Hansen Family from Audubon County received the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award

Secretary Naig awards family for outstanding leadership in agriculture

DES MOINES, Iowa (June 3, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to the Hansen Family yesterday. Charlie and Greg Hansen are cattle and hog producers in Western Iowa.

“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of taking care of our neighbors and our communities,” said Secretary Naig. “I’m excited to honor the Hansen family for their ongoing dedication to livestock care and environmental stewardship, especially at a time when COVID-19 is impacting the food supply chain and farm economy.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the award presentation ceremony was limited to 10 people. Secretary Naig and the Hansen family practiced social distancing while receiving the award live on WHO Radio’s The Big Show.

“With numerous events canceled during the pandemic, we thought it was important to continue to highlight outstanding leaders in agriculture and continue the tradition of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award,” said Brian Waddingham, Executive Director of the Coalition to Support Iowa Farmers. “We worked together to change the award ceremony in order to practice social distancing while thanking the family for their leadership in agriculture.”

The Hansen family runs a diversified cattle and swine farm in Audubon County. They practice no-till farming and have a crop rotation of corn and soybeans as well as some acres of alfalfa. Over the last couple of years, the Hansen family has been experimenting with a cereal rye cover crop for a secondary feed source. They get their fields sampled every four years and use variable rate technology to supply their crops with the proper amount of nutrients.

Their cattle and hog manure are utilized as another fertilizer source for their crops and is applied in accordance to their nutrient management plan. The Hansens have also installed terraces and waterways to help manage runoff from rainwater.

Charlie is on the Soil Conservation Board for Audubon County. Greg is on the Audubon T-Bone Committee and participates in the Audubon FFA Alumni Association. They are both involved in Pheasants Forever, Audubon Cattlemen and the Audubon Pork Producers Associations.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award is made possible thanks to financial support of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers. This award recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in caring for the environment, their livestock and being good neighbors. It is named in memory of Gary Wergin, a long-time WHO Radio farm broadcaster who helped create the award