Dick Sloan

Dick Sloan was raised on a farm a few miles away from the 320 acres he’s farmed since 1978, both just outside Brandon. While he was raised with a strong emphasis on conservation, his practices continue to evolve as he innovates tirelessly towards greater efficiency and resilience. A strong believer in experimentation, he told us that he’s “not afraid to make mistakes, because it’s the only way to find what works best on your land.”

This scientific attitude has paid off, as Dick employs cover crops on 100% of his acres and maintains 220 bushel/acre corn, while expending far fewer inputs, including 1/3 less diesel since he stopped tillage. Considering the benefits of cover crops, Dick asks “Why are we okay with losing nutrients when they are so expensive? People think we have to spend all these dollars on inputs, but it’s not true. Cover crops work. We’ve tested my tile lines enough to know we don’t have to lose these nutrients.”

Most recently, he is preparing to install a CREP wetland on his property: for water quality benefits, but also because of wetlands’ beauty and intrinsic worth as wildlife habitat. As a Zen Buddhist, Dick’s conservation ethic is deeply informed by concerns for biodiversity and the interconnectedness of organisms. As such, he is concerned about the overuse of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, whose result in genetically-resistant weeds could very well be the tip of the iceberg.

Building a Culture of Conservation: 

“The best thing would be if the farmer doesn’t do it to get paid. Do it for all the right reasons: build your organic matter and build your resilience, especially if you’ve got family involved. Do you think your grandkids will have it as easy as we did? We can’t count on that.”

Contact Information

Dick Sloan
3046 Harrison Ave
Rowley, IA 52329
319-558-6934
sloan_richard@yahoo.net