Sustainable Corn Production for the Consumers of Today and the Farmers of the Future

Sustainability is not a new concept to Andy Jobman, a fifth-generation farmer in south central Nebraska. “We’re always trying to be better at our farming operation, year in and year out, to improve our practices and impact on our fields,” explains Andy when discussing his time-tested, forward looking approach to sustainability. “Sustainability is something farmers have always done.”

Andy, who grows corn, soybeans and alfalfa and raises cattle on his 1,500 acre operation, first began exploring conservation practices by employing split fertilizer applications, gradually switching to strip till and utilizing center pivot irrigation on his farm. Over time, the system he employs on his operation with his brother and dad has expanded.

Through yearly zone and grid sampling that measure and benchmark soil health and nutrient levels after implementing new practices, Andy has seen consistent increases in soil organic matter, which has improved his soil’s nutrient retention, biological activity and water holding capacity. “We’re always looking to further improve water and energy use efficiency on the farm,” explains Andy. “It’s not only as a cost saver for us but it also helps to preserve those resources for the next generation.”

From improved tillage approaches to recent experimentation with cover cropping, Andy is witnessing the positive impacts of implementing conservation practices firsthand. By loading his field-level data into Nutrien’s Agrible platform, which integrates sustainability metrics from Field to Market’s Fieldprint® Platform, Andy gains valuable insights about his environmental and financial returns on investment as he tracks his farm’s progress toward sustainable outcomes.

“Consumers are more and more disconnected from farming operations but more and more interested in sustainability,” explains Andy. “It’s important for farmers across the Corn Belt to be able to transparently document and communicate their sustainability to the supply chain and to consumers.”

Andy Jobman
5th Generation Farmer
Gothenburg, Nebraska

“Consumer groups are realizing that farmers have been conservation minded throughout all of history. What we are able to now do on our farms has changed with technology, putting us in a position to be able to keep improving on some sustainability practices.”

Andy Jobman
5th Generation Farmer

Andy strives not only to achieve better environmental results on his own fields, but to share his learnings with his peer networks across Nebraska and the U.S. As an independent agronomist, Andy integrates sustainability directly into his consulting work.

“Sustainability touches everything I do,” says Andy when describing how he works with his clients to collect soil samples, make fertilizer recommendations and systematically improve irrigation practices. “By tracking and modelling trend lines for fertility levels from year-to-year, I can help my clients manage their farms sustainably, starting with fine-tuned recommendations for each of their fields.”

Andy’s conservation leadership extends beyond his work on the ground with other farmers. Through his role as vice-chair of the National Corn Growers Association’s Stewardship Action Team, Andy also supports the innovation of new ideas and programs to help farmers to document and implement sustainability practices on their fields.

“There’s a lot of new interest in trying to document sustainability for the corn industry, not only from consumers but from within the industry itself,” says Andy on his involvement with the Stewardship Action Team. “There’s a lot of energy and it’s exciting to see.”

“When you borrow something from someone, the saying is that you should return it better than how you found it. So, my hope is that we are able to send this operation off better than how we found it,” Andy remarks as he thinks ahead to passing on his farming operation when the time comes. “My grandpa and dad used the tools and resources of their time, to do the best job they could. New technology and practices are allowing my brother and I to improve upon where they left off. Someday if the next generation wants to farm and ranch, our goal is to make sure they have that opportunity and continue to take the farm to the next level in productivity, stewardship and technology."

By implementing conservation practices year after year, Andy believes his operation will be stronger financially and produce better fertility in the fields, equipping both his land and his business operation for a long and prosperous future.

“When you think about passing on something you’ve built up, it could be a business or a family legacy of some kind. I think farming is both.”

Andy Jobman
5th Generation Farmer
Gothenburg, Nebraska