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David Vetter (farmer)

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Organic farmer and leader in the sustainable agriculture movement

David Vetter is an organic farmer and leader in the sustainable agriculture movement.

Early life and education

David Vetter grew up on his family's farm in Marquette, Nebraska. In 1953, his father Donald Vetter decided to stop spraying pesticides on his fields. He questioned the chemical's real value in farming. He found that they did not give him much higher returns, while he believed they caused significant harm to the soil and killed wildlife. He was considered strange by his neighbors for his beliefs and farming practices.

Vetter received a BS in Soil Science/Agronomy from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and a Master of Divinity from the United Theological Seminary.

While he was in the seminary, he met Fred Kirschenmann. He introduced Kirschenmann to the science of organic farming, inspiring Kirschenmann to return to farming himself.

Career

After completing his education, Vetter returned to his family's farm in 1975. The farm was certified organic in 1978.

Vetter realized that he needed to help build a processing infrastructure and a marketing program in order to sell and distribute his products to the consumer. In 1980, David and his father Don, invested $170,000 to build a small grain-cleaning plant. David and his father Don established Grain Place Foods in 1987 to provide a place for other organic farmers to go and get their grain cleaned and marketed.

Vetter is a founding member of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society. He also chaired the first Organic Crop Improvement Association's International Certification Committee.

The Vetter family started the Grain Place Foundation after Donald Vetter's death in 2015.

As of 2019, the farm employs 2 hands-on farmers with Dave handling the overall management. Grain Place Foods employs approximately 20 full time employees and Dave is the CEO. As of 2020, the family grows a variety of crops on a 9-year rotation.

Film

Vetter and his family were featured in the 2018 documentary film Dreaming of a Vetter World. The film tells the Vetter family story and how management of soil is critical to sustainable agriculture and even in combating climate change. The film was entirely shot, directed and narrated by the director Bonnie Hawthorne, who lived on the Vetter farm during filming. Jo Andres, Steve Buscemi, and Robert Houston were executive producers.

Awards and honors

In 2016, the Rodale Institute named him an "Organic Pioneer" and he received the Organic Leadership Award from the Organic Trade Association. He was named as the Rodale Institute's 2016 Farmer of the Year. In 2011, David and his family were named Organic Farmers of the Year by the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service (MOSES).

Personal life

Vetter is married to Rogean. Together they have three children: Allison, Darci, and Madison.

References

  1. "CropChoice.com News". www.cropchoice.com.
  2. Erica Jobman (June 3, 2011). "NSAS: Growing Sustainable Agriculture in Nebraska". Archived from the original on 2020-11-24.
  3. ^ "The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, MCC to host screening of new documentary about organic farming pioneer". Daily Herald. August 19, 2019. Retrieved 2022-08-24.
  4. Lilliston, Ben (July 16, 2007). "Farmers Fight to Save Organic Crops". Progressive.org.
  5. "Organic & Non-GMO Forum 2019". ong.highquestevents.com.
  6. Ken Roseboro (2006). The Organic Food Handboo. Basic Health Publications. p. 19.
  7. Groves, Martha (1997-07-21). "Bringing Farms Back to Nature". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  8. "Video". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  9. Furbank, Lani (October 26, 2016). "Ten Questions with Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow at Leopold Center".
  10. "Organic Pioneer Sees Hope for Movement's Future". National Geographic. June 11, 2015. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020.
  11. ^ Janet Bachmann; Lance Gegner (November 2002). "Grain Processing: Adding Value to Farm Products" (PDF). ATTRA. National Center for Appropriate Technology. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  12. "The State of Organic Grain | Ecological Farming Association". eco-farm.org.
  13. Hoffschneider, Kerry. "Seeds". York News-Times.
  14. Messenger, Kerry Hoffschneider, Midwest. "From the ground up: Organic growers sprout fresh ideas for future of agriculture". AgUpdate.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. "Grain Place Foundation". Grain Place Foundation.
  16. "Dreaming of a Vetter World to Show During Iowa Organic Conference". News.
  17. "Meet the Regenerative Organic Certified early adopters". New Hope Network. September 9, 2020.
  18. "Documentary features Marquette organic farm family". The Grand Island Independent.
  19. "Organic Pioneer Award Winners".
  20. Association, Organic Trade. "2016 Organic Leadership Award to honor organic mentor". www.prnewswire.com.
  21. ^ "Institute for Human and Planetary Health". ihph.doane.edu.
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