April Hemmes

So what about the timing was terrible? So it was the farm crisis. So everything just fell apart. We had huge interest rates. So it was like 16% interest. And then the land, the price of the land was going up. So some people bought land very high price with a very high interest rates. And then our commodity prices were not good. And then once farmers started failing, the banks started failing.

So what about the timing was terrible? So it was the farm crisis. So everything just fell apart. We had huge interest rates. So it was like 16% interest. And then the land, the price of the land was going up. So some people bought land very high price with a very high interest rates. And then our commodity prices were not good. And then once farmers started failing, the banks started failing.

So we had a lot of agriculture banks go out of business. And it was a time of white crosses in the courtyard when they had to go sell farms and people selling off their, you know, possessions to make bank payments, things like that.

So we had a lot of agriculture banks go out of business. And it was a time of white crosses in the courtyard when they had to go sell farms and people selling off their, you know, possessions to make bank payments, things like that.

We did have overproduction. We just had too much. We weren't trading around the world and exporting like we are now. And so that's really late 80s, early 90s is when that focus to export, especially to China, really ramped up.

We did have overproduction. We just had too much. We weren't trading around the world and exporting like we are now. And so that's really late 80s, early 90s is when that focus to export, especially to China, really ramped up.

Well, because they had such a growing population then. And we knew we had extra we had to export to. But you have to develop these things. And it takes a long time to develop relationships and trust. And that all started, it actually started with President Nixon going there in the 70s. And you just start building that trust. And then they started importing in the 90s from the U.S. soybeans.

Well, because they had such a growing population then. And we knew we had extra we had to export to. But you have to develop these things. And it takes a long time to develop relationships and trust. And that all started, it actually started with President Nixon going there in the 70s. And you just start building that trust. And then they started importing in the 90s from the U.S. soybeans.

Well, it happens on getting involved in your local boards or state boards or, in my case, national boards. So, you know, let's zoom through the 90s into the 2000s. And through the Iowa Farm Bureau, I got to visit China for the first time on a market study tour. And... It was a bunch of Iowa farmers. And what first struck us on our bus rides was the agriculture, of course, because we're farmers.

Well, it happens on getting involved in your local boards or state boards or, in my case, national boards. So, you know, let's zoom through the 90s into the 2000s. And through the Iowa Farm Bureau, I got to visit China for the first time on a market study tour. And... It was a bunch of Iowa farmers. And what first struck us on our bus rides was the agriculture, of course, because we're farmers.

And it's not just big, huge fields like we're used to here. It was very, very small parcels. put together. So that's how they got to lease the ground from the government. So it's all hand done. We saw the stover from the corn piled in the corner. The stover is the corn stalks, anything but the corn. And they would use that to heat their houses. You know, they were drying their wheat on the road.

And it's not just big, huge fields like we're used to here. It was very, very small parcels. put together. So that's how they got to lease the ground from the government. So it's all hand done. We saw the stover from the corn piled in the corner. The stover is the corn stalks, anything but the corn. And they would use that to heat their houses. You know, they were drying their wheat on the road.

They had spread the wheat out on the road to dry it.

They had spread the wheat out on the road to dry it.

Yes, and one of the biggest ones, they took us to one of their show farms, and the interpreters always wanted to be by me and talk to me.

Yes, and one of the biggest ones, they took us to one of their show farms, and the interpreters always wanted to be by me and talk to me.

I know. April, is this just like your farm? Now, it's the same size as my farm, a 1,000-acre farm. There were like 400 landowners, let's say. They didn't own it. And the Chinese are very good at showing you what they want you to see. There were like 24 row combines lined up, little tiny tractors, you know, a bunch of those. And the interpreter said, April, is this like your tractor? And I said...

I know. April, is this just like your farm? Now, it's the same size as my farm, a 1,000-acre farm. There were like 400 landowners, let's say. They didn't own it. And the Chinese are very good at showing you what they want you to see. There were like 24 row combines lined up, little tiny tractors, you know, a bunch of those. And the interpreter said, April, is this like your tractor? And I said...

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but that is like the tractor I mow my lawn with. Wow. And it's like, I said, no, what you're doing on this farm, I do by myself.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but that is like the tractor I mow my lawn with. Wow. And it's like, I said, no, what you're doing on this farm, I do by myself.