A special convocation at Western Iowa Tech Community college on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 united students, staff and members of the community. The event hosted by the international honor society, Phi Theta Kappa, focused on global issues concerning agriculture.
Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer served as emcee for the event and brings us the sounds and messages from experts and entertainers.
The depth of five voices serenaded a group of more than 100 at the Rocklin Center on the campus of Western Iowa Tech Community College Tuesday. A high-energy performance by the "New Life Band" represened four different tribes in Tanzania.
The international guests also taught some in the crowd the art of African dancing.
But, what started as a light-hearted event took a serious turn when Dr. Steve Meyer took the stage.
The orthopedic surgeon from Siouxland founded the Siouxland Tanzania Educational Ministries also known as STEMM more then 22-years ago.
He says agriculture is essential for the east African Nation, where farmers still use more primitive ways to plant their crops.
Meyer says the average yield for corn is 25 bushels per acre compared a number ten times higher or more in Iowa. Plus, a majority of people living in rural areas survive on less than $1.50 a day.
Dr. Meyer also says something needs to be done to prevent the death of children worldwide where one every ten seconds dies of starvation.
When it comes to the financial outlook for farmers closer to home, Gary Wright, a Farm Management Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, shared his insight on agriculture in the U.S. and the impact of the trade war with China and the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement or USMCA.
“U.S. trade with China has been an issue for many years.”
And, finally former state lawmaker and Government Relations Special Projects Coordinator at Western Iowa Tech, Steve Warnstadt shared a detailed economic perspective.
Warnstadt says Iowa lost $1.1 billion in exports from 2017 to 2018 and another country has picked up the business with environmental consequences.
“I’m not saying it’s a correlation but, what happened in Brazil this summer. Do you remember the fires? A lot of fires were started because they wanted to expand Ag Set up farmland to produce in China, it’s a small world after all.”
A world of awareness of the impact of agriculture in the heartland and beyond.
The New Life Band arrived in Sioux City in the middle of October with the support of Morningside Lutheran Church. They recently took part in a fundraising event for STEMM. Dr. Steve Myer of STEMM also told the crowd today the story of a horrific school bus crash in Tanzania, where only three lived and three dozen died. The young survivors spent months in Sioux City getting medical treatment. Dr. Myer called the situation a medical miracle.