Mark Kenney

Contact Information

Mark Kenney
Contact Iowa Learning Farms at ilf@iastate.edu

Mark Kenney is a 5th generation farmer in Story County where he farms corn, soybeans, and seed corn. After growing up in the 80s during the farm crisis he didn’t think he would become a farmer or have a career involved in agriculture at all. When Mark started high school, he had a great ag teacher and FFA advisor who opened students’ eyes to agriculture careers that weren’t involved in production. Mark then went to university in Missouri and majored in ag business with a minor in agronomy. He continued his learning and received a master’s degree in ag economics.

In 2005 he returned to the farm after working in finance. Today Mark is focused on the economics of farming and protecting his investment by incorporating conservation practices. He has grid soil sampling done to assess nutrient management, and he also takes a grid approach when looking at the field’s productivity. For Mark, transforming a couple of acres that always flood into prairie helps his bottom line while also providing habitat for pollinators, as well as many other benefits the prairie can provide. Mark believes everyone should be part of the environmental movement, and farmers should be on the frontlines.

Building a Culture of Conservation: 

“As a farmer, I have an outsized impact on the environment when compared to someone who lives in a suburban setting. We have an impact – not just on our own farms, but on everybody.”