Protecting Our Livelihood…

When I fell in love with my favorite farmer at the age of 18, I began to research his home state of Nebraska.  This interest in “where he came from” transferred over to my studies, and I wrote a research paper on the Ogallala Aquifer for one of my Environmental Studies classes at Dartmouth College.

At the time I did not realize it, but the Ogallala Aquifer is perhaps the single most important natural resource for our farm.  It is a subsurface body of water that underlies approximately 80% of the Hi Plains region of the country.  Nebraska is located above one of the deepest parts of the aquifer.

Approximately 2/3′s of our crop ground is irrigated directly from the aquifer, and it is also our source for drinking water (although usually our family drinks it out of a facet)…

In addition to ground water irrigation, Central and Western Nebraska are known for surface irrigation.  Our surface irrigation system is comprised of a series of ditches and reservoirs that work with the Platte River to bring rain water and snow melt from North Central Colorado and Eastern Wyoming to our region.

The irrigation pivot north of the feed yard that uses recycled water in addition to surface irrigation water to help this corn grow.

The surface irrigation system described above, in addition to irrigating our crops, also works to replenish the aquifer.  Together with water conservation practices and more efficient irrigation methods, this surface irrigation system has actually increased the water levels of the aquifer underneath Central Nebraska during the last 25 years.

One of my favorite parts of summer is looking at the lush green of Matt’s alfalfa fields.

Water, quite literally, brings life to our farm.  Our family, our animals, and our crops cannot survive without it.  It is paramount for Matt and I to take care of our water supply—our farm is not sustainable without it.

The promise of life…

The use of soil water probes, center pivots, and water recycling practices all play a role in the conservation of our precious water sources.  However, we must not only conserve the surface and ground water but also to protect the quality of the life-giving aquifer.

In partnership with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, I began Ground Water Monitoring testing at the feed yard in 2003.  I test the ground water (its depth and its quality) two times per year in five different strategically placed wells surrounding the feed yard.

Taking a water sample out of one of the five testing wells that surround the feed yard.

This allows me (and the NDEQ) to monitor the depth of ground water surrounding our farm, track the directional flow of the water, and ensure that ground water quality is not negatively impacted by my feed yard.  In its simplest form, Ground Water Monitoring is my report card of the job that I do to responsibly manage the nutrients on my farm.

Twenty years ago, when I met my favorite farmer, I had no idea that I would become a key contributor to our farm and the protection of its natural resources.  Today, I wear many hats:  American, Wife, Mom, Cattle Feed Yard Boss Lady, Caregiver of Natural Resources.  I wear them all with pride, never forgetting that my responsible diligence determines the environmental sustainability of my livelihood.

Environmental Sustainability: How do I care?

Sustainable = The ability to endure

While I believe with all my heart that our farm’s ability to sustain is intrinsically tied to its capacity to endure, I also recognize that good planning and an attention to detail is critical to our success.

Sustaining is not just something that happens if you get lucky—it is the result of careful planning and diligent implementation.  It is the art of taking what Mother Nature gives to you and turning it into a usable and beneficial resource.

Recent Sustainability research conducted by the Beef Check Off demonstrates that there are three components of sustainable beef production (raising cattle to grow beef): environmental responsibility, economic viability, and social diligence.

Because I care, I have the responsibility to minimize the environmental footprint of my farm.

While every decision that Matt and I make on the farm affects its environmental footprint, the following list denotes the key concepts of how we practically care for the farm’s environmental sustainability.

• A detailed manure management plan that includes both soil and manure sampling, and makes use of a computer program to help figure the healthy balance of nutrients on crop ground.  The plan also ensures the proper handling of the manure as it is transported from the feed yard to a neighboring crop field.
• A lined holding pond allows us to use the water that drains off of the feed yard during a rain storm for both irrigation and fertilization on our crop ground.  The heavy plastic liner of the pond prevents the leaching of nutrients while the water is being stored.  This helps us to both recycle the liquid for later use, and to protect the ground water (Ogallala Aquifer) that is under our farm.
• A careful rotation plan for our crop acres reduces erosion and helps to build and sustain soil health.
• A careful pen cleaning schedule allows for timely and effective solid manure collection.  This helps to ensure good cattle pen conditions, and the effective use of the natural fertilizer that our animals produce.
• The procurement of genetically high quality cattle which destines them to produce tender and flavorful beef while using fewer natural resources (feed) to make that beef.
• The dedication to high quality holistic care practices which reduces stress and improves the comfort of our cattle.  Comfortable cattle make healthy and flavorful beef using fewer natural resources!
• The use of technology to increase the efficiency of our animals.  For instance, I use both growth hormone implants and a beta agonist feed supplement at the end of the feeding period to help my animals maintain efficient feed conversion until the time of harvest.
• The use of crop farming technology to increase the efficiency of our crop ground.  For instance, Matt’s tractors are equipped with GPS systems to ensure that seed is placed accurately into the ground at planting.  He also uses soil probes and other mechanisms to ensure that he is using irrigation water efficiently.

Matt and I have many “tools in our environmental sustainability tool box”.  We believe that it is our obligation to both our farm and to you to use them responsibly and with diligence.  Our farm has sustained for more than 60 years.

It is our goal that our grandchildren will one day care for it with the same reverence that we do today.

The Farmer: The Eternal Optimist…

I celebrate Earth Day each April with mixed feelings.  I am very thankful for our farm and its natural resources; but that thanks is blended with the knowledge that Mother Nature is consistently in control of my life.  Although I have learned to accept that fact over the years, it still brings a sense of helplessness at times when I realize just how much of my family’s livelihood is intrinsically tied this unpredictable force.

The girls by one of our tractors waiting for their daddy to load the alfalfa seed into the planter so that he can plant the field...

We pray for rain when it is dry…We pray for sunshine and heat to grow our crops during the summer months…We pray that violent storms which bring hail, damaging winds and tornadoes will not destroy what we have built and grown with our own blood, sweat and tears.

They look to me for care. The feed that I nourish them with is grown on our farm or other farms in Central Nebraska. We are all dependent on Mother Nature...

While I grew up in the “hurricane belt” and was no stranger to strong storms, I was not used to those storms putting my entire livelihood at risk.  I can bring my family down into our basement when a tornado has been spotted, but I cannot bring my cattle, horses and all of our crops to the relative safety of a basement. Likewise, a brutal hail storm (in a matter of minutes) can damage both my animals and Matt’s crops while we can only helplessly watch.

Recently, a hail storm came through and left the road and fields by our house covered in a couple of inches of white ice...

As I headed home from Washington DC, a large weather system brought violent storms to the Midwest region of the country.  We were lucky—we received rains, wind, and some hail.  There were a several tornadoes spotted within a 50 mile radius of our farm.  While the hail set back a couple of our alfalfa fields and my perennial flowers, there was only limited damage.  I saw pictures of families that were not so lucky.

These are alfalfa plants from the field behind our house. If you look closely, you can see that there is some damage to some of the top leaves from the hail. The alfalfa is recovering and will be fine to harvest in May.

April brings a shift in our weather challenges from Mother Nature.  Usually by then we no longer have a threat of ravaging blizzards (although in April of 1996—a couple of months before Matt and I were married—a blizzard hit central Nebraska and the ice and heavy snow took down many power lines.  Matt and his family were out of power for 10 days.)

The farmer always seems to persevere---many times relying heavily on the youthful optimism of the next generation. Karyn gives her daddy moral support and a big smile as he gets ready to plant a new alfalfa field.

Strong thunderstorms tend to take the place of blizzards as March blends into April.  I will never forget the spring that brought a blend of winter and spring forces of nature. We had heavy rains and thunderstorms for several hours.  As the temperature dropped, the rain turned to ice and finally to snow.  What began as a thunderstorm ended as a blizzard, and brought flash flooding to our farm.  The girls laughed that our yard looked like the Amazon River—sometimes laughter is the best medicine of all…

Helping to bring life to the land...The farmer is the eternal optimist!

I have written about my relationship with Mother Nature many times over the past eleven months.  Earth Day always inspires me to reexamine that relationship.  Today, I count my blessings that the grass is green, the cattle are well fed and cared for, Matt is planting new alfalfa, and there are signs of life all around me.  Like every other farmer, I hope and pray that Mother Nature helps us in this quest for life.

Matt and his crew will *hopefully* finish planting alfalfa any day now--as long as Mother Nature cooperates!

Wow That Cow!

My oldest daughter came home from school one day a couple of years ago and announced that one of her friends was going to stop eating meat and become a vegetarian.  I asked her, “Why?”, and she responded, “I don’t know—she said that she wanted to stop using/eating products that were made from animals.”  I am always looking for ways to broaden my children’s horizons and increase their knowledge, and this seemed to be a great opportunity so I ran with it…

I asked my daughter if she realized that the car that we were driving in would not operate without cattle by-products…I then asked her if she realized that the road that we were driving on was made from asphalt that contains a binding agent made from beef fat…I then asked her if she realized that the soap that she had used the night before to shower with was made in part with beef fat and protein…

The shoes on her feet and the basketball in her hand were both made from cow hide leather...The muscles in her arms are fueled by beef!

The car got really quiet so I kept rattling off common travel, household, textile, food and pharmaceutical products that all contained some by-product from cattle.  I believe that I rendered her speechless (which is no small feat given that this child is both incredibly intelligent and also going through the teenage stage of being omniscient).  Apparently, it had never occurred to her that so many products other than beef came from cattle…

The reality is that 98% of the beef animal is used to make products that we all rely on.  Many of those are products other than the great tasting beef that we all normally associate with cattle!  I would like to share some of the other products that are made from cattle.  These products are made from the stuff that is left over after the beef muscle cuts are taken out…

WOW THAT COW!

Pharmaceuticals

*blood factors (for treating hemophilia, killing viruses, and making anti-rejection drugs)

*Chymotrypsin (promotes the healing of wounds)

*Collagen (used in plastic surgery and to make non-stick bandages)

*Cortisol (anti-inflammatory)

*Glucagon (treats hypoglycemia or low blood sugar)

*Heparin (anticoagulant used to treat blood clots)

*Insulin (for treating diabetes or high blood sugar)

*Pancreatin (aids in digestion of food)

*Thrombin (coagulant which helps blood to clot)

*Vasopressin (controls intestinal and renal functions)

*Vitamin B-12 (prevention of B-complex deficiencies)

Food

Gelatin comes from the connective tissue of cattle and is used to make many non-beef food items such as: candies, dairy products, deserts, diet products and jellies.

Household Products

*Candles                             *Ceramics                          *Cosmetics                        *Crayons

*Deodorants                     *Detergents                       *Floor Wax                        *Insecticides

*Insulation                         *Linoleum                          *Mouthwash                     *Paints

*Paper                                *Perfume                           *Plastic                               *Shaving Cream

*Soaps                                *Synthetic Rubber            *Toothpaste                      *Car Polish and Wax

Textiles/Apparel

Cowhide Leather!–Which is used to make clothing, shoes, boots, belts, purses, wallets, gloves, luggage and upholstery for cars and furniture, and sports balls.

Travel

*Antifreeze (contains glycerol which is derived from beef fat)…

*Asphalt (contains a binding agent made from beef fat)…

*Beef Fats and Proteins are used to make: auto and jet lubricants, outboard engine oil, high performance greases, and brake fluid…

*Glue from beef protein is used in automobile bodies…

*Tires have stearic acid which allows rubber to hold its shape…

Cattle are not only great recyclers converting non-edible feedstuffs into great tasting beef, but they are also highly diverse in the products that they offer to us.

Thanks to the American National CattleWomen for providing the information listed above which helps us to have a better appreciation for all of the products that cattle give to us…

This post wraps up my environmental theme series…Thursday’s post will start a new series about how a diet rich in beef can play a key role in good health…By the way, nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day like a great tasting steak!

What’s her feed conversion?

My youngest daughter is built like a colt.  She has always been that way.  She arrived four weeks early having obviously decided that there was not enough room in my 5’3” frame to accommodate her long legs…While she is not a big fan of eating (there always seems to be something more interesting to do) she continues to get taller and taller and taller.  At age seven, she is one of the tallest children in her grade and stands a full head taller than many of her friends.  I laugh that Matt has interjected height into my genetic pool!  He laughs that Karyn has excellent feed conversion…

Karyn (my great feed converter) with one of our guides in Kenya...

Feed conversion is one of those cattle terms that 15 years ago was not in my vocabulary.  It is also one of the most important measurements of efficiency that I have for my animals, and tells me how many pounds of food each one requires to put on one pound of animal weight gain on a dry matter basis.  We convert the pounds of feed to a dry matter basis because different types of feed have different amounts of water in them relative to caloric value.  In a very simplistic sense, it tells me how many natural resources it takes for my animals to grow and make beef.

My two favorite blondes showing off one of our cattle feed rations...

There are many things that go into determining how efficient a bovine is.  Genetics play a big role, but there are many environmental influences on feed conversion as well.  I focus on quality at my cattle feed yard—I buy animals with high quality genetics and I offer quality care to them.  This combination allows for my animals to be very efficient converters of feed.  I believe that this plays an important role in reducing the environmental footprint of my farm because it reduces the amount of feed resources that I need to sustain my animals and grow great tasting beef.

Let’s take a minute and talk about what defines quality care relative to animal comfort and subsequent feed efficiency…

What helps to make them comfortable?

*Acclimation of cattle into the feed yard.  Cattle spend the majority of their lives grazing grass pastures, so the transition from eating grass and living on a pasture to eating out of a feed bunk and living in a dirt-based cattle feed yard pen is an important one.  Limiting stress to ensure greater cattle comfort is an important part of good cattle health and resulting feed efficiency.  We use a concept called low stress handling to help us create an acclimation plan for our cattle to ensure a smoother transition from a life on pasture to a life in a feed yard.

When a bovine is comfortable in his environment, he expresses normal behaviors such as this curiousity toward me and the camara...

*Consistent delivery of a balanced blend of quality feed ingredients.  My cattle nutritionist develops the blend or ration of feed that my animals receive.  My crew and I ensure that this feed is delivered in a consistent fashion to our animals.  Breakfast is delivered between 7:00 and 10:00am, and linner (my children’s name for the combination of lunch and dinner that the cattle receive) is delivered between 2:30 and 5:00pm.  We track the timing of feed delivery to our animals and try to ensure that each animal is fed within a half hour window for their meals on a day-to-day basis.  For example, Calf #718 lived in Pen 17 while he was at my feed yard.  His breakfast was delivered between 8:30 and 9:00 every morning, and his linner was delivered between 3:30 and 4:00.  Cattle are creatures of habit, and consistent timing of delivery and feed quality is important to their digestive health.  We also routinely test our feed rations to ensure the quality and consistency of the blend of feed that is offered to the animals.

The feedtruck delivering linner to Calf #718 and his herdmates last spring...

*Comfortable living conditions in the cattle pens.  We place a big focus on pen maintenance which helps to ensure that the pens that our cattle live in are comfortable for them.  We routinely clean our pens and haul out the natural fertilizer that the cattle produce to maintain a clean living space.  Mother Nature can wreak havoc with this at times when we receive large amounts of rain or a blizzard, but we work diligently to ensure the best possible conditions for our cattle.  My new livestock waste control facility has been a tremendous help in maintaining good living conditions for our cattle because it has enabled the moisture to drain out of our pens more efficiently which enables our pen surfaces to dry more quickly.

We use a tractor and box scraper to clean the pens and accumulate the manure so that Matt's crew can come and load the natural fertilizer and spread it on our farm ground...

The bottom line is that healthy and comfortable cattle make healthy and delicious beef grown using fewer nature resources. This reduces the environmental footprint of Matt’s and my farm.  Just like my happy and healthy seven-year old continues to grow with efficient feed conversion, so do my cattle.  It is my responsibility to offer quality care and feed to my animals.

When I set my animals up for success, I also set the consumers of my beef up for success as well as the long term sustainability of our farm...

A Sea of Grass…A Bountiful Food Supply!

As I drove around in a jeep across Central Kenya last December, I saw a sea of grass that brought me a sense of déjà vu.  This visual image is a familiar one to me… I see it every time I drive across Nebraska visiting ranches and procuring cattle for my feed yard…

A black rhino wandering through a sea of grass...

In Kenya, much of this grass is used to feed wild animals which drive one of the largest industries in the country: tourism.

Some of my cattle---amidst a sea of grass in Nebraska...

In Nebraska, much of this grass is used to feed millions of cattle which drive the largest industry in the state: beef production.

Nebraska is home to the top three cow counties in the United States which means that we have a very large number of cow/calf ranches where baby calves are born.  Nebraska also ranks 1^st in commercial red meat production and 2^nd overall in all cattle and cattle sales.  This means that there is also a large number of cattle feed yards (like mine) where millions of animals are finished in preparation for harvest, and several packing plants to harvest the animals.  With a reported statistic of 99% family owned and operated the vast majority of these cattle farms are like Matt’s and mine.

Megan learns great life lessons learning the personal responsibility that it takes to care for cattle...

Grass is a wonderful resource which is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also a critical component to raising beef.  Cattle, as ruminant animals, have a digestive tract that is made up of four compartments.  This unique digestive process allows for cattle to be tremendously efficient grass converters. This provides a core component in our effort as farmers to convert a non-edible resource (grass) into a nutrient packed and great tasting human protein source (beef). Because the average beef producing bovine spends the first 12-18 months of his life grazing, and reproductive herds spend their entire lives grazing, it requires a large amount of grass to sustain Nebraska’s herds.

The great converters...

The topographic blend of 23 million acres of grassland (more than ½ of Nebraska’s land mass) with millions more acres of fertile crop ground make Nebraska a truly unique ecosystem.  It is this blend of resources that enables us to be The Beef State.  I mentioned this fact to my girls a couple of weeks ago when they were dramatically exposing their disappointment of being left out of Jason Aldean’s new song The Flyover States…

You see, we may be a "left out" fly over state, but we are The Beef State!

My oldest daughter responded to my proclamation with a toss of her head and an eye roll that both appear to me to be attitudinal actions unique to teenagers…She then remarked, “Yeah, they’ll figure out how important we are when they don’t have anything to eat!”  This is the same child that periodically asks me if I think that she would make a good President of the United States someday—I am thinking that she will require some intense media training before she will be able to successfully infiltrate the world of politics…

I I vastly prefer this expression over the “eye roll” attitude expression…

So, Nebraska has grass…Nebraska has crops (corn, alfalfa, wheat, soybeans)…Nebraska has cattle…We make BEEF! This is our claim to fame…

I have, at times, run across articles and statements that liken corn to something evil.  I am always at a loss when faced with this because I believe corn to be a very diverse and useful plant.

It can be used for many different things...

The main source of grain that I feed to my cattle is something called wet distillers grains and it is made from corn.  It is what is left of the corn kernel after the ethanol has been extracted, and it makes a wonderful feed for my cattle.  We blend it with forages (alfalfa, cornstalks, wheat stubble, or soybean stubble) in order to make a palatable and nutrient balanced diet for the cattle.

Wet Distillers Grains presented by one of my favorite blondes...

In fact, a large percentage of my cattle ration is made up of stuff that is left over.  The wet distillers grains, cornstalks, wheat stubble, and soybean stubble are all things that are left over after the primary harvest of the plant.  Cattle serve a very important purpose with their ability to convert these leftovers into a great tasting human protein source.

A blend of ground corn stalks and wheat stubble that we feed to our cattle shown by my other favorite blonde...

The next time that you look at the beef in the grocery store, remember that cattle are great recyclers, and that there is a good chance that the beef that you are buying came from The Beef State (which you all now know is Nebraska)! 

Fortunately, you can purchase this product from a friendly butcher instead of a teenager who might have a bit of a chip on her shoulder...

Thanks to Certified Angus Beef for sharing their friendly butcher with us!

The Mission Statement…

My husband, Matt, took courses at Tuck Business School as a part of his M.S. graduate degree in Engineering Business.  As an undergraduate psychology major, I always found the “team building” information that he brought home from his business classes interesting.  I remember one day when he brought home ideas and information about developing your company’s Mission Statement.

Engineer-Businessman-Farmer-Daddy...

I hold weekly crew meetings at the feed yard in an effort to improve our communication and team work.  We often talk about what our priorities are and how we hope to best achieve them.  I am a believer in taking the time it takes to do all of the little things right and I place a huge emphasis on details as my guys and I care for our animals.

Every once in a while, at one of our weekly meetings, I will ask my guys “What is our goal?  What do we do here?”  Two of my three guys will roll their eyes and mutter something about having a woman psychologist as a boss lady, but my foreman invariable rises to the occasion and remarks: “We focus on doing all of the little things right because it makes a difference.  We focus on quality care and we get good results.”  YES!

Although I have never taken the time to develop an official written Mission Statement, it is something that I often think about.  I have a sign posted along the highway that runs just south of the feed yard—it has distinct Mission Statement components to it…

Generations of caring hands make a promise which allows for a sustainable legacy...

The past few posts have revolved around environmental stewardship and how Matt and I use the resources on our farm to not only produce beef but to provide long term sustainability for our land.  While growing crops and grass, feeding cattle to provide beef, and maintaining a healthy nutrient value to our soil are all integral pieces to this sustainability; there are some other pieces of the puzzle that are necessary to live up to the promise on my sign…

*Utilization of grass land to convert inedible human nutrients into human food…

*Use of co-products from other industries to feed to the cattle to increase efficiency and limit waste…

*Paying close attention to details in cattle care to ensure both animal comfort and feed efficiency performance–Revisiting mental, emotional, and physical fitness as it relates to cattle well being and how that impacts the environmental footprint of the farm…

We will look at each of these components next week with the help of my two favorite blondes!

Redefining Normal…

As a creature of habit, my days often follow similar patterns. In fact, days and weeks tend to flow into one another and I sometimes lose track of the calendar…Every once in a while, my routine is interrupted by an epiphanic event.  Sometimes this event is a positive experience; sometimes this event is inherently negative in nature.  Regardless, it motivates me to redefine normal.

One of the largest epiphanic events that occurred early in my tenure at the feed yard transpired when agents from the Environmental Protection Agency chose to perform a spot inspection of my feed yard.  Normally, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality routinely inspects the feed yards across the state of Nebraska to ensure compliance with government environmental regulations; however, every once in a while the EPA comes across the region and randomly re-inspects a few of those feed yards to further ensure compliance.

Young and full of naivety and enthusiasm...

The inspection began when the agents walked into my office, flashed their federal badges and informed me that if I lied to them that I would go to prison.  What followed was one of the most unpleasant events in my life.  More than ten years later, I still I remember clearly the blatant antagonistic nature of the inspection, and I have to admit that I was completely unprepared for it.  I was a naïve twenty-four year old woman trying to learn how to run a business and care for animals.  Despite the challenges that I faced daily as a young woman entering the world of cattle feeding, I had never before been confronted with such obvious enmity.

This was my first direct personal involvement with federal government regulation and it is one that, even today, I have a hard time moving past.  That day redefined normal.  Gone was my youthful naivety.  The experience brought into question my idealistic American belief that a citizen is innocent until proven guilty, and it shocked me to my core.

In the days that followed the inspection, I was filled with internal struggle as I tried to realign my patriotism and figure out how the combatively natured inspection correlated with environmental stewardship.  One of the complaints of the agents was that I had failed to mark a zero down in my weather records on the days that we received no precipitation (I only marked down rain/snowfall amounts on the days that we received moisture).  I am enough of a rule follower that I changed my routine to accommodate the demands of the agency, but all the while I struggled to figure out the positive and practical impact that this change would have on the environment.

Redefining priorities with the maturity of motherhood...I realized that they are my legacy and they learn from my actions...

Gaining strength to get past the notion of “Once bitten, twice shy”…

More than a decade later, I took a deep breath and made the decision to voluntarily participate in a federal EQUIP cost share program through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to make environmental improvements at my feed yard.  The nature of this agreement was based on collaboration, and consequently was much more within my comfort zone.  As I signed the paperwork, I prayed that this experience with the federal government would be better than my first one…

An aerial view of my new livestock waste control facility...

Today, I have a state of the art livestock waste control facility to move effluent water out of my cattle pens and into a lined holding pond for storage until it can be used for liquid fertilizer and irrigation water on my crop field north of the feed yard.  The new drainage system and durable plastic lined waste control facility allows for better pen drainage, and protects the ground water that flows underneath the feed yard.  It’s increased size (compared to my old livestock waste control facility), also gives me the ability to make better use of the effluent water for irrigation purposes during the crop growing season.  While this was a huge financial undertaking for me, it was an important proactive move for me to make to reduce the environmental footprint of the feed yard and I am so very proud of it.

This is a picture of my old livestock waste control facility that was constructed in the early 1970's when my father-in-law built the feed yard. We are in the final phase of cleaning the old LWCF and have removed all of the settled nutrient matter from the bottom of the LWCF and spread it on our crop ground according to the proper agronomic rates to use to replenish the nutrients on our crop ground.

Right about the time that the project was being completed, I received a phone call from someone who worked at the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality in the water quality department.  He asked me, “Anne, why did you volunteer to build a new livestock waste control facility?  It was expensive, and we did not tell you that you were required to do it.”  I responded, “It was the right thing to do, and the cost share program made it a financially viable undertaking.”

The entire answer to his question actually goes a little bit deeper than that…I had a strong desire to redefine normal in my relations with the federal government.  I was searching for a way to work collaboratively to improve the environment, and to demonstrate that the combative and intimidating nature of my previous experience with the EPA was both ineffective and unnecessary.  At the very core of my being, I wanted to lead by example and demonstrate that a positive attitude and collaboration leads to effective change.

The example that I set for her determines the future of our country...

I refused to give up on my belief that collaborative entrepreneurship is the true American way…