U.S. Farm Report

Current Weather Pattern Set To Take A Dramatic Shift: What You Need to Know

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:19:10 GMT

The forecast is calling for a hot and dry June, which is a stark contrast from the cool and wet weather pattern that’s been dominating. As rains continue to suffocate the southern Corn Belt and the mid-South, those areas could face higher amounts of prevent plant this year, while much of the West will turn dry and warm by next week.

Past 72 hour precipitation totals.

(Pivotal Weather )

Over Memorial Day weekend, parts of Oklahoma, southern Missouri and Arkansas saw up to 5" of rainfall. Texas also saw rain, with severe storms even producing large hail. Posts on social media showed grapefruit-sized hail pounding areas of the state.

Never seen hail this big before. In Afton, Texas now !! #txwx pic.twitter.com/tYMM7TML8n
— Pie☈☈e-Ma☈c Doucet (@PMDStormchaser) May 25, 2025

A massive 6-inch, 1.5-pound hailstone, roughly cantaloupe-sized, fell near Afton, Texas, leaving locals stunned. Witness Colt Forney captured the incredible moment! ( May25, 2025)

Have you ever seen hail this insanely huge? pic.twitter.com/efXuX9dA7j
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) May 26, 2025

The forecast for the rest of this week shows that pattern shifting even farther south, with the Southeast seeing more than 4" of rain.

“We saw places in Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota — especially the Dakotas — that picked up well over 3" of rain,” says Michael Clark of BamWX . “Now going forward, the forecast for the next seven days is a much drier outlook for those areas with the heaviest rain focused across the deep South — where they don’t need it. That includes southern Missouri, southern Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. They don’t need rain there right now.”

Precipitation forecast over the next 72 hours.

(Pivotal Weather )

But it’s not just the rain meteorologists are watching. The cooler temperatures are also a concern.

“This map [pictured below] shows the growing degree heat units and the anomaly, or the departure from normal, for the next 10 days,” Clark says. “You can see nobody’s really running above. We’re running quite a bit below, so we’re going to struggle to really accumulate any heating degree or growing degree days right now.”

Cooler temperatures have created a problem with growing degree units (GDUs) to end May.

(BAM Weather )

Those cooler temperatures will be short-lived, though. NOAA’s heat index forecast for the first week of June shows south Texas seeing temperatures rise above 100°F. Pockets of the Plains, Midwest, Southwest and Southeast will hit 85°F to 95°F.

Heat index forecast for the first week of June.

(NOAA )

This could be a precursor for what’s to come the remainder of June, according to Clark.

“The focus is turning to a much warmer temperature pattern this summer,” Clark says. “Our precipitation outlook for June features a risk for below-normal precipitation, and really, we might already be seeing hints of that. But it’s normal to above-normal in the rainfall department in the East and Southeast right now for the month of June.”

Precipitation outlook for June.

(BAM Weather )

Temperature outlook for June.

(BAM Weather )

The hot and dry forecasts aren’t new. Meteorologists have been concerned about dryness in the Western Corn Belt since winter. But Clark says the active weather pattern we’ve seen this spring could put those forecasts on a detour this summer.

“The models have had a tendency to dry this up and pull rain out of the forecast, but we keep seeing cold fronts and big, active pattern signals coming through. We do think that ends, but some persistence in the pattern overall might yield that we see a couple more chances of rain and cooler shots of air in the first half of June. Maybe that pattern shows up the second half of June into July,” Clark says.

The good news is leading into that drier and warmer spell to start June, the recent rains have helped improve the soil moisture.

Soil moisture map shows improvement in parts of the upper Midwest, South and West.

(BAM Weather)

With More Arctic Air Set to Blast the U.S., Why This Winter Could Be Remembered for Its Extremes

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 21:42:02 GMT

After ice and blizzard conditions blasted the Midwest, South and East to start January, another round of frigid temperatures is set to blanket much of the U.S., and this time, temperatures could fall even lower than the previous round of cold.

Much of the U.S. is still seeing snow cover, with temperatures too cold to melt the recent snow. But now, we’re bracing for even colder temperatures as what’s called the “Siberian Express” is set to arrive this weekend. What exactly is the Siberian Express? Well, it gets its name from the cold air’s geographic origins. It’s when arctic air spills into the U.S., and it can have multiple sources, including Arctic Canada, Alaska, and in this case, Russia’s Siberia region, which is home to the coldest place on earth.

snow cover

(Weather Undground)

Meteorologists say the active start to January is a sign of what’s ahead.

“We’ve tried to bring some moisture back into places that have not seen it,” says Eric Sodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist with Conduit. “I’ve had this concern for a while about the lack of good flow in the atmosphere and what that’s meant toward building drought in some places through fall and now early winter. And I hate to say it, but nasty winters tend to give us a much better outlook for the next year. So, hey, let’s keep these things going for the rest of January and February, too.”

It’s not just the cold that’s turning heads, but it’s also the amount of snow that’s fallen since the start of the year, and it’s setting records. Take Kansas City, Mo., for example. That area has seen 13.” of snow in January, which makes it the second snowiest start to January in Kansas City history. Some parts of Arkansas saw as much as 15" of snow last week. That compares to areas that typically see snow, such as Chicago, recording little to no snowfall so far this year.

pic.twitter.com/rC9Dbh0qHE
— NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) January 13, 2025

The Winter of Extremes and Episodic Cold Outbreaks

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey thinks the winter of 2025 will be remembered for the extremes.

“With this pattern set up, it’s going to be too dry in the Southwest, stormy in the Northwest, and episodic cold outbreaks across the country,” he says. “Everybody remembers those because especially embedded in an otherwise relatively mild winter, you really remember those hard hitters.”

Cold

(GFS Model )

And that’s exactly what we are in for later this week. According to Rippey, the upcoming Arctic blast is one of those “episodic cold outbreaks” we typically see during La Niña, and what he describes as a re-amplification of the pattern we’ve been seeing for much of the month.

“Sunday night’s GFS model is showing this for extreme minimum temperatures over the next seven days,” says Rippey. “Bitter cold should stay out of the Deep South, but it may get a bit colder than this early next week before it gets better.”

Cold

(GFS Model )

Recent Moisture Helps Drought in Places
What about the moisture? The recent moisture is helping drought conditions in parts of the upper Midwest and some areas of the plains.

“But as you move to the south, that’s where I have concerns, that southwestern quadrant of the country, southern California, to the High Plains, like West Texas, western Kansas, western Oklahoma,” Rippey says. ”All I can say is it’s very fortunate those areas in the central and southern plains had a wet November because it doesn’t look good for the foreseeable future.”

But what about areas farther north, like Montana and the Dakotas? Lerner doesn’t expect widespread relief this winter.

“We’re getting some waves of snow to come across Montana and the Dakotas, but it’s a dry, powdery snow, and it’s really not providing high volumes of moisture,” says Drew Lerner, founder and senior agricultural meteorologist at World Weather, Inc. “This pattern will continue for the next several weeks, so we’ll put out a little bit more snow up that way. But as far as being able to get a big soaking rain type, you’re going to have to wait until spring.”

Meteorologists say one thing we are seeing that’s consistent with La Niña, is the sharp dividing line between wetter conditions and drought. And NOAA’s seasonal outlook shows that divide with below normal precipitation forecast for much of the southwest and Deep South over the next 90 days. Above normal in areas of the northwest and east.

Precip. Outlook

(NOAA)

Temp Outlook

(NOAA )

Drought Watch
Lerner thinks parts of the upper Midwest and northern Plains could see more active weather with rain into spring.

“So, I’m not too terribly concerned about the fact that we’re still seeing persistent dryness in those areas,” Lerner says. “Not all of that region will get relief when we get to the spring, but I would say probably two-thirds of that region will.”

But even with more moisture across other parts of the U.S., Snodgrass says he’s concerned about drought in other areas due to the weak La Niña.

“We tend to be wet through the Mississippi valley and east going into spring. There tends to be lots of storms, but we tend to see the drought that’s in West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, the Sunbelt expand up toward Colorado,” Snodgrass says. “Most models want to bring dry conditions out of the southern Canadian prairie into Montana, and that’s kind of funneling toward the western Corn Belt. And I’ve based this off historical analogs looking at a lot of different years that looks something like this one. We just tended to be a bit hotter and drier.”

He says looking back, six out of 10 years that we’ve seen a similar pattern, we’ve ended up with heat and dryness in key months of July and August.

“To be honest with you, this is the first time in fall and winter that I’ve been kind of saying, ‘Hey, I think our risk is elevated for drought,’” Snodgrass says.

He says something extremely important to watch is what happens in the Gulf of Alaska.

“If between March and June, if that’s where it gets cold, the risk of drought in the Midwest goes way up. Watch that March time frame,” Snodgrass says. “I think that’s where our risk factor is going to be going forward. So I’m watching winter, but I’m more concerned about spring/summer.”

Your Next Read:
Winter Storm Wallops the U.S. With Heaviest Snowfall in a Decade, Southern States Brace for Round 2

2025 Weather: Drought and Root Zone Maps Signal Dryness Ahead

GenoSource Has Grown Into One of the Most State-of-the-Art Dairies You'll Find in the U.S.

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 20:34:33 GMT

The Milk Business Leader in Technology Award is given to a farm that focuses on the implementation of technology to improve dairy operations in terms of ROI, labor, time management, etc. GenoSource was named the 2024 Milk Business Leader in Technology Award Winner during the 2024 MILK Business Conference in December.
_______________________________________________________________

At first glance, these two might just look like typical business partners, but peel back the layers, and it’s clear Tim Rauen and Kyle Demmer are more than just that.

“We’re coworkers, we’re partners and we’re best friends,” says Kyle Demmer, COO of GenoSource. “Pretty much everything we do, we kind of bounce ideas off each other and just feed off each other.”

Tim Rauen, CEO of GenoSource, and Kyle Demmer, COO of GenoSource, give a tour of their facilities where they milk 4,000 cows milk in a 90-stall rotary parlor. Their cows are milked 3x/day and average 90 lbs/day with a 4.5% Butterfat and a 3.5% Protein.

(Mike Byers )

It’s a partnership in every sense, but the dairy is also anything but typical.

GenoSource all started with a dream a decade ago; a dream to have a company created by dairy producers for dairy producers. The vision seemed simple but was complex in reality. The dairy farmers wanted to create a modern cow but one that excelled in a freestall environment, had fewer health issues and could convert feed at an efficient rate.

“And now we’re 10 years into this partnership and GenoSource, and I don’t think anyone would change a thing about it,” says Tim Rauen, CEO of GenoSource.

The partnership now involves 8 families, whom all have a love for Holsteins and share a goal of creating a more sustainable future for the next generation.

(GenoSource)

An Early Believer in Genomics
A decade into the partnership, GenoSource has grown into more than these families ever imagined. The partnership now involves eight families, who all love Holsteins and share a goal of creating a more sustainable future for the next generation.

“Being an early believer in genomics, I followed technology, graduated college in 2008, and I told myself we got to follow technology; we’ve got to lead technology for the industry, and we drove right into it,” Rauen says. “We had a lot of naysayers that said, ‘Hey, this isn’t going to work. You shouldn’t go this direction,’ but we did. We put our foot on the gas, and we put the hammer down with it.”

To achieve the highest possible results, GenoSource prides their operation on the integrity of their day-to-day work, their capability to fill the next industry-leading demand and the philosophy of breeding a more profitable cow by investing in some of the world’s greatest genetics. GenoSource believes that genetic advancement is what will help develop the ideal cow for the future.

(Russ Hnatusko )

By homing in on the genetics early on with genomic testing, it’s their ability to grasp onto a plethora of technologies that’s taken this dairy to the next level.

“From a genetics standpoint, we took the herd that we bought, we put embryos into them and ran an extensive embryo program from day one to roll the herd over to the kind of cows we believed in milking,” Rauen says. “We were milking 2,200 cows at the time, and when we came in to it, we were milking about 70 lb. per cow with a 3.4% butterfat and a 2.8% protein. So since then, we’re at 95 lb. per cow. We’re at a 4.6% fat in a 3.5% protein.”

A Growth Mindset
GenoSource expects to be milking 4,800 cows by next summer, as GenoSource excels at improving genetics, cow comfort, nutrition and management, all through technology.

“On the genetics side of things, I look at genomic testing, I look at IVF work,” Rauen says. “Then, I go into cow comfort. We utilize the tunnel ventilation side of things. I go into the parlor. There’s many tools inside the parlor that the technology has advanced over the years. And then on the management side, there’s many things from the database side of things and monitoring tools that are cow monitoring collars. There’s multiple levels of that. So, all four of those have many, many layers of technology, and I don’t think you can ignore any of those. And you just got to look at all of them and see how you can improve the herd.”

Barns Packed With Technology
Their barns are also packed with technology. The dairy installed tunnel ventilation and smart control in 2021, as the dairy was forced to rebuild after the devastating derecho tore through their farm in august of 2020.

“Prior to the derecho, we were looking at putting tunnel ventilation in,” Rauen says. “We were looking at adding another barn to the facility as we want to grow and melt more cows. And it was that time where when we had to do that remodel, it pretty much forced our hand and said, ‘Hey, let’s go get tunnel ventilation done to our barns.’”

The team decided to expand the barns to add additional rows, which Rauen says was a big change. And while it was frightening financially to make that decision, he’s glad they did.

New construction across GenoSource are signs of more progress underway today, with GenoSource in the middle of putting in a new methane digester, a new maternity barn and a dry cow calving facility.

(Mike Byers )

New Construction: Signs of More Progress Underway
Today, new construction at their dairy is a sign of more progress underway, with GenoSource in the middle of building a methane digester, as well as a new maternity barn.

“We’re also building a new dry cow calving facility. We feel it’s so important when these cows come out day one that everything’s done properly from the cleanliness to colostrum. And also taking care of that cow, so she’s ready to make milk for a full lactation,” Rauen says. “The barn is going to be fully ventilated and have a sprinkler system. There’s a lot of new ideas we’re putting into those facilities, because we’re always looking for ways to increase the cow comfort side of things.

With technology at their fingertips, GenoSource is constantly monitoring their operations.

(Russ Hnatusko )

Work Smarter, Not Harder
The progress hasn’t always been easy, but just look around GenoSource’s state-of-the-art facility, and you can see those investments are paying off.

“Sometimes you need to work smarter, not harder,” Demmer says. “We have the smart sort gate, we have the collars; it makes a lot of people’s jobs a lot easier, and you can be way better at your job.”

With tech like Farmfit, which helps them constantly monitor their animals, it’s that technology that helps the dairy produce a better a better environment for the cows, and it also helps them retain employees.

“Three years ago, we used to lock every all the cows up and give repro shots, vaccines, breed everything out here in the barns,” Demmer says. “Now, we never lock the cows up. We put them in the sort gate and let the cows come to us. As far as injuries and employee safety, it’s all huge. You don’t have to worry about chasing the cows around. I think there’s a huge cost savings, too, and it’s way safer for the cows and the people.”

Cow Comfort is Key
GenoSource has created an environment where these cows are content, which might be the biggest sign of success any dairy can have.

“Some things that excite me the most are the cows are happy,” Rauen says. “So, when you have happy cows, they help pay the bills, and you can come out here 365 days a year, and cows are out here making milk. I always have the motto, ‘you take care of the cows, they’ll take care of you.’”

A dairy that knows no limits, it’s embracing technology that’s allowing GenoSource create new opportunities on their farm.

“Honestly, technology helps you get through some of those challenges, and we’re able to pull the data from different things,” Rauen says. “I think we’re ready for the next 10 years.

That is why GenoSource is the 2024 Milk Business Leader in Technology Award winner.

An 11-Year Old's Idea Sparked An Idea That's Grown Into an Annual Toy Drive Giving Out 13,000 Toys Each Year

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:02:29 GMT

The season of giving for Reed Marcum doesn’t just happen during Christmas. For this 19-year, the season of giving is year-round.

“I came up with the idea back in 2016 when I realized that I wanted to help put another toy under someone’s tree that year,” says Marcum, who’s now a Pittsburg County, Oklahoma 4-H Ambassador.

At just 11 years-old, this 4-H member had an idea: Collect toys and give them out to children in his local community.

“He came home one day, he talked to me and his stepfather, and he said, ‘Mom, I want to help some kiddos in my class for Christmas,” remembers Angie Miller, Reed’s mother. “I said, ‘OK, what can we do?’ I told him he could do a little work, and he was like, ‘No, I want to give out toys.”

Reed Marcum at 11-Years-Old

(Angie Miller)

Started Out As a Small Idea
That first year, Reed’s small idea turned into a huge success, giving out around 5,000 toys at his stepfather’s law office. Little did this family know that was just the start of something grand.

“It was something we didn’t expect to do, especially have that much success and community reaction. They really loved it. We did not expect that,” Reed says.

J Michael Miller Toy Drive
What’s called the J Michael Miller Toy Drive has grown each year, even during COVID.

“What happened was COVID hit, and we had told Reed that it just can’t happen that year. And he said, ‘It can happen, Mom,’” Angie says.

And it did. With the help of the community, Reed moved the toy drive to Ragan’s Auto, a decision that helped this drive grow even more.

“He spoke with Mr. Ragan, and he told Reed we can do this. They moved all their cars out by noon that day. We moved in around 1:00, and we would set up all night long, and then we open the doors, they would start driving through,” Angie says.

The annual J. Michael Miller Toy Drive gave out 13,000 toys this year.

(SUNUP)

Within a couple years, they even outgrew that space. Last year, Reed moved his toy drive again, this time, to the McAlester Expo Center.

“We are orchestrating with the local Expo Center here in McAlester for people to come, and it’s just an amazing venue for what we’re doing here. And it’s an amazing process that we have to set up and do,” Reed says.

Biggest Toy Giveaway Yet
On Dec. 7,2024, Reed had his biggest giveaway yet.

“We collected a ton, but we were able to give out around 13,000 this year, that day,” Reed says.

What started as one small idea has brought generosity through toys that touched 13,000 lives this year alone.

“It’s a year-long process,” Angie says. “The entire year we’re looking for toys, collecting them and getting donations from people. But when the day gets near and close, it really starts to ramp up.”

Cars line up 3 to 4 miles long for the annual toy drive.

(Bryan Fuller)

Recipients Come From Surrounding States
Since 2016, this toy drive has given away more than 64,000 toys, an annual event that people wait in line for hours to receive. And as the event grows each year, lines of cars that now stretch three to four miles long, all with kids eager to receive toys that year.

“I was working the line this year, and we did see license plates from Texas and Arkansas. That’s normal,” says Greg Owen, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma 4-H educator. “I would ask the people in the line, ‘What was the experience like?’ And this year, I heard the comment ‘It was literally perfect.’”

Vital Volunteers
But for Reed, this wouldn’t be possible without volunteers, all 100 of them.

“They can help us move the toys from point A to point B when we’re holding them or in help, give the toys, help, walk the line, be dressed up in costumes to help entertain the kids, give out small items that go through the lines. The kids aren’t just sitting there bored,” Reed says.

Loss Turned Into Love
Reed’s toy drive has become a beloved experience attracting thousands of people from miles away. But this kid who has brought so much joy to others has also seen heartache along the way.

“He had the most difficult year of his life his junior year,” Angie says. “We were moving to Ragan’s that year, and on July 28, he lost his grandmother that he was extremely close to.”

Reed’s brother, Sergeant Miles Tarron

(SUNUP)

Not even four months later, Reed suffered another devastating loss, just weeks away from his toy drive in 2021.

“We were notified by soldiers that Reed’s brother had passed in the military,” Angie says. “I talked with Reed and I told him I didn’t think we can do the toy giveaway. And he said, ‘Mom, brother would want us to do the toy giveaway, so we’re going to do the toy giveaway.’”

And he did, with an entire community rallying around Reed as a way to give back to one of their own who had done so much.

“They helped us get it over to Ragan’s. We got it all set up. And then they just helped us all the way through it,” Angie says. “After that, Reed had already created the Hudson Strong Foundation for a little boy that had cancer. And they provided some help with the costs of the storage buildings. Then after his brother passed, Reed created the Sergeant Miles Tarron Foundation, and that supports his toy giveaway, his backpack giveaway and his silent auction. His brother always had a hand in supporting him and sending money. So, now the Sergeant Miles Tarron Foundation and the Hudson Strong Foundation support those storage buildings.”

Reed has nine storage buildings, all bursting with donated toys each year. But this success is also because of one lady Reed deeply admired: his 4-H leader, Miss Donna Curry.

“After he lost his brother, June 28, 2022, he lost Miss Donna Curry, who was like a second mother to him, who got him into 4-H, and she supported this project thoroughly,” Angie says.

Today, Reed doesn’t just give away toys. Miss Donna had another idea two years before she died: to give out pajamas, socks and undergarments to those in need.

“We named it Miss Donna’s Closet. And when they drive through the toy giveaway, they get the pajamas, they get socks, they get undergarments all through the toy line. They get snacks. And so when we lost Miss Donna, Reed promised at that point that he would carry her tradition on.”

Reed is Now Inspiring Others
Reed’s heart of service is always on display, and it’s now inspiring others.

“It’s literally the goal that we try to set for our 4-H members. We hope that they’ll develop a level of mastery in their project work, and for Reed, his project has been civic engagement,” Greg says. “And when they get to that point, we’ll hope we hope that they’ll utilize that to teach and impact others to follow in their footsteps, which is exactly what Reed has done.”

“That’s the best thing with 4-H; they always want you to strive to be the best version of yourself. And that’s something this project really does every year,” Reed says. “It’s not just staying the same or leveling out each year. It’s getting bigger and better than the last.”

True Gift of Giving
Reed’s one idea in 2016 continues to spread joy year-round, as it showcases the true gift of giving.

“Little 11-year-old Reed could never see such a thing happening, especially when I was so young and couldn’t even talk to a group of ten people, let alone do something like this. I never thought it would reach this,” Reed says.

“I always share this. That came from the idea of an 11-year-old child. That shows the impact of the 4-H program. That shows the impact of a student that wants to give, that wants to make a difference and wants to make a positive impact on their community,” Greg says.

Reed Accepts Donations Year-Round
In order to make the annual toy drive possible, Reed accepts donations year-round. If you’d like to contribute to the annual toy drive or Reed’s other service projects, you can donate here .

Your Next Reads:
The Ultimate Gift: Dairy Farmer Becomes Lifesaving Hero by Donating Both His Liver and Kidney

Iconic Holiday Road Trip Stop Returns to Its Georgia Pecan Farm Roots

From Raising Cattle to Now Reindeer, How One Family is Sharing the Magic Of Christmas On Their Farm

Get a Rare Look Inside Iowa State University's Advanced Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 20:20:59 GMT

Take a tour through Iowa State University’s Kent Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex, and you’ll encounter state-of-the-art technology advancing the feed industry.

“This is our thermal processing treatment. Our feed is mixed in batches and undergoes heat treatment. The high heat and extended retention time help eliminate salmonella and E.coli, improving feed quality and nutrition,” explains Lexi Lambros, a master’s student in agricultural engineering.

The facility is not a commercial feed mill, but rather a teaching facility located at the edge of Iowa State’s Ames campus.

“We aim to increase student awareness of career opportunities in the broader feed and grain industry. This project is designed to drive that,” says Dirk Maier, Director of the ISU Kent Feed Mill Grain Science Complex.

Valued at $35 million, the project began in 2015 and has since developed into a fully automated system, providing students with hands-on experience, while also being precisely placed.

In 2023, Iowa ranked as the top corn producing state in the country, churning out 2.5 billion bushels of corn. What happens with all the crop harvested, and how it’s processed, is something they take seriously at Iowa State. September marked the one-year anniversary of ISU opening the Kent Feed Mill Grain Science Complex, a state-of-the-art teaching, research and extension grain facility, which is truly one-of-a-kind.

Automation and Scale at the Facility

“When you sum it all up, we have around 3,000 input-output points. These include sensors that control gates, motors, valves, and detect temperature and vibrations,” Maier states.

The size of the feed mill is comparable to commercial operations, though it runs on a smaller scale. Instead of processing 100 tons per hour, it handles five tons per hour, mirroring industry operations to train students effectively.

Current Capacity and Expansion Plans

With a monthly processing capacity of 1,000 tons, the facility is currently processing 200 tons weekly.

“We’re getting close to achieving our goal of processing 1,000 tons per month, and we’re on the verge of reaching that capacity,” Lambros says.

Iowa’s Prime Location

Situated in central Iowa, the facility is located in one of the world’s largest food production regions.

“If Iowa were a country, it would rank as the fourth largest corn producer globally,” Maier explains.

The facility supports the industry’s demand for future employees, training students for roles in feed mills, livestock, and poultry facilities.

Hands-On Learning for the Next Generation

The facility doesn’t focus on feed formulation, but students learn how to program different rations for various animals.

“We ensure the right ingredients are in place for the correct rations, following the instructions of animal nutritionists,” Maier adds.

As part of both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Engineering, students get to apply classroom lessons in a practical setting at the grain complex.

A Unique Educational Opportunity

“There are few institutions offering this kind of hands-on learning in feed science and technology, particularly in management and animal nutrition,” Maier emphasizes.

For Lambros, the facility offered a personal journey. As a second-year master’s student in agricultural engineering, her interest in food science shifted her focus.

“With my engineering background, I’m passionate about food science on a large scale, and I want to contribute to feeding the future by designing and producing food products,” she says.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Lambros sought a new challenge in agriculture, which she found through this program.

Expanding Opportunities for Students Across Disciplines

The facility opens doors for students from diverse backgrounds, from those new to agriculture to those who always knew this was their path.

“This facility offers great opportunities to bring together majors like animal science, nutritional science, agribusiness, and various engineering fields—mechanical, electrical, chemical, and agricultural,” Maier says.

Your Next Read: An Idea Out of This World: University of Nebraska Researchers Work to Launch Agriculture in Space

Love For Lexi: A Wisconsin Dairy Farm Kid's Big Battle For a New Heart

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:45:06 GMT

Lexi Anderson looks like a typical 12-year-old kid. The sixth grader is full of life and so much spunk.

“How long have you been coming to World Dairy Expo,” I asked.

“12 years,” said Lexi.

Her entire life, she’s been traveling to World dairy Expo with her family to show cows. An annual trip that’s always packed with family fun. But Lexi’s life took a dramatic turn nearly 10 months ago, just two months after she showed during the 2023 World Dairy Expo.

“In December of 2023, she [Lexi] started feeling dizzy on the basketball court. And at first, we weren’t really sure what was going on, whether it was dehydration or what it was,” said Tamala Anderson, who is Lexi’s mom.

Unsure how serious it was, it wasn’t until Lexi blacked out on the court that they knew something wasn’t right.

“They decided to bring me in to the doctor. And then we figured out that I had this heart problem,” Lexi said.

The Diagnosis

It wasn’t just a minor problem. The diagnosis? Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM).

“It’s a hardening of the heart, the lining of the heart. So, the walls of the heart are eventually going to harden and stop pumping” Tamala explained.

“It’s really rare,” Lexi said. “Only like 2% of the world has it.”

Lexi Anderson

(Tamala Anderson)

Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a less common type of cardiomyopathy. According to the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry, the average age of diagnosis is 5 to 6 years.

Lexi’s diagnosis meant her only cure would be a heart transplant

“When we first got the news, it was extremely hard to get that news,” said Tamala. “To hear that your daughter…. sometimes kids only have a year and a half after they’re diagnosed with this. It’s such a hard thing to hear that your daughter could die,” she said.

A heartbreaking diagnosis that shocked the family, but Tamala says they were sent to specialists at the children’s hospital in Milwaukee and got connected with an amazing team of doctors that immediately planted seeds of hope.

“We’ve got a great team. They don’t even let us look at the negative. They told us that we didn’t need to worry about it. They said they we’re going to find it [a heart] and fix it,” Tamala said.

Her New Normal

At 12 years old, Lexi’s life quickly turned to anything but normal. She has doctor visits at least every six weeks with strict orders to cut out physical activity that could stress her heart.

“I got banned from playing all sports, to stop it from growing,” Lexi said.

Lexi’s favorite sport is softball, a sport she can’t play until she receives her heart transplant.

(Tamala Anderson)

Lexi was extremely active before, playing basketball, riding horses and playing softball, which she says is her favorite sport.

“I really miss playing softball,” said Lexi.

“It’s hard,” said Tamala. “I kind of do have her wrapped up in a bubble as she has strict orders at school. All of her teachers know the strict orders. She’s not allowed to run, and she’s not allowed to do any of that stuff that might affect her. So she’s kind of limited in every aspect.”

Lexi loves all things outdoors, which includes riding horses and going fishing.

(Tamala Anderson)

Helpless in so many ways, Tamela did the only thing she could and that was to protect her little girl, all while waiting on the call that could save her life.

“Her timeline went from living 60 years, 80 years, down to we don’t know what,” said Tamala. “We could get a phone call at any time.”

Waiting on the Life-Saving Call

It’s that phone call that Tamala, Lexi and her entire family are anxiously awaiting.

“Honestly, my bags are packed in the car,” said Tamala. “I’ve got Lexi’s bags packed in the car. We’re waiting, and we’re ready.”

“Are you scared at all or are you nervous at all,” I asked Lexi.

“I’m a little nervous. I don’t know when I’m going to be able to get back home. And I don’t know if they’re going to hold me for the three months recovery, but hopefully they let me go home and just recover at my house.”

Love for Lexi

At 12 years old, Lexi’s courage is contagious and her support is inspiring. She has an army of family and friends who are rooting her on, with a group called “Love for Lexi.”

“A couple of her friends at home decided to do a website, it’s called Love for Lexi, where we have Caring Bridge connected,” said Tamala “Some of it’s to raise money. Some of it’s just to let people know how she’s doing.”

Whether it’s at the County Fair or World Dairy Expo, you’ll find Lexi shining in the show ring.

(Tamala Anderson)

That love was put on center stage this summer, when Lexi’s friends Hattie and Holly Hargrave gave the ultimate gift of generosity with a lamb for Lexi.

“We went to a county fair, and I was showing sheep, and I didn’t make the sale, and one of my friends did and that raised over $27,000 and she gave it to me for the benefit,” said Lexi.

“It was amazing,” Tama said. “It was absolutely amazing. Honestly, the first buyer, when the first buyer bought the lamb, I was in tears . Then, he’s like, ‘Nope, I want to sell it again.’ And he so he gave it back and they sold it again. And I mean, it sold four times.

That sale raised $27,000 from four business who all came together to show Lexi love and support.

“We live in a really, really great community,” Tamala said.

“I feel really, really loved,” said Lexi.

Lexi looks happy and normal, but as her heart works in overdrive, the reality is Lexi’s body is tired and worn down.

“Some days it takes her breath away just to walk across the parking lot. Some days she is jumping around saying, ‘I’m ready to go,’” Tamala said.

Success at World Dairy Expo

This week during the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisc, Lexi was determined to go in the ring, and she brought home hardware, as well as memories she won’t forget. One of the best memories was when her cousin won Junior Champion of the World Dairy Expo Junior Show.

“I was super happy, because it’s like a victory for the farm,” said Lexi. “We just cheered each other on and we started supporting each other and stuff.”

That’s who Lexi is; a spirited kid who’s always supporting those around her.

“She’s a great kid, honestly,” said Tamala. “She’s got such a big heart. If she sees someone down or if she sees someone even getting bullied, she’s more of a protector. So she’s just a great kid.”

Lexi’s big heart is now what’s needing saved, but it’s a constant showing of love and support that’s getting this family through.