(Tom Jirik wrote columns in several newspapers in Iowa from the late 1980’s to the mid 1990’s.  Following is one of his early writings from September or October 1986)

Editors and reporters grind their teeth when they hear that phrase or one of its many variations.  I’ve only been involved in newspapering for 6 months and I’ve heard that theme repeated more times than I care to count.

Today, I’d like to use this space to emphasize some good news that I’ve been hearing lately.

Iowa Department of Agriculture Marketing director Ed Lowe was in Corwith recently promoting his department’s plans for an Iowa Export trading company.  Mr. Lowe has traveled extensively around the world and he shared some of his observations with the crowd in Corwith that evening.

The marketing director said that to people around the world, Iowa is synonymous with agriculture.  He also noted that the people in those countries respect Iowans because of that agricultural connotation.

“In foreign countries, agriculture enjoys a respect and prestige that it does not have here.  Maybe that is something we need to look at in this country,” he said.

He pointed out that Iowa’s economy is rooted in agricultural industry and the state’s vast agricultural resources will continue to support its growth and development.  “We can try to produce computer chips here all we want, but if we ignore agriculture, I’m afraid we would be making a big mistake,” he said.

It is evident simply from observing events here in Kossuth County, that farmers have not given up and America’s heartland will never be a barren desert.

Farmers are branching out, spreading their risk and trying new ideas.  Growing up on my dad’s farm I soon realized that ingenuity was second nature to farmers.  If you couldn’t find or afford the equipment you needed- you built your own.  If something didn’t work right- you fixed it and improved it with your own hands and tools.

It appears farmers have started to ignore the “experts” who have predicted the demise of agriculture.  They are using their “tools,” calculators, computers and some innovative ideas to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and put some profit back into agriculture.

The Algona Newspapers have covered the bad news in agriculture, but that’s important too and we haven’t seen the end of it.

Agriculture has just started on a long hard road of transition.  People have gotten hurt and people will continue to get hurt by that transition.  It’s sad, but unavoidable.

In a recent ag-policy debate among agricultural debate among agricultural leaders from across America, those leaders argued and disagreed about what to do about the farm problem-just like they’ve been doing for years.

While they argued they’ve argued, I’ve covered Mr. Lowe’s speech and talked to farmers who are trying new crops and farming methods to cut costs and cater to new markets.

I listened to National FFA President Kevin Eblen tell local students that agriculture is wide open.  He said innovative, positive-thinking, young entrepreneurs are starting their own businesses and enterprises in agriculture and doing well.

He said the future of American agricultural industry is in the hands of those go-getters,

That, readers, is what I call good news.