Mark Mueller

Mark still farms with his father Howard outside Waverly, on the same road where two generations of Muellers farmed before them. When he took over operations in 1995, he bought all but three of his father’s tractors. The elder Mueller held onto his moldboard plow and refused to sell it until 2015, although the two only used the plow once in those 20 years.

As a lover of history, Mark is aware of the complex relationship between tradition and change. A key shift that Mark wishes hadn’t occurred in the 20th century is the loss of diversity on the farming landscape. And yet, in a future where consolidation seems inevitable, Mark maintains his belief in the ability of conventional farmers to be profitable through diversity, technological advances and innovative, new markets.

But the foundation of Mark’s operation is a commitment to soil health and the necessity of international collaboration to reach new levels of conservation and productivity. As a district director of Iowa Corn and chairman of its Exports & Grain Trade Committee, Mark is immersed in the national patterns of agricultural trade and productivity. And at the core of Mark’s ethic is the firm stance that soil and water conservation equate to no less than the survival of a nation.

Building a Culture of Conservation: 

“The definition of a good farmer has changed over the years. When my grandfather was a boy, a good farmer was the one who planted the straightest rows, even up and down hills. Now, I’ve taught my daughters that a good farmer doesn’t disturb the soil, leaves as much residue on top as possible, and he uses cover crops.”

Contact Information

Mark Mueller
1146 220th St.
Waverly, IA 50677
319/352-2568
mjksmueller@gmail.com