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Young farmer remains optimistic

The strong ag economy of recent years enticed many young people to return to their family farms.

One of them is Josh Nelson of Belmond, Iowa, who started farming with his dad and two uncles a couple of years ago.  Nelson admits 2014 has been a challenging year, but he says he’s learned from it.

“It’s taught me a lot of patience and not to panic too much,” Nelson says. “So this year I thought that was a lesson I really learned, between weather and prices dropping.”

Looking ahead to 2015, Nelson says he is concerned about high input costs and land rental rates.

“We’re negotiating with some of our suppliers about how to get some of our bills down, and we’re trying to find other avenues to lower seed costs,” he says, “and maybe find some other ways to bring some income into the farm.”

Nelson says it’s a chance to reevaluate and look for new ways to make the farm thrive.

“This may give us a chance to pursue some other opportunities on the farm besides pigs and corn and soybeans.  One of my uncles started growing hops recently, for beer.  So that may be a new cash crop for us.”

AUDIO: Josh Nelson