Clayton County Farm Family Win Good Farm Neighbor Award

Another family in Northeast Iowa was honored on Thursday with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.

It's an absolute honor. We're actually kind of starstruck by it.

Lance and Jonna Schutte of Clayton County started Jo-Lane Dairy when they got married back in 2006 on the dairy farm Lance grew up on.

We milk about 120 Holsteins and probably another 20 Brown Swiss. We raise their own crops, and milk on to Lely robots; we've had those in for 10 years now.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor is presented to Iowa livestock farmers that take pride in caring for the environment, and their livestock, and in being an all-around good neighbor.

Iowa ag Secretary Mike Naig traveled to the Froelich Tractor Museum to present the family with their award.

Folks that are recognized as doing the right things from a conservation standpoint, but also representing their dairy industry so well in the community.

Jonna and Lance both see the importance of conservation on their farm. Jonna explains

Living in these gloriously beautiful rolling hills in Northeast Iowa, we need to do all we can to protect the soil from erosion. So, we utilize terraces, grass waterways, and cover crops so that then we're also able to feed our animals. It creates an extra forage source for us but also keeps that soil covered all the time.

The couple is both highly involved in the community as well. When they are not farming, Lance is helping coach youth sports such as baseball, football, wrestling, and basketball. Jonna is a 4-H leader, Sunday school teacher, Midwest Dairy Iowa Division Secretary, and Iowa Dairy Princess Advisory Council member, and she serves on the Iowa Holstein State and District Youth Committees.

Take a look onto the farm of another Wergin Goof Farm Neighbor's farm in Northeast Iowa: