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Saturday, February 1, 2025

Middle Level’s Ditch Household Honored with Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award – Swineweb.com


The Ditch household of Middle Level, Iowa, was acknowledged with the distinguished Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award throughout the 2025 Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines. The award was offered by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, honoring the household’s distinctive dedication to environmental stewardship, livestock care, and group involvement.

Generations of Excellence

The Ditch household, which incorporates Matt and Melissa Ditch and their youngsters—AJ (14), Victoria (13), and Joshua (11)—operates a livestock and crop farm in rural Linn County. The farm, established in 1958, additionally consists of Matt’s mother and father, Ken and Becky Ditch. Over the many years, the household has overcome challenges, together with rebuilding after a twister within the Seventies, to take care of a thriving and sustainable farm enterprise.

A Dedication to Sustainability and Livestock Care

The Ditch household’s farm consists of pigs, cattle, and crop manufacturing. After transitioning from farrow-to-finish pork manufacturing in 1996, they now increase weaned pigs and concentrate on animal welfare practices licensed by Pork High quality Assurance (PQA) and Transportation High quality Assurance (TQA). The farm employs expertise like mist techniques to handle odors and optimize livestock well being.

Their crop manufacturing consists of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and hay. Sustainable practices akin to no-till farming, crop rotation, and cereal rye cowl crops have been instrumental in preserving soil well being and enhancing water high quality. Extra conservation efforts embrace grassed waterways to cut back runoff and erosion, nitrogen inhibitors, and precision nutrient software utilizing GPS-guided tools.

Management and Group Engagement

Past their farming practices, the Ditch household exemplifies group management and repair. “The Ditch Household combines wonderful care for his or her livestock with a deep appreciation for his or her land,” stated Secretary Naig. “They embody a real spirit of service by contributing to their group and serving in management roles. They’re a terrific instance of the fantastic pork producer households now we have throughout Iowa.”

Concerning the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award

Now in its twenty first 12 months, the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award acknowledges Iowa farmers who show exemplary care for his or her land, livestock, and group. The award is called after Gary Wergin, a beloved farm broadcaster at WHO Radio, and is sponsored by the Coalition to Assist Iowa’s Farmers, WHO Radio’s The Massive Present, and the Iowa Division of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Swine Internet congratulates the Ditch household on this well-deserved recognition and thanks them for his or her dedication to Iowa’s pork business and their group.

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