Updates! - Derecho Farm Impact Report

3:15 - Crop Insurance36:15 - Agronomist56:00 - Elevator GM1:18:15 - Corn Head Dealer1:37:40 - Farmer1:56:10 - Pastor 3:15 Crop Insurance Representative- Farmers Mutual Hail – Ryan Benes & Zach AllsupCrop Insurance Claims and AdjustersRyan Benes - Ryan is a Strategic Account Manager, who works with some of the nation’s leading crop insurance agents. Ryan began at FMH in 2012 as an adjuster and has been a Sales Manager since 2013. He lives in Grimes, IA with his wife Micah and 2 boys (Brazen and Maxen).  Ryan loves three things - Family, Golf, and the Iowa Hawkeyes.Zach Allsup - Zach grew up in eastern Iowa and attended the University of Northern Iowa where he double majored in finance and real estate. He have been in the crop insurance industry for 11 years. Zach currently hold the position of Assistant Vice President – Claims with Famers Mutual Hail. He resides in Polk City, IA with his wife Kelly, 3.5 year old son Cameron and our 1 year old daughter Rylie.We have already shared about the extra communication going a long way, but we’ve learned more since our first episodeWhat are you seeing in your area now for claimsCornBeansHow are they being handled?Are fields being totaled?What does it mean for a field to be totaled?Is there really a list that people go on for being totaled?Cattle guys call then trying to buy the field from the farmerWill all underwriters treat the conditions the same?Is there guidance from RMA?Test strips – 1000 feet for 40 acres then it gets appraised – Harvest try like normalSubtract the appraisal from the APH and settle upAppraisal after black layerCan the farmer go at it after that to try and harvest the differenceARM Tech – Rolling cornWhy are companies doing it differently?If you don’t agree with your adjuster, what should we as the farmer do next?Are there independent adjusters?36:15 Agronomist Perspective (Meaghan) @mjanders1Meaghan Anderson is a field agronomist in central Iowa and an extension field specialist at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. She helps area farmers with research, questions, diagnosing problems, and most importantly has been doing research on how the Derecho has impacted the area and how to move on from it. We talked earlier, but how are the crops looking now?CornBeansWhat are you or have you been learning since we chatted last?What type of yield impact are we looking at?Suggestions for what next steps to take based on conditions?If we get told to destroy it, what is the best way?Ripper, disk, VT, high speed, other?Is there anything our listeners should be looking out for now?Mold, volunteer, etc…56:00 Local Coop Perspective – Key Coop Boyd Brodie – General Manager of Key CooperativeJason Dubberke – Grain Division Manager for Key CooperativeTell us a little bit about Key Cooperativehttps://www.keycoop.com/About#who-we-areHow bad is it-the storm damage?Key Co-op30 million- 12 million in space (40 bins)https://youtu.be/TXn5bhnGc08Other elevatorsWhat are things elevators can do to be up and running for fall?Tear downBuild up/Rebuild – started labor day ish with target for 1st week of OctoberNew locationsCommunicationDamaged Crop – rejection levelsPartnerships?Disaster recovery teamsWhat options do elevators have for alternative storage solutions?Do you expect basis to change more than seasonally?What can a farmer/customer do this fall to help make things run smoother for you?If our listener has concerns about any of this what should they do next in regards to working with a Co-op?1:18:15 Harvesting Down corn (MAYA) Justin is a born and raised 5th generation Iowa farmer.  He has actively farmed on 4 continents and has spent his entire career working in agriculture across North America (USA/Canada), South America, Europe, and Africa.  Justin earned his bachelor's degree in Agronomy from Iowa State University in 2000.  In 2007, he completed his MBA from California State University-Fresno.  Justin is the Co-Founder and Chairman of AgFunder.com, one of the largest agriculture crowd funding businesses in the world with a 100% focus on funding agriculture projects.Justin has remained active in their family farming operation in NW Iowa which allows him to stay very active in day to day changes in the production of crops and industry changes.Justin and his brother Lance have the exclusive Maya corn head dealership in NW Iowa for the United States.@Justin BruchTell us a little about MAYA and the corn heads they makeWhat in your experience helps with the process of harvesting down corn?What about the MAYA head makes it superior in these conditions?How does stock and ordering look right now?If we can’t get a MAYA head or afford to trade what can do we do make our current heads work better?Any advice for the process of harvesting down corn?ISU Articlehttps://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/aaron-saeugling-kristina-tebockhorst-mark-hanna-ryan-w-bergman-shawn-shouse/combine-adjustments?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter1:37:40 Farmer Perspective – @4fingerdthpunchDestroying a cropWhat process did you go through before making the decision to destroy the crop?What information did you collectWho did you solicit advice fromWhat type of insurance did you haveAnything you wish you would have done differentlyHow did this play with or effect your emotions?Any advice for when a crop should be destroyed?Did your process work well?What would you change?1:56:10 Stress/Anxiety/Community Perspective – Pastor BenBen Austicserves as the Associate Pastor of Family Ministries For Rehoboth Baptist Church in Kirskville, MO.  He is married to his wife Jessica, and together they have daughter Anushri and sons Seth and Ethan.  Farming was his passion for the first 36 years of my life, but in 2013 some amazing things happened that convinced him that God wanted him in ministry.  In May 2016, I graduated from Midwestern Baptist College with an Associate's degree in Worship Ministries.@benhaminaustic – Pastor Ben, CCA

Religion can form a very strong network of support, how can a sense of community help in a situation such as the Derecho?

Religious communities in general - I’m going to say, particularly the Christian church - is unique in all the world. Where else will you find a group of people called to self-sacrificial love, modeled after Christ- Who laid down His very own perfect life for the benefit of sinners… for the benefit of His enemies!

Even if they do this poorly, you won’t find this out in the world!

The writer of Hebrews tells the reader to gather together to stimulate one another to love and good deeds and to encourage one another.

The early church in Acts - in the face of a hostile culture and government - shared everything, even through severe persecution. They were joyful! 

We all remember 1 For 13 - the love chapter, love is patient, love is kind, long-suffering, doesn’t boast, etc. But have you considered that 1 Cor 13 follows 1 Cor 12? And what is in 12? Paul is telling the church that EVERYONE has gifts, and they’re all needed like parts of a body. He’s talking to a dysfunctional church, by the way. He’s saying, none is more important than another, but all are needed. So how do you bring this diversity of people together from chapter 12? Love. Chapter 13. If I speak with tongues of men and angels, but don’t have love? I’m just noise. Even if I give away all my possessions, if I don’t have love I don’t gain a thing.

So, to summarize and bring this back around. How can a religious community help? These are the people that will love you and you will love. These are people to serve and be served by.

In hard times, the only thing as powerful as being served… is serving others. And serving one another in view of how Christ served? It’s the ultimate loving community. No room for pride, but there’s room for everyone.

If you haven’t found this to be true, go out and find this community. It’s out there. We’re out here. And we have room for you. These are the people that will pray for you and love you.

o   If our listener is feeling pretty bad, down and out, lost, etc….do you have any hope you can provide them?

First off, you don’t hope for something you already have. You only hope when you’re in need. So, hope only exists in need. If you’re in need, then there’s hope!

Hope is so human! Every good story has a crisis in the plot. Then somewhere from the doubt and despair, hope emerges! Hope floats, as they say. The greater the crisis, the greater the hope, the greater the victory.

If hope requires a crisis… if it exists in need, don’t diminish the crisis, don’t downplay the need. Don’t numb or dull the pain. Embrace the crisis.

§  What does it mean to have hope?

Hope is celebrating the trials, knowing that they bring perseverance, which brings proven character, which brings more hope. (Romans 5:3) From a Christian point of view, if God was able to raise Christ from the dead… if His promises of future glory are true, how can hope disappoint? He not only gave the example of Christ persevering, He gave assurance of that reality through resurrection! Death, sickness, my own failure, and certainly not a derecho can stop that kind of hope! What is this life? It’s just a proving ground!

We recognize it’s a mess here. It’s been that way from the beginning. Sometimes it seems unfair (Job). Sometimes it just seems hopeless. Mankind has been in this difficult situation for all his existence, but there’s hope! And it’s beautiful! The wildflowers and crops grow on the cow turds and decaying plants.

§  Any key verses to remember to help power through harvest?
I have two.

My favorite is from Job 5:7. Job has lost everything and he’s sad and angry, sitting in the ashes of his estate full of sores. His terrible friends come to sit with him and make him feel better, but they just keep telling Job he must have done something terrible to deserve all this. And his friend Eliphaz says, “For man is born for trouble as sparks fly upward.” No truer words were ever spoken. Hey, life is hard. As sure as the sparks fly up from a fire, man is born for trouble.

The second came from my senior pastor. Galatians 6:9 - Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

Put them together - Life is hard, but don’t lose heart in doing good. We’ll harvest in due time if we don’t grow weary.

o   What are some good resources for those in need through the church in general?

The greatest resource I can recommend is just any old friend. Start reaching out. Find a friend. Search #agtwitter and start following people. My friend, Kyle Samp at @mocornfarmer is a great follow. Sow Hope and Hank Wade are others. Seriously, I have found the best little community here on Twitter.  Follow me or just send me a message at benjamin austic. 

The second, of course, is a local church. If it’s truly doing what the church was put here to do, then it is the community that God has designed to provide for all your needs. I serve in a Southern Baptist Church, but any denomination has resources.

Third, if you’re not interested or you’re hesitant to look here, if it comes to suicidal thoughts, the suicide hotline is (800) 273-8255. Don’t wait. There’s hope, you may not believe it but you can get to the place where you can. Persevere. Keep moving forward. Don’t let suicide be the end of your story.

o   What could you say to the person who doesn’t think this is them or doesn’t think the religious community can help?

If the objection is previous hurt:

I’ve said before, and I’ll say again… if all of the people who have been hurt by church, showed up at church on a given Sunday, we couldn’t hold all the people. I understand. But the church of Jesus is a place that is healing, not hurting. Opening up to people makes you vulnerable, but it’s necessary. Don’t lose heart!

Being disconnected from a body leads to death. Cut off your finger and see how long it lives! You’re the same way. You need to be connected in order to maintain a faith. You need the blood that pumps through the rest of the body. They need you, as well.

o   What can we do to help others who are battling all forms of stress and anxiety?

Ask people. Don’t be afraid of the weird question- are you doing okay? You’ll be shocked at how many people around you want to be asked that question. Also, don’t be afraid to ask how you can be praying for someone.

Be sensitive. Hurting people can be prickly. They may lash out. Be kind. You don’t have to respond to everything. Love is patient and kind. It doesn’t respond in anger. Be understanding. You’re not a doormat when you do this, you’re showing them a kindness— one that we’ve all been shown.