Eddleman takes home IASWCD President’s Award

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Robert Eddleman, former Indiana State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), was recently honored by the Indiana Assoc. of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD).

IASWCD’s outgoing President Paula Baldwin chose Eddleman to receive the coveted President’s Award. A Crawford County native, he served the NRCS for almost 43 years. Since his retirement in 2000, he has served as a member and past chair of Indiana’s State Soil Conservation Board. He also has been honored as a distinguished alumnus of Purdue University’s College of Agriculture and as a Sagamore of the Wabash.

One of Eddleman’s best legacies is his work with the Hoosier Heartland Resource Conservation and Development Council’s Plant A Million project. The initiative, which began in August 2005, is designed to plant one million trees in central Indiana.

Michigan’s Soybean Yield Contest tops 96 bushels

FRANKENMUTH, Mich. — The 2010 Michigan Soybean Yield Contest had a record 96 bushels per acre reported. This was for the Group II Non-irrigated class.
For the second time, the average yield of the winners topped 70 bushels per acre. This past year, the average yield of the five class winners was more than 77 bushels per acre. The Michigan Soybean Assoc. (MSA) received 103 entries from 87 farmers in 23 counties, with an average yield of 64 bushels per acre.
The overall highest contest yield in 2010 came in from Tom Green of Allegan in Allegan County, with a Group II Non-irrigated Class yield of 96.16 bushels. Close behind was the Group III Irrigated Class, winning yield of 84.38 bushels per acre, by Cameron Mendenhall of Kirkdorfer Farms, from Edwardsburg in Cass County.

Other class winners included: Brian Nickels of Byron Center, Group III Non-irrigated Class, with a yield of 72.42 bushels; Karla Mendenhall of Edwardsburg, Group II Irrigated Class, with 79.84 bushels; and Greg Wagner of Reese, Group I Class, with 65.49 bushels.

All winners received a personalized winter jacket and a combine trophy. All farmers who completed the contest received a personalized hat, $50 worth of biodiesel bucks and their entry fee applied toward a 2011 membership in the MSA.

NCGA announces 2012 Corn Board candidates
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — The Nominating Committee of the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) announced its slate of candidates for the 2012 NCGA Corn Board. The election will be held at the July Corn Congress in Washington. Terms of office begin with the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2011.

The candidates are: Keith Alverson of Chester, S.D., chair of NCGA’s Ethanol Committee; Martin Barbre of Carmi, Ill., running for reelection and chair of NCGA’s Biotechnology Working Group; Chip Bowling of Newburg, Md., a member of the NCGA Public Policy Action Team and Mycotoxin Task Force; Bob Bowman of DeWitt, Iowa, a member of the NCGA CornPAC Committee; Lynn Chrisp of Kenesaw, Neb.; and Don Elsbernd of Postville, Iowa.

NAMA forms Biotech Comm. and names other chairs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — North America Millers Assoc. (NAMA) Chair Paul Maass announced the formation of a Biotechnology Committee and named the committee chairs for the 2011-13 term.

The Biotechnology Committee is chaired by John Gillcrist, Bartlett Milling Co., and is tasked with looking at the broad policy implications of biotechnology regulation and advising NAMA on actions and positions to be taken. Other structural changes include renaming the Product Promotion Committee to the Nutrition/Product Promotion Committee and the Kansas State Committee to the Milling Science and Operations Committee.

Breck Barton, Cereal Food Processors, Inc. chairs the Milling Science and Operations Committee. The structure and purpose of the other NAMA committees remain the same. The new chairs are:

James M. Meyer, Italgrani USA, Budget/Finance; Charles B. Stout, Pendleton Flour Mills, LLC, Meeting; Wayne Bauer, Star of the West Milling Co., Food and Facility Security; Donald L. Mennel, The Mennel Milling Co., Food Safety; R. Don Sullins, ADM Milling Co., Technical; Wade Ellis, Bunge Milling, Inc., International Trade; Robert Y. Harper, Hopkinsville Milling Co., Corn Dry Milling Conference; Dan Dye, Horizon Milling LLC/Cargill, Ad Hoc Committee on Futures Markets; and Richard C. Siemer, Siemer Milling Co., Ad Hoc Committee on Methyl Bromide.

Indiana winemakers honored with Outstanding Merit Award

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The founders of one of Indiana’s oldest wineries were recently honored by their industry. Ted and Dana Huber received the Outstanding Merit Award, presented by the Indiana Wine Grape industry.
In 1843, Simon Huber settled the southern Indiana farm, bringing with him his many years of fruit growing and wine making in Germany. It went through a few years as a dairy operation; however, the family switched to raising fruits and vegetables in the 1930s.

The winery was started in 1978. In 2000, Huber’s Starlight Distillery was opened as Indiana’s first distillery. Seven generations have operated Huber Orchard, Winery & Vineyard. Currently, Ted and Dana Huber and Greg and Jan Huber oversee and manage the facilities.

From its 80-acre beginning, the farm has expanded to more than 600 acres. It has earned nearly 1,000 gold, silver and bronze awards in wine competitions from all regions of the United States.

Three take home Ohio pork industry awards
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three people took home awards from the 2011 Ohio Pork Congress held in Columbus on Feb. 9.

Bryan Black was recognized with the Ohio Pork Industry Excellence Award. He was selected for his tremendous contributions representing Ohio’s pork industry on the local, state and national levels.

Black has served as president of the National Pork Producers Council and the Ohio Pork Producers Council. He has also been actively involved in numerous state and national committees, and serves as chair of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board Swine Subcommittee.

He resides on the family swine operation outside Canal Winchester with his wife and continues extensive contributions by being a voice and representative to media and the community challenging Ohio agriculture practices.

Johnny Regula was recognized with the Ohio Pork Industry Service Award. He was selected for his magnitude of support and dedication to the pork industry. Regula operates an auction business, working at countless livestock auctions, including the Ohio State Fair Sale of Champions.

He also has mentored agriculture youth throughout the state and has spent time assisting with youth activities and shows during the Ohio State Fair. He resides near Ostrander with his wife, Julie.

Ben Zientek was recognized with the Ohio Pork Manager of the Year Award. He was selected for his talent and experience in swine management.

Zientek started his career working at a sow farrow-to-finish operation outside Sheridan, Ind., and later joined Kalmbach Swine Management at its Williams Pork facility in Stryker, Ohio. In 2007, he became the sow production supervisor, overseeing 80 team members, nine sow units and nearly 22,000 sows.

He, his wife Peg and daughter Addison reside in Liberty Center, Ohio. Zientek is actively involved in the community through his local FFA chapter, soil and water program and Farm Bureau group.