Pivotal Issues Blog

By: Bill Spiegel Strolling through the mature tree row of Bill and Louise Walter’s farm is a walk down memory lane for old machinery buffs. Tools from the farm’s founding, in 1892, remain, although Jeri and Jeff Bates — Bill and Louise’s daughter and son-in-law — are working to clean it up. The Bateses are […]

By: Corbett Kull Farmers and landlords will begin negotiating their leases for the next growing season soon. As you begin to consider the next growing season, you have the opportunity to make adjustments and gain new insight into the health of your land. To help you make the most of this time leading up to […]

By: Lisa Foust Prater Bette Davis hit the nail on the head when she said, “Getting old is not for sissies.” The transition can be not only emotionally and physically challenging but also very expensive. Housing is one of the primary issues that families have to face when a loved one reaches a certain age. […]

By: Paula Barbour Varel Bailey and son, Scot, of Anita, Iowa, have put a lot of miles on the frame of a retired auger wagon. They dropped the frame then modified it for carrying fencing tools and materials. “The post caddies are like giant baby beds without mattresses,” Varel says. The floor is wire mesh […]

By: Lisa Foust Prater Finding quality, nearby healthcare is a real challenge for rural Americans. According to the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, only 9% of all physicians, 10% of psychologists and psychiatrists, and 12% of all pharmacists practice in rural communities. There are only half as many specialists and dentists per […]

By: Todd Janzen I recently replaced the CD player on my 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser with a modern Apple CarPlay equipped stereo. My old SUV now displays the latest iPhone apps when I drive on the stereo’s LCD screen. CarPlay works great. If you have driven a car with Apple CarPlay, you know that it […]

By: Jodi Henke Precision ag technology helps producers document the economics of crop production and conservation. Efficiencies in fuel, seed, chemical use, yield monitoring, and pest management are just a few of the goals that can be tracked by data recorded in the tractor cab. Those statistics provide a priceless report to the producer at […]

By: Mark Moore Dairy cow monitoring is serious business at Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. The 6,250 milking cows at one of the two farms are outfitted with a monitoring collar as soon as they reach the farm and carry that monitor throughout their time on the farm. These monitors collect data 24 hours […]

By: Jodi Henke No matter the size of your operation, having a GPS system when planting, spraying, and other field operations gives you better accuracy and efficiency. You can choose between several levels of accuracy, depending on what your needs are. Morgen Dietrich is the market manager for embedded technology at John Deere. He says […]

By: Lisa Foust Prater A new online marketplace, Land dot Lease, allows landowners to sell permission to hunt on their property. The company says its site offers additional income to landowners with an abundance of deer while preventing the property damage that can be caused by an unmanaged deer population. It also offers leases for […]