IDA GROVE — It would not be a surprise to Jolene Riessen’s mother, Charlene Hermiston, that her adult daughter Jolene has chosen to be a lifelong farmer.

“When I was growing up, I liked being in the farrowing house, and I would sit with sows as they were farrowing to make sure things went OK,” said Riessen. “My mom would get so mad and tell my dad, ‘She doesn’t need to be out there. We have four boys; she should be in the house more!'”

From growing up on her father John Hermiston’s farm to married life on her own family farm, Riessen has planted and harvested crops and taken care of hogs, cattle, and chickens. She has seen her share of good and not-so-good times. Adversity has forged her into a leader in agriculture.

In 2001, Riessen and her husband David invested in a group of cattle in southwest Iowa.

“David and I were celebrating our anniversary when we got the news that the cattle were gone, and it was a scam,” said Riessen. “We went to the bank on 9-11 to find that they would work with us, but we would both have to take off-farm jobs. We also went on food stamps to make ends meet. It was a very humbling experience. We were able to work ourselves out of that situation, and I understood why those programs are in place as a temporary measure but not a permanent place to be.”

David Riessen was diagnosed with brain cancer in April of 2018 and passed away in late January of 2019.

“Thank goodness I had given up my seed business in the fall of 2017. With trips to Mayo and work on the farm, it would have been awful trying to keep up,” said Riessen. “When David passed, I told my boys, ‘You get the crops planted, and I will figure out how to get it harvested.’ I was thankful the boys had some experience planting because David usually did the planting. We made it through that season, and we know that David is always with us.

“My brother Terry told me, ‘That which does not kill you makes you stronger,’ and I thought I must be one of the strongest people on the planet.”

Along with her two sons, Cory and Lee, the Riessens continued to farm in Ida and Sac counties in northwest Iowa. Their operation consists of corn, beans, alfalfa, custom cattle feeding and a cow-calf operation.

Riessen is the current first vice president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA).

“I joined Iowa Corn when I started my seed business. I believe that you need to promote the produce you are growing,” she said. “I was our county Pork Queen back in the day and went on several store promotions to give consumers a taste of our delicious pork. I have always advocated for farm commodities when given the chance. Belonging to Iowa Corn gives me a voice since it is a grassroots organization. We are all farmers on the board and work to grind more corn in all forms.”

After joining the association, Riessen ended up on the Animal Ag and Environment Committee.

Shortly after, the Iowa Water Works lawsuit happened. “We farm in Sac County, so I was the go-to person for responses to the suit, and I did interviews for TV and newspapers,” said Riessen.

“I was saddened that the Des Moines Water Works singled out three counties in northwest Iowa as there are several counties between here and Des Moines.Our organization tried to set up meetings, and they would have nothing to do with having conversations.

“Farmers do not like to share their expensive inputs, whether that be fertilizer, soil, or herbicides. We have come a long way with our conservation practices. Back in the day, no-till was unheard of as most farmers plowed or turned the soil as black as possible. With the herbicide programs available to us, we make no-till work. It takes a combination of practices, not a one-size-fits-all, to help keep erosion in check.”

In September of this year, Riessen is teed up to be the next Iowa Corn Growers Association president.

“I enjoy being an advocate for farmers,” said Riessen. “Not everyone feels comfortable being able to strike up a conversation about what farmers are doing to produce the largest, safest, and most sustainable food supply in the world.

“I like having that voice. I rely on farmers and consumers to tell me what they are thinking, and if they don’t … well, I am not a mind reader.”

Riessen’s drive comes, in part, from her desire to have her sons have the same opportunities others have had. As Riessen’s presidency inches closer, she already has an agenda that she believes will help her fellow corn growers.

“At the top of mind is the farm bill that is being worked on this year and how important crop insurance has become,” said Riessen. “I look at it as our social security for helping us keep in business. In a bad year, it is our lifeline to help us get through some tough economic times, so that is why Iowa Corn visits Washington, D.C. to talk with the legislature.

“Your check-off dollars work as does the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program. These programs are designed to work with our check-off dollars to develop successful export markets.”

Riessen emphasized that for every dollar of MAP and FMD spend, there is a $26 return on investment which, she said, is good for farmers and our nation’s economy.

Riessen also feels strongly about ethanol markets.

“We did get E15 reinstated for the summer months and beyond, so that consumers can not only save money at the pump but help with CO2 emissions,” said Riessen. “That’s domestically, but we will be exporting more ethanol internationally because of recent trade missions.

“One of our mantras at Iowa Corn is ‘value added.’ When we add value to our corn by further processing it, we add jobs to our communities and tax dollars to our great state of Iowa.”