Andrew, James O.

English

Research Papers in Economics

Agricultural  Outlook  Forum      Presented:  February  16,  2006 
 
PARTICIPANT VIEWS OF THE CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM  
 
James O. Andrew  
President & General Manager 
Andrew Farms, Inc Presented:  Thursday, February 16,2006 
 
 
A PARTICIPANTS VIEW OF THE 2005 CSP EXPERIENCE IN IOWA 
 
James O. Andrew 
President, Andrew Farms, Inc. 
  
 
My name is Jim Andrew and I am President and General Manager of Andrew Farms, Inc. a 1350 acre 
family farm corporation producing corn and soybeans with no livestock.  We are blessed to own three 
Iowa Century Farms (must be the same family for over 100 years) and 80 acres of our land was 
purchased from the U.S. Government in 1855 for $1.25 per acre.  My grandfathers were early 
participants in filing soil conservation plans with the local SCS back in the 1930’s and I was raised in an 
environment to respect the resources with which we were entrusted.  My first recollection of the 
importance of soil conservation reverts to a coloring book I was given in elementary school by the local 
SCS office and the pictures portrayed in that small book made a lasting impression. 
  
 
Graduating from the University of Iowa in business, not agriculture, I entered three years as an 
Infantry/Quartermaster officer in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era.  Upon my return from the 
Army in 1974, Dad and I made a conscious decision not to concentrate on acquiring more acres but 
rather to improve the existing land within our control. The travels that Dad and I had made to what once 
were garden spots of the world, which because of intensive tillage are now virtual deserts, led us to want 
to preserve the land farmed by our family for over 130 years.  It was then we started an intensive 
program of annual tile terrace planning and installation, and made many other conservation 
improvements over the years to enhance our operation and insure conservation was being addressed.  In 
1993, we still were not satisfied that we were doing all that we could to preserve our soil. The sale of all 
our large conventional tillage equipment (18 tractors and tillage implements) and  purchased the 150 
horsepower tractor, new corn planter, new no-till drill, and self propelled sprayer which put us in no-till 
percent. We did this after three years of planning and were intentional in selling our old equipment so 
we would not be tempted to slip back into the tillage habit. In addition to the soil savings of no-till, the 
fuel savings and future carbon credits we gained only added to our bottom line. 
  
 
In 1998 based on our participation in nitrogen strip trials with Dr. Alfred Blackmer, Professor of 
Agronomy at Iowa State University, we stopped all fall application of anhydrous ammonia and shifted to 
spring applied thus stopping the leaching of nitrogen into surrounding tile and streams.  We also today, 
dedicate one-third to one-half of our corn acreage to in season application of liquid nitrogen in 
conjunction with ISU to try to discover the best rate practices for other producers in Iowa.  This on-
going research proved that nitrogen application could be reduced from the previous practice of 150-180 
pounds per acre to 100-120 pounds per acre and still satisfies the crops need and provides maximum 
yields. 
  
  
We first became interested in the Conservation Security Program when it was included in the 2002 Farm 
Bill.  Because of our involvement in the Iowa Corn and Soybean associations, we were very aware of 
the provisions as passed and likewise because of our conservation involvement over the years we felt we 
were naturals for qualifying for a very good position in the evaluation process.  Our frustration level increased as the programs structure and regulations were formatted and time passed while we were very 
interested in applying as soon as the rules were announced.  
  
  
With the choice of the watershed program, we missed out on the 2004 application process and had to 
wait patiently for the 2005 announcement when fortunately the Raccoon River watershed in which all of 
our land resides was selected for the program.  In the year preceding, I had sought out others in the two 
watersheds selected in Iowa and tried to analyze what had been expected of them in the way of records, 
soil tests, qualifications, and enhancements.  Because of the newness of the program and maybe just 
based on the individuals’ comments whom I contacted,  a less than rosy picture was painted and thus I 
became challenged to insure we did everything to put Andrew Farms in the best possible position to 
qualify for Tier III. 
 
 
Because of our over 35 year relationship with our county NRCS office in planning and implementing 
over  3 miles of parallel tile terraces, grass waterways, dikes along the creek running through our 
property and many other soil and water conservation improvements, we had come to know our local 
staff well and they know us.  This long term relationship of mutual understanding and knowing of our 
desire to do all that we could in the conservation area led to a situation where the NRCS knew our land 
almost as well as we did.  This had further been exhibited by our selection to be the host of several local 
and state conservation field days over the years.  Needless to say, this was a big plus in convincing by 
long-term mutual involvement, our county NRCS personnel of our sincere desire to do the right thing 
and was not just a flash in the pan. 
  
  
With the first informational meeting of the watershed, I was somewhat let down in that the program left 
me with many questions.  I realize that this is a huge undertaking to develop a new program that covers 
such a vast area and addresses so many conservation needs. However I felt the preparation of the initial 
staff sent out to present it could have been better.  Many questions were unanswerable until further 
guidance was received from state and national NRCS. The junior staffers assigned to explain it were 
sent into combat without the ammunition they needed to confidently explain the program. But, we, 
persevered with a positive attitude and upon filling out the very simple self-assessment workbook and 
seeing we were very qualified, we sought the first appointment to submit our records and be interviewed 
in the application process.  As we went along, I realized that the NRCS personnel were learning just as I 
and that they were very helpful and cooperative in making the entire process painless. 
  
 
I commend my local office for doing such a good job of integrating the temporary duty personnel 
assigned from adjoining non-watershed area offices to assist in the paperwork demanded to reach a fair 
and equitable evaluation of each farm.  Since I was the first interview in our county, I particularly 
admired the local county conservationist inviting all the personnel who would be conducting future 
interviews to participate in mine so that they might get a feel for the questions to ask and become 
uniform in interviewing all future applicants on a one on one basis.  Being first also allowed fellow 
farmers to contact me who had subsequent interviews so that I could calm their concerns that the 
interview might be some kind of inquisition.  This was very helpful to those who came after me and 
made for a more productive session for all concerned.  Overall, the role of the local NRCS personnel in 
administering the program was a very positive experience and they receive my highest compliment for 
their skill and cheerful patience in implementing this entirely new program. 
   
In my opinion, the entire program was very well received by those who were already conservation savvy 
and who were flexible in the amount of documentation it takes to qualify for the program.  Those who 
don’t care to maintain excellent records or lacked a conservation ethic ingrained in their operation, chose 
to not participate either out of apathy or just knowing they were not prepared to qualify.  While those of 
us in the conservation community rush to enroll in the CSP incentive based program, I am afraid human 
nature dictates that some will not participate unless threatened with fines or punishment in order to get 
them to address conservation issues in their operations.  Thus CSP truly rewards the best but short of 
declaring some operations Federal lands, I don’t know that some could ever be enticed to enroll and 
participate. 
  
 
We are firm believers in the reward system involved in the Conservation Security Program.  It is 
particularly rewarding to be recognized and financially credited for the work we were already doing 
without expectation of acknowledgement.  This only strengthens our resolve to do all in our power to 
preserve our conservation efforts and try to influence our fellow farmers to adopt practices not only 
good for themselves but for the country as a whole.  I personally will have given five speeches on CSP 
around the nation this winter and at each one, I gauge the level of interest from fellow farmers to be 
unbelievable.  The biggest concerns seem to be when will my watershed be selected and will the 
program have enough dollars to ensure it is still viable by the time I am able to participate.  While I 
recognize the realities of the current Federal budget scenario, I also believe that CSP serves as a good 
practice for the possible transfer of current farm program payments to a greener, WTO acceptable form 
of supporting U.S. agriculture while at the same time addressing the soil, water, and environmental 
concerns so demanded by the citizens of the United States.  CSP allows us to adopt a new way of 
addressing other issues in the Ag sector such as the future expiring Conservation Reserve Program 
contracts which will bring thousands of fragile lands back into production.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if 
we could take some of the savings from the present contracts and offer a no-till or strip till incentive 
payment to farmers with expiring CRP if they were to bring these lands back into production using these 
tested soil saving tillage techniques?  This is just one possibility and I am sure many others could be 
addressed using the CSP model as a replacement for the current farm program as we know it. 
  
 
Overall, the entire CSP experience was extremely rewarding and satisfying in retrospect.  My father and 
I in the course of our combined lifespan have never experienced a program that was so well received by 
our fellow farmers and the urban citizens of our local community.  It was unbelievable the positive and 
heartfelt congratulations we received from all especially in view of the financial reward we received.  
This only strengthens my belief that soil conservation is beyond partisan politics and is really a key issue 
not only to the farm community but also to the society at large.  NRCS personnel on every level and 
over the years are to be commended for the work they have done bringing conservation to the forefront 
of our society.  We must and should continue to take every advantage of this broad based support in 
advancing the conservation incentive/reward system in the future if we are to preserve our ability to feed 
the hungry of the world while at the same time not fouling our environment.  For those fellow producers 
not yet selected to participate, take this time to get your land and records in order, keep a positive 
attitude, and take every advantage to lobby your congressmen for the continuation and expansion of CSP 
or its predecessor in the future. 
  
 
In closing, let us all remember the words of a man the Encyclopedia Britannica credits with coining the 
term conservation, President Theodore Roosevelt: “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”  Let 
us continue with the expansion of the Conservation Security Program to do the best thing. 
  
 A Participant A Participant’ ’s View  s View 
of the 2005 CSP Experience  of the 2005 CSP Experience 
in Iowa in Iowa
James O. Andrew James O. Andrew
Andrew Farms Andrew Farms
1227 Rushridge Road, Jefferson, Iowa 1227 Rushridge Road, Jefferson, Iowa
515 515- -386 386- -8358 8358 email:  afinc@netins.net email:  afinc@netins.netAndrew Farms, Incorporated Andrew Farms, Incorporated
  1275 acres corn and  1275 acres corn and 
soybean operation in  soybean operation in 
west central Iowa west central Iowa
  Family farm  Family farm 
corporation formed  corporation formed 
in 1975 in 1975
  3 Iowa Century  3 Iowa Century 
Farms Farms- -each owned  each owned 
by same family for  by same family for 
100 years 100 years
  80 acres purchased   80 acres purchased  
from U.S.  from U.S. 
government for  government for 
$1.25/acre in 1855. $1.25/acre in 1855.1974 1974
Annual tile/terrace Annual tile/terrace
installation, installation,
3 farm ponds built  3 farm ponds built 
and nurtured with and nurtured with
surrounding wildlife surrounding wildlife
areas; built surface areas; built surface
drains, grassed drains, grassed
waterways, and waterways, and
practiced conservation practiced conservation
tillage. tillage.1993 1993
After 3 years of After 3 years of
extensive study and extensive study and
planning including planning including
NNTC attendance, NNTC attendance,
we went 100% no we went 100% no- -till till
and sold most of and sold most of
tillage equipment to tillage equipment to
avoid backsliding avoid backsliding
into tillage habit. into tillage habit.1998 1998
- -Stopped fall AA  Stopped fall AA 
application application
- -Started liquid nitrogen Started liquid nitrogen
in in- -season strip trials  season strip trials 
with Dr. Fred Blackmer,      with Dr. Fred Blackmer,     
ISU agronomy  ISU agronomy prof prof
- -Fall nitrogen stalk tests Fall nitrogen stalk tests
- -Strip till fertilization and  Strip till fertilization and 
planting  planting 
- -Effect of calcareous Effect of calcareous
soils on bean yields soils on bean yields
- -Strip test poly Strip test poly- -coated coated
urea surface spread urea surface spread
over planted over planted
corn in spring  corn in spring 2002 2002
Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Tom Harkin,
Chairman of U.S. Senate Ag Chairman of U.S. Senate Ag
Committee and  Committee and “ “founding founding
father father” ” of the Conservation of the Conservation
Security Program, a part of Security Program, a part of
the 2002 farm bill the 2002 farm billBe proactive!
ISA DIRECTOR and 
soybean grower Jim 
Andrew (left) attended the 
CSP meeting.
Photo by Mick Lane
SEN. TOM 
HARKIN, 
D-IOWA, (left) is 
a champion of the 
Conservation 
Security Program 
and recently held 
a meeting to ask 
farmers for their 
input.
Photo by Mick Lane
Harkin, Farmers Voice Concerns About CSP Harkin, Farmers Voice Concerns About CSP
“I’ve been waiting three years for my chance to sign up for 
the program,” Jim Andrew told Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, 
March 13 at a meeting called by the senator to get farmer 
feedback on the Conservation Security Program. Andrew, 
an ISA director, farms in the North Raccoon River 
watershed near Jefferson, so is eligible to sign up for the 
2005 CSP.March March
2005 2005
Applied for Applied for
Conservation Conservation
Security Security
Program Program- -
North Raccoon  North Raccoon 
River River
Watershed. Watershed.Financial breakdown for Andrew Farms Financial breakdown for Andrew Farms
Stewardship Payment Stewardship Payment-- --$14.35 per acre $14.35 per acre $13,500 $13,500
No No- -Till Till $15,284 $15,284
Enhancement Enhancement- -soil conditioning indices  soil conditioning indices  $  7,746 $  7,746
Enhancement Enhancement- -minimum use pesticides minimum use pesticides
with resistant varieties with resistant varieties $  2,035 $  2,035
Enhancement Enhancement- -no fall anhydrous no fall anhydrous $  2,038 $  2,038
Enhancement Enhancement- -S Soil  oil T Tillage  illage I Intensity  ntensity R Rating ating
(STIR) (STIR)- -soybean rotation to reduce nitrogen       soybean rotation to reduce nitrogen       $  1,020 $  1,020
Existing Practice Payment Existing Practice Payment $  3,377 $  3,377
Total Total $45,000 $45,000A Grateful Nation Thanks You!

Participant Views of the Conservation Security Program

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