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Farmer of the Future

This we know: You can’t feed the growing world population without farmers. But there are serious questions today about who will actually be able to take on the job a few decades from now. Farmers are getting older, yes, but technological, cultural and political forces also are bringing immense change to those people who commit to building their lives around the land.

In this special report, Harvest Public Media looks at how some of those forces may play out over the next few years.

Central Standard
4:49 pm
Tue May 29, 2012

The Kansas City Farmer Of The Future

Cultivate Kansas City's apprentices at the Gibbs Road Farm are training to be farmers of the future.
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For this Wednesday's Central Standard, we bring you our second show asking-- what will the farmer of the future look like?  But this time we're looking for answers in our own metro area.

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Farmer of the Future
6:00 am
Fri May 25, 2012

A Plot In The Middle

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Credit Frank Morris / Harvest Public Media
Credit Frank Morris / Harvest Public Media
Credit Frank Morris / Harvest Public Media
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A few years ago, things were going smoothly for Eric Neill and his family. Neill was making good money as a construction superintendent for a commercial contractor in Kansas City, traveling the country, running challenging job sites. But he wasn’t satisfied.

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Central Standard
7:38 am
Thu May 24, 2012

What Will The Farmer Of The Future Look Like?

Credit Badseed / Facebook
Dan Heryer, Brooke Salvaggio and son Percy of Badseed Farmers Market and Urbavore Farms
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For this Thursday's Central Standard, we've teamed up with Iowa Public Radio's Talk of Iowa and Harvest Public Media to produce a talk show on the challenges facing young farmers today.

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Farmer of the Future
9:00 pm
Wed May 23, 2012

Who Are You Calling A Corporate Farmer?

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Credit Peggy Lowe / Harvest Public Media
Chris Boeckmann grows turkeys for Cargill on his Loose Creek, Mo., farm. But he also raises grass-fed all-natural beef for his private label.
Credit Peggy Lowe / Harvest Public Media
Boeckmann is a hybrid farmer who works with the large multinational corporations that control the agricultural markets, but also responds to increasing consumer demand for “natural” food.
Credit Peggy Lowe / Harvest Public Media
Boeckmann incorporated his all-natural grass-fed beef operation this year and is selling under his Boeckmann Family Farms label to local customers, restaurants and groceries.
Credit Peggy Lowe / Harvest Public Media
Boeckmann's Turkey operation looks like a large corporate farm.
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A surprising thing happens while touring Chris Boeckmann’s turkey farm, where 50,000 birds are grown each year for Cargill Inc.

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Farmer of the Future
9:00 pm
Tue May 22, 2012

The Sustainable Hand

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Credit Jessica Naudziunas / Harvest Public Media
Dan Howell, a farmer-rancher in Marshall County, Kan., is experimenting with his land like an idealistic young farmer.
Credit Jessica Naudziunas / Harvest Public Media
Howell used to farm commodity crops on all of his land. Now, he has diversified his farm.
Credit Jessica Naudziunas / Harvest Public Media
The Powers family owns Dary Springs Farm near Lincoln, Neb.
Credit Jessica Naudziunas / Harvest Public Media
Farmer William Powers directs USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program outpost in Nebraska.
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The farmer of future will grow food and raise animals with tomorrow in mind. They’ll know contributing to the food supply is not enough. If the soil, air and water they use to produce food is damaged, good luck feeding anyone. 

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Farmer of the Future
6:00 am
Tue May 22, 2012

Take Me To Your Fields: Robots On The Farm

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Credit Jeremy Bernfeld / Harvest Public Media
Brent Ware, a member of the robotics team at Kansas State, stands next to a planting robot that won a national competition.
Credit Jeremy Bernfeld / Harvest Public Media
Three sensors allow this robot to discern where a field of crops ends.
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There’s always work to be done on the farm, but often it’s the same work day, after day, after day. Parts of the job must feel a bit like an assembly line.

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Farmer of the Future
8:00 pm
Sun May 20, 2012

Blending Of Cultures May Be Blueprint For Growth

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Credit Kathleen Masterson / Harvest Public Media
Luis Campos came to the U.S. illegally but eventually became a legal resident. Campos is now the parlor manager at Winding Meadow Dairy in Rock Valley, Iowa.
Credit Kathleen Masterson / Harvest Public Media
Terry van Maanen bought Winding Meadows Dairy from his father in the '80s and has grown it to about 600 cows. He sells milk to Land O Lakes.
Credit Kathleen Masterson / Harvest Public Media
The Natural Food Holdings plant in Sioux Center relies on its large number of Hispanic employees.
Credit Kathleen Masterson / Harvest Public Media
Over time, formerly predominantly Dutch Sioux Center, Iowa, has changed.
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Sioux County, in northwest Iowa, is known for its Dutch pastries. The landscape is dotted with Lutheran and reform churches.  But today, Catholic churches and tortillerias are creeping into the landscape — signs of the new residents joining this vibrant community.

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