James and Jennifer Carlson from Webster County Named Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award Winners
Award to be presented August 31 at the Heartland Bank in Gowrie
DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 29, 2018) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that James and Jennifer Carlson from Webster County have been named the winners of the Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award. The family raises swine and cattle on their farm in addition to growing corn and soybeans.
Naig will present the award to the family on Friday, Aug. 31. The ceremony will be at the Heartland Bank, 1201 Market St., in Gowrie. The “Big Show,” which airs on both WHO and WMT radio, will broadcast live from the presentation from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“Congrats to James and Jennifer on being named Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award winners,” Naig said. “Livestock production is so important to our state and rural communities and it is a great honor for me to help recognize the Carlsons.”
The family was nominated for the award by Richard Hubbard, who is their former veterinarian and also rents land to the family. In his nomination he cited the family’s commitment to providing the best care for their animals, saying, “They have very neat facilities that are well maintained. A mono-slope facility was constructed for their cattle feeding and pigs are finished in state of the art buildings.”
The family is also very active in the community, with Jim serving on the local school board and on the Landus Cooperative board. The family is also active in the Zion Lutheran Church in Gowrie.
The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, made possible through the financial support of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in doing things right. This includes caring for the environment and 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.
Anyone interested in nominating their neighbor for the award should write a letter or e-mail explaining why their neighbor should receive this designation. Applications may be submitted to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Attn: Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, Henry A. Wallace Building, Des Moines, IA 50319 or emailed to Communications@iowaAgriculture.gov.