Stanton farmer named to Practical Farmers of Iowa Board of Directors

AMES — Stanton-area farmer Mark Peterson has been appointed to the Practical Farmers of Iowa Board of Directors, representing southwest Iowa.

In 2005, Peterson joined Practical Farmers of Iowa, an organization dedicated to advancing profitable, ecologically sound and community-enhancing approaches to agriculture through networking, investigation and information sharing.

“I had the privilege of attending a conference in 2005 and listening to Vic Madsen and Ron Rosmann speak, and I was inspired to join them,” recalls Peterson. Madsen, of Audubon and Rosmann, of Harlan, are longtime members of the 27-year-old organization.

To improve conservation on his farm, Peterson conducted a research project on his farm last summer that compared yields between susceptible and aphid-resistant soybeans.

Peterson, a conventional row crop farmer, raising corn and soybeans on about 300 acres near Stanton, said he has been incorporating lessons learned from attending Practical Farmers events into his farming operation to help reduce use of chemicals and conserve the soil while increasing his profitability.

“Regardless of the size or type of farming operation, everyone needs to be looking for their own better way of farming to become a better steward of the land,” Peterson said. “I want to make the most out of the land I’ve been entrusted with.”