Rick Juchems

Although Rick Juchems was raised on the “flat black” of Conrad in Grundy County, he and his wife Jane (nee Juhl) have farmed in Plainfield, Iowa since 1978. After Rick finished his studies at South Dakota State University, the two began farming land owned by Jane's family, who had been unsatisfied with their current tenant’s management. 

With plenty of rolling ground and the Cedar River nearly visible from their farm, the Juchems have always been keenly aware of the necessity of good soil and water quality practices. And as an early adopter of cover crops, which Rick has implemented for 14 years, the Juchems have seen remarkable transformations on the land for the better: both in terms of efficiency and conservation.

In addition to nearly 500 acres of corn and soy, Rick has raised livestock and still oversees hog confinements, from which he uses swine manure with strict nutrient management. For Rick, these practices should be a baseline, as he observes that “if we don’t do it voluntarily, we are going to be mandated.” Rick is proud of Iowa’s unparalleled successes in agriculture, and he maintains that “we can grow crops, that’s not a problem. We just need to work on our conservation.”

Building a Culture of Conservation: 

“Cover crops are a learning process. You might have to change parts of your operation, but it’s manageable. I keep telling people ‘It’s not rocket science.’”

Contact Information

Rick Juchems
Butler County
33635 110th Street
Plainfield, IA 50666
319/276-4818
rjuchems@gmail.com