Waterloo Times

As the farming industry sees several changes, one farmer remains optimistic that farming will return to its glory days through the use of sustainable practices too improve the soil and help the environment.

PBS NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Mark Bittman spoke with six-generation farmer Sam Bennett for the “Future of Food” series. Bennett’s family has called the land in Northwest Iowa home for more than 135 years. While the Bennett family’s presence is historical to say the least, he revealed that they will be making changes sooner than later.

“We're gonna harvest probably middle of July. Looks like the rye will be ready before the oats," Bennett said on the program. "We have about 2,000 acres altogether on our farm. We've started integrating small grains like oats and rye into our rotation too. And those really aren't crops that are found really anywhere in Iowa.”

Sara Carlson, the strategic initiatives director at Practical Farmers of Iowa, said on the program that the current crop system leaves no roots in the ground during the winter and the ground is only used for six months of the year.

"We haven't always looked like this," Carlson said on the program. "Even three decades ago, farmers in this area would have been growing small grains in rotation with a legume cover crop and corn and some soybeans.”

Still, Bennett is hopeful that farming will continue in years to come if it’s done right. He said on the program that he wants the farming industry to be more diverse, which could be possible.

“What used to be normal I'd like to make normal again. It's like I told 100 people what I'm doing today. If those 100 people tell 100 people, we'd solve this problem real quick. I'm not borrowing this land from my dad, or my grandpa, I'm borrowing it from my kids, and my grandkids. It's my responsibility to leave this land in better shape than I found it.”