Building A Mutually Beneficial Partnership
Ensuring a sustainable future for both a family farm and the environment
The good life is exactly how many farmers describe their experience on a family’s multi-generational farm. Wes Shoemyer’s experience has been no different. Shoemyer Family Farms, which started during the Great Depression, has been the foundation of their family’s legacy for four generations.
Wes Shoemyer is the third generation to work on his family’s farm in Northwest Missouri. The farm is comprised of a cattle herd and row crop operation, mainly growing corn, soybeans and wheat. Diversification of both raising livestock and growing crops has kept Wes motivated even now as he considers himself an older fellow.
Ideal Partners
Wes knows that choosing the right life partner is one of the most important decisions a person can make, as it often affects the overall quality of a person's life. The partnerships you choose to make for your farm are no different; they can have a major impact on the success of your business. You want to have a partner who makes the initial connection easy and comes alongside you as you build confidence in trying new things on your farm—making SWOF a perfect partner for Shoemeyer Family Farms.
Wes knows that in the agriculture industry, being adaptable and willing to try new things is critical. His willingness to be involved in initiatives and programs led him to the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund.
The enrollment process was simple; Wes was able to use the acreage maps from his local Farm Service Agency and sign up his fields to begin the verification process. Our verification process is thorough but simple, making it easy for growers to get involved and reap the benefits of the program.
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is not only building relationships with farmers, but also building strong partnerships with businesses in the private sector that see great value in what the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is allowing farmers to do on their land.
Bringing the Good
Many farmers hesitate to participate in programs because they fear those initiatives could negatively impact their operations' profitability or efficiency. Wes makes it clear to other growers that SWOF places value on the environmental impacts that they can make, while also remembering the importance of meeting the bottom line and seeing a strong return on investment. SWOF prioritizes working alongside their farmer participants to help the partnership be mutually beneficial for both the environment and the farm.
Wes finds great satisfaction in knowing the farm’s partnership with SWOF is not only positively impacting their business but also doing something good for the environment.
“It’s just something that I think is really sustainable,” Wes says. “I think we will stay tied up long term because we actually enjoy and appreciate following that system.”
The conservation practices Shoemyer Family Farms has implemented allow them to utilize the cover crops they are growing as a source of nutrients for the following year's crop. Being able to see the cover crop come up and the increase of beneficial microbes proves to Wes that these new practices they have implemented are building the soil’s health, keeping the soil where it belongs and improving water quality.
What started during the depression has become a multigenerational family farm that understands the importance of mutually-beneficial partnerships, which allow both the land and the family to thrive. Wes is grateful for his involvement in the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, which gives him peace of mind that Shoemyer Family Farms can be a sustainable business for many generations of Shoemyers to come.
“I think we, as farmers, get stuck in a place where we’re so worried about that bottom line,” Wes admits. “ROI is important, but knowing you’re doing something good for yourself and everybody else is also important.”