogs make the farm less typical since fewer and fewer farmers are raising livestock. The farm’s primary goal is to raise the pigs “to fattened them up for the market” 8,000 to 9,000 pigs annually. The owner, Steve Safford, is a third-generation farmer whose great-grandfather acquired the land in 1860. When asked for advice for new farmers, Steve said that the best way to succeed is to be born into a farming family or start early in your career. He noted that people often romanticize farming after successful corporate careers people start farming, but later face challenges from the market to the environmental challenges. He also added that if you can live with the downsides of a hog operation, such as the smell and being on the farm all year, you can have a good income. Despite the rising costs of inputs, he expressed pride in the profitability of his farm.
We walked towards the farm’s feed mixing facility, which was one of Steve’s first improvements when he took over the farm from his father. Steve showed us the ingredients for the hog feed. He listed a long array of additives like GF 4 Edge, copper chloride, NAT-P E 1000, Methionine, Theronine, tryptophan, lysine, salt, limestone, soybean meal, DDGS corn, and fat. The most recent innovation on the farm was adding bakery leftovers to the feed since it works well with the rations. We also checked the near-empty corn grain elevator, which was waiting for the new harvest in about a month.
Finally, for the first time on American soil, we stepped into a cornfield. The rows were precise, and the crops were tall and productive. Apparently, there was a saying that by July 4th, corn should be knee-high. Steve explained that due to improved seed varieties, fertilization, and crop protection, corn by July 4th is above the head. We looked at his corn, exchanged agronomic insights on why the top of the corn was not full, and then I switched the topic and asked Steve for his view on regenerative agriculture. He of course returned the question, asking for my definition first. Steve explained that his sustainability efforts come from his livestock operation, a practice that is becoming rare. By primarily using hog manure, he rarely needs to purchase phosphorus and potassium, as he has sufficient levels according to his seasonal soil measurements. However, he still has to buy nitrogen and other pesticides to maintain a productive yield. He also showed us a windbreak of trees planted around his house and across a field. His legacy project provides a nesting environment for birds and protects the farm from the strong western and northwestern winds that bring snow.
Steve cares for the environment, but he also recognizes that any change, even a tiny mistake, could turn his profitable farm into a losing one. The mere idea of switching to organic farming makes him shiver as he considers the steps, time and risks involved. He shared a story about being away for a meeting and returning to find the power had been off for too long, leading to horrible consequences for his hog operation. This raises a question: How can a farmer implement regenerative practices one step at a time, maintaining or increasing profitability without risking too much?