Ben and Andy Johnson

Seven generations have farmed in Floyd County, and Ben Johnson and Andy Johnson hope their sons will continue this legacy. Together they farm and share equipment, while their father, who began no-tilling his beans in the '90s, still has his own operation down the road. Ben, who returned to the farm first, immediately ran with his father’s use of no-till, while also experimenting with practices to achieve greater levels of soil health and water quality.

In 2013, Andy joined his brother on the farm after being an agriculture teacher at a local high school. That was the same year that the two experimented with cover crops for the first time, due to a prevent plant area following a series of torrential rains. That year, the brothers saw firsthand both the benefits of cover crops and the consequences of not embracing conservation amidst increasingly extreme weather events.

In addition to raising crops, the Johnsons have maintained a small flock of sheep with their sons' help. Andy mentioned that when his sons don’t do their homework, rather than losing video game privileges, they aren’t allowed to do their sheep chores. The fact that this punishment works hints that there may very well be another generation of Johnsons farming, and the brothers hope that livestock can viably remain a part of farming to keep independent families on the landscape.

Building a Culture of Conservation: 

Ben: “Conservation is a powerful tool that young farmers can use to be competitive and set themselves apart from other renters.”

Andy: “We’ve never had a landlord say ‘boy I wish you’d do more tillage. It’s usually the opposite.’”

Contact Information

Ben and Andy Johnson
1241 Hwy 218
Floyd, IA 50435
641-330-9431
bajohnson@myomnitel.com