WEBVTT 00:00:10.220 --> 00:00:14.039 Creeping across the pasture land. Got dirt on 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:18.719 the boots and a working hand. From the milk house 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:24.000 home to the auction call. These are the folks 00:00:24.000 --> 00:01:01.020 standing strong and tall. Yeah, this is... You're 00:01:01.020 --> 00:01:03.859 listening to the Bullvine Podcast, the show that 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:06.019 brings you the stories of a life well -lived 00:01:06.019 --> 00:01:09.140 in the world of dairy. Here, we don't just talk 00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:11.840 about milk. We talk about legacy, innovation, 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:14.659 and the people who shape the future of agriculture. 00:01:15.420 --> 00:01:18.379 In this industry, we often measure success in 00:01:18.379 --> 00:01:21.239 pounds of milk, in linear scores, or in dollars 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:24.359 per hundred weight. But the real story of a successful 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:27.900 farm isn't written in ledgers. It's written across 00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:31.379 generations in the lines on a father's face and 00:01:31.379 --> 00:01:34.659 the promise in a son's eyes. It's about a relentless 00:01:34.659 --> 00:01:37.200 pursuit of excellence, even when it looks like 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.799 a crazy bet. Today, we're taking you to a place 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:43.439 where a single decision made over 60 years ago 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:46.620 set the stage for a dynasty. We're going to a 00:01:46.620 --> 00:01:49.840 quiet farm in Iowa to uncover the Farniar formula. 00:01:50.540 --> 00:01:53.000 It's a story about a family who chose to invest 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.900 in genetics. when their neighbors chose to play 00:01:55.900 --> 00:01:58.400 it safe, and how that one choice continues to 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:00.959 pay dividends today. You may have heard their 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.640 names, Tom, Mark, and Adam Simon. You may have 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:07.920 seen their bulls, Farnier Delta Lambda and Farnier 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:10.979 Altitude Red, winning Premier Sire at World Dairy 00:02:10.979 --> 00:02:14.400 Expo. But to understand this moment, you have 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:16.699 to go back to a time when a registered Holstein 00:02:16.699 --> 00:02:19.560 was an expensive gamble, and the future of dairy 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:22.199 was an unwritten dream. And we're taking you 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:24.849 there, right now. You stand in the cattle barn 00:02:24.849 --> 00:02:28.250 at World Dairy Expo, Madison, Wisconsin. October 00:02:28.250 --> 00:02:32.389 4th, 2024. The air thrums with nervous energy 00:02:32.389 --> 00:02:35.409 as exhibitors pace the aisles, straightening 00:02:35.409 --> 00:02:38.090 already perfect halters, brushing coats that 00:02:38.090 --> 00:02:40.870 gleam like obsidian. You've been coming to this 00:02:40.870 --> 00:02:43.069 show for decades, but tonight feels different. 00:02:43.409 --> 00:02:45.710 The Grand Champion presentations are wrapping 00:02:45.710 --> 00:02:48.610 up. Your heart pounds as you watch Tom Simon 00:02:48.610 --> 00:02:52.090 adjust his position near the show ring. His weathered 00:02:52.090 --> 00:02:55.610 hands Steady, despite his age, rest on the rail 00:02:55.610 --> 00:02:58.150 where his father Joe once stood 40 years ago. 00:02:58.349 --> 00:03:00.789 You know what's coming. The announcement that 00:03:00.789 --> 00:03:03.430 will either validate 60 years of calculated risk 00:03:03.430 --> 00:03:06.110 -taking or leave another dream unfulfilled on 00:03:06.110 --> 00:03:09.189 the sawdust floor. The announcer's voice cuts 00:03:09.189 --> 00:03:11.310 through the crowd noise. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:03:11.469 --> 00:03:14.050 we're proud to announce this year's premier sires. 00:03:14.229 --> 00:03:17.530 Your breath catches. Two bulls. One operation. 00:03:18.009 --> 00:03:21.409 Farnier Delta Lambda ET and Farnier Altitude 00:03:21.409 --> 00:03:25.060 Red ET. The impossible has happened. But this 00:03:25.060 --> 00:03:28.240 moment, this triumph, began with a decision that 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:31.219 neighbors called financial suicide, a choice 00:03:31.219 --> 00:03:33.840 made by a stubborn Iowa farmer who believed that 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.500 excellence, not economy, would build his legacy. 00:03:37.020 --> 00:03:39.659 This is the story of how one family's expensive 00:03:39.659 --> 00:03:42.240 mistakes became the dairy industry's blueprint 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:45.659 for success, how strategic thinking over 60 years 00:03:45.659 --> 00:03:48.620 built a genetic dynasty, and why the most dangerous 00:03:48.620 --> 00:03:51.389 thing in agriculture isn't taking risks. It's 00:03:51.389 --> 00:03:54.229 playing it safe. You're driving down a gravel 00:03:54.229 --> 00:03:58.710 road in Delaware County, Iowa, 1960. Dust clouds 00:03:58.710 --> 00:04:01.189 rise behind your pickup as you pass farm after 00:04:01.189 --> 00:04:04.370 farm, each one a family operation carved from 00:04:04.370 --> 00:04:07.129 prairie soil by stubborn German and Scandinavian 00:04:07.129 --> 00:04:11.430 immigrants. This is dairy country, but not the 00:04:11.430 --> 00:04:14.110 kind you'll recognize decades later. The farms 00:04:14.110 --> 00:04:18.089 are small, 40, 60 cows at most, grade Holsteins 00:04:18.089 --> 00:04:20.540 mostly. Good enough cattle that produce adequate 00:04:20.540 --> 00:04:23.420 milk for the local creamery. Most farmers are 00:04:23.420 --> 00:04:26.120 content with good enough. Feed the family, pay 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.319 the mortgage, maybe take a vacation to the Wisconsin 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:31.779 Dells if corn prices cooperate. You pull into 00:04:31.779 --> 00:04:35.360 the Simon Farm, 160 acres that Joe bought after 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:39.339 returning from Korea. The barn is solid but unremarkable. 00:04:39.480 --> 00:04:42.459 Red paint, white trim, a gambrel roof that's 00:04:42.459 --> 00:04:45.199 seen better decades. The milking parlor holds 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:48.939 16 cows twice daily by hand until Joe grudgingly 00:04:48.939 --> 00:04:51.699 installed a pipeline system two years ago. The 00:04:51.699 --> 00:04:54.240 agricultural revolution is stirring, but most 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:57.819 farmers can't see it yet. Artificial insemination 00:04:57.819 --> 00:05:00.040 is still viewed with suspicion by neighbors who 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:03.220 trust their own bulls. Genetic improvement means 00:05:03.220 --> 00:05:05.620 buying a better bull from the neighbor, not shipping 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:08.399 frozen semen from some laboratory hundreds of 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:11.579 miles away. You stand in Joe's kitchen studying 00:05:11.579 --> 00:05:14.220 the farm records spread across the oilcloth -covered 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:18.040 table. Milk prices, $0 .320 per hundred weight. 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:22.699 Feed corn, $1 .10 per bushel. A good Holstein 00:05:22.699 --> 00:05:25.939 heifer costs $400, more than most farmers make 00:05:25.939 --> 00:05:28.839 in a month. The economics are brutal in their 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:31.740 simplicity. Every dollar counts. Every decision 00:05:31.740 --> 00:05:34.000 carries weight that can sink a family operation. 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:37.100 This is why your neighbors play it safe. Buy 00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:40.639 average genetics, accept average results. But 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:43.839 Joe Simon is studying something else. A thin 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.459 catalog from the American Breeder Service, filled 00:05:46.459 --> 00:05:49.139 with bulls most farmers can't afford, and genetic 00:05:49.139 --> 00:05:51.339 terminology that sounds like science fiction. 00:05:51.579 --> 00:05:54.339 You flip through pages showing semen prices that 00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:57.699 make your stomach drop. Elite bulls, $15 per 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:00.959 unit. Your neighbors are using $3 semen from 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.980 local bulls. The math is simple and terrifying. 00:06:04.600 --> 00:06:07.160 Joe is considering genetics that cost five times 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:10.399 the going rate. In the distance, you hear the 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:13.000 evening news on the radio. Kennedy is president. 00:06:13.259 --> 00:06:16.199 The Cold War dominates headlines. But here in 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:18.680 rural Iowa, a quieter revolution is beginning, 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:21.800 one that will reshape how America feeds itself. 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:25.639 You're Joe Simon, and it's 4 .30 a .m. on a January 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:29.000 morning in 1961. The temperature outside is 9 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:32.000 -12 degrees F, cold enough that the barn windows 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.819 are frosted over in intricate patterns. Your 00:06:34.819 --> 00:06:37.279 breath fogs as you begin morning chores, but 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:39.220 your mind is already working through the numbers. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:42.939 You learned precision in Korea. Every decision 00:06:42.939 --> 00:06:47.120 mattered. Every resource counted. You returned 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.620 home with discipline that your neighbors mistake 00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:52.300 for stubbornness and a conviction that excellence 00:06:52.300 --> 00:06:56.060 requires sacrifice. Your father's farm was different. 00:06:56.279 --> 00:06:59.480 Good German stock, steady production, never the 00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:03.579 highest, never the lowest. Gut is gutgenug, he'd 00:07:03.579 --> 00:07:06.529 say. Good is good enough. But standing in this 00:07:06.529 --> 00:07:09.129 barn, watching cows that produce 8 ,000 pounds 00:07:09.129 --> 00:07:11.850 of milk annually, when you know genetics exist 00:07:11.850 --> 00:07:14.329 that could double that production, good enough 00:07:14.329 --> 00:07:17.449 feels like surrender. Your wife Helen worries 00:07:17.449 --> 00:07:19.910 about the risks. You've had the conversation 00:07:19.910 --> 00:07:22.949 over kitchen coffee, her practical concerns battling 00:07:22.949 --> 00:07:26.410 your vision of what this farm could become. Eight 00:07:26.410 --> 00:07:29.410 registered Holstein heifers will cost $3 ,200, 00:07:29.850 --> 00:07:33.339 nearly two years of net income. The neighbors 00:07:33.339 --> 00:07:36.100 will think you've lost your mind. But you remember 00:07:36.100 --> 00:07:39.420 something from the war. A quartermaster who explained 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:41.879 why the army bought the best equipment, not the 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:44.959 cheapest. It costs the same to feed a soldier 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:47.860 whether he has reliable gear or junk, he said. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:51.040 The difference is whether he comes home. Standing 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.579 in your barn, that principle crystallizes into 00:07:53.579 --> 00:07:57.000 farming wisdom. It costs the same to feed a bad 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:00.300 cow as a good cow. The feed bill is identical. 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:03.779 The labor is identical. The only variable is 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:06.339 genetic potential. You've studied the breeding 00:08:06.339 --> 00:08:09.500 records from the university extension. Elite 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:12.160 genetics aren't just incrementally better, they're 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.459 transformational. A bull that transmits exceptional 00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:18.339 udder traits, longevity, production capacity. 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:21.779 His daughters will milk for six lactations instead 00:08:21.779 --> 00:08:25.079 of three. They'll produce 14 ,000 pounds instead 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:28.480 of 8 ,000. The mathematics become clear in the 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.829 pre -dawn darkness. Premium genetics cost five 00:08:31.829 --> 00:08:34.870 times more up front. But spread over a cow's 00:08:34.870 --> 00:08:37.610 lifetime, over her daughter's lifetimes, the 00:08:37.610 --> 00:08:39.730 investment becomes the cheapest money you'll 00:08:39.730 --> 00:08:42.850 ever spend. You make the decision that will define 00:08:42.850 --> 00:08:45.669 everything. You'll mortgage tomorrow's security 00:08:45.669 --> 00:08:48.590 for today's genetics. You'll buy the best bulls 00:08:48.590 --> 00:08:51.610 available, regardless of cost. You'll build a 00:08:51.610 --> 00:08:54.149 breeding program on excellence, not economy. 00:08:54.470 --> 00:08:56.850 Walking back to the house as dawn breaks over 00:08:56.850 --> 00:08:59.490 the Iowa prairie, you feel the weight of what 00:08:59.490 --> 00:09:01.889 you've committed to. Your neighbors will call 00:09:01.889 --> 00:09:05.409 it reckless. Helen will lose sleep over the finances. 00:09:05.809 --> 00:09:09.090 But you've seen what mediocrity produces, and 00:09:09.090 --> 00:09:11.409 you refuse to build your life's work on good 00:09:11.409 --> 00:09:15.370 enough. You're back in Joe's boots, May 1961. 00:09:15.870 --> 00:09:18.470 The American Breeder Service truck pulls into 00:09:18.470 --> 00:09:21.250 your farmyard, kicking up dust that settles on 00:09:21.250 --> 00:09:24.009 the freshly painted barn. You've waited three 00:09:24.009 --> 00:09:26.950 months for this moment, saving every available 00:09:26.950 --> 00:09:29.580 dollar for the most expensive breeding program 00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:32.899 Delaware County has ever seen. The technician 00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:35.980 who steps out carries liquid nitrogen tanks that 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:38.080 cost more than most farmers' monthly grocery 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:42.159 bills. Inside those tanks, frozen in time, are 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:44.620 genetics that represent the cutting edge of dairy 00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:47.899 science. Bull semen from animals that have never 00:09:47.899 --> 00:09:50.419 set foot on your farm but will father the next 00:09:50.419 --> 00:09:53.279 generation of your herd. Your first purchase 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:55.419 makes your hands shake as you sign the check. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.120 Elevation. an elite bull whose daughters average 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:02.940 16 ,000 pounds of milk per lactation. The semen 00:10:02.940 --> 00:10:06.019 costs $15 per unit. Your neighbors are using 00:10:06.019 --> 00:10:09.200 bulls that cost $3. Standing in the breeding 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.860 shed, watching the technician prepare the insemination 00:10:11.860 --> 00:10:14.960 equipment, you calculate the risks. Eight cows 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.139 to breed, 12 units of semen to ensure conception. 00:10:19.299 --> 00:10:22.659 $180 for genetics alone, more than most farmers 00:10:22.659 --> 00:10:26.129 spend on seed corn for 40 acres. The process 00:10:26.129 --> 00:10:29.509 itself is clinical, scientific, nothing like 00:10:29.509 --> 00:10:32.429 the natural breeding your father practiced. But 00:10:32.429 --> 00:10:34.809 as you hold each cow steady for insemination, 00:10:34.929 --> 00:10:37.309 you're not just breeding cattle, you're investing 00:10:37.309 --> 00:10:39.830 in a vision that exists only in genetic potential 00:10:39.830 --> 00:10:44.230 and university research papers. Summer 1961 brings 00:10:44.230 --> 00:10:47.269 the first test of your conviction. Corn prices 00:10:47.269 --> 00:10:51.409 drop to 95s per bushel. Milk prices stagnate. 00:10:51.649 --> 00:10:54.720 Your neighbor, Bill Hartman, stops by to discuss 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:57.159 your experiment with artificial insemination. 00:10:57.700 --> 00:10:59.620 Joe, that's a lot of money for something you 00:10:59.620 --> 00:11:01.919 can't even see, he says, leaning against your 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:04.639 feed bunk. My bull has been working just fine 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:07.820 for eight years, cost me $300, and he's still 00:11:07.820 --> 00:11:11.340 producing calves. You explain the genetic mathematics, 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:14.700 how superior bulls transmit traits that compound 00:11:14.700 --> 00:11:17.820 over generations. Bill nods politely, but you 00:11:17.820 --> 00:11:20.620 see the skepticism in his eyes. He's calculating 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:23.460 the immediate costs. not the long -term returns. 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:26.700 August brings the first pregnancies confirmed. 00:11:27.059 --> 00:11:29.559 Your expensive gamble is developing in eight 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:32.419 wombs, each carrying genetic potential that won't 00:11:32.419 --> 00:11:35.600 be measurable for two years. You mark your calendar, 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:39.179 February 1964. That's when you'll know if premium 00:11:39.179 --> 00:11:42.840 genetics justify premium prices. But autumn brings 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:45.720 sobering reality. Your feed costs are identical 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:48.340 to your neighbors. but your genetic investment 00:11:48.340 --> 00:11:51.139 has created a cash flow gap that keeps you awake 00:11:51.139 --> 00:11:54.259 at 2 a .m., staring at the ceiling, calculating 00:11:54.259 --> 00:11:58.139 and recalculating the numbers. October 1961, 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:01.279 you attend your first Dairy Herd Improvement 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:03.700 Association meeting since beginning your breeding 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:07.740 program. The conversation inevitably turns to 00:12:07.740 --> 00:12:11.360 your expensive experiments. Farmers who've known 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.120 you since childhood Question your judgment with 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:16.480 the gentle brutality that only neighbors can 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:20.000 deliver. Throwing good money after bad, one suggests. 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:23.519 Fancy genetics don't milk themselves, adds another. 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:26.740 You defend your decisions with facts and figures, 00:12:26.980 --> 00:12:30.279 but doubt creeps in during the drive home. The 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:32.679 gravel road stretches endlessly under October 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:35.879 stars, and you wonder if ambition has outpaced 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:40.120 wisdom. December 1961 brings the harshest test 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:42.850 yet. An early blizzard traps you in the barn 00:12:42.850 --> 00:12:46.169 for 36 hours, caring for cattle that represent 00:12:46.169 --> 00:12:49.450 the largest financial gamble of your life. As 00:12:49.450 --> 00:12:52.090 wind howls around the barn and snow drifts against 00:12:52.090 --> 00:12:55.269 the doors, you question every assumption. The 00:12:55.269 --> 00:12:58.210 pregnant cows stand calmly in their stalls, carrying 00:12:58.210 --> 00:13:00.669 the future you've mortgaged everything to create. 00:13:01.029 --> 00:13:04.429 In 14 months, you'll know if excellence is worth 00:13:04.429 --> 00:13:07.690 the price you've paid for it. You step back from 00:13:07.690 --> 00:13:10.710 Joe Simon's individual story and survey the broader 00:13:10.710 --> 00:13:13.450 transformation reshaping American agriculture. 00:13:13.789 --> 00:13:17.669 It's 1962, and forces beyond any single farm 00:13:17.669 --> 00:13:20.710 are converging to revolutionize how America produces 00:13:20.710 --> 00:13:24.509 food. At universities across the Midwest, agricultural 00:13:24.509 --> 00:13:27.629 scientists are unlocking genetic secrets that 00:13:27.629 --> 00:13:29.870 farmers have pursued through crude trial and 00:13:29.870 --> 00:13:32.629 error for centuries. The University of Wisconsin 00:13:32.629 --> 00:13:36.309 -Madison, Iowa State, Cornell. These institutions 00:13:36.309 --> 00:13:39.110 are becoming breeding laboratories where mathematical 00:13:39.110 --> 00:13:43.129 precision meets agricultural tradition. You stand 00:13:43.129 --> 00:13:46.049 in a university research barn, watching scientists 00:13:46.049 --> 00:13:48.450 collect data that will reshape the industry. 00:13:48.789 --> 00:13:51.450 Linear trait measurement, production records 00:13:51.450 --> 00:13:54.909 analyzed by primitive computers, genetic evaluations 00:13:54.909 --> 00:13:57.649 that assign numerical values to breeding potential. 00:13:57.950 --> 00:14:00.210 This isn't your grandfather's animal husbandry. 00:14:00.330 --> 00:14:04.070 This is agricultural engineering. The numbers 00:14:04.070 --> 00:14:09.110 tell an extraordinary story. In 1940, the average 00:14:09.110 --> 00:14:13.029 American dairy cow produced 4 ,600 pounds of 00:14:13.029 --> 00:14:16.950 milk annually. By 1962, genetic improvement has 00:14:16.950 --> 00:14:21.110 pushed that number to 7 ,200 pounds, a 56 % increase 00:14:21.110 --> 00:14:25.090 in just over 20 years. But this is only the beginning. 00:14:25.610 --> 00:14:28.289 Artificial insemination is transforming genetic 00:14:28.289 --> 00:14:30.690 distribution in ways that would have been impossible 00:14:30.690 --> 00:14:33.669 just decades earlier. A single superior bull 00:14:33.669 --> 00:14:36.129 can now father thousands of offspring across 00:14:36.129 --> 00:14:38.970 multiple states, spreading elite genetics at 00:14:38.970 --> 00:14:41.210 a pace that natural breeding could never achieve. 00:14:41.690 --> 00:14:44.789 You review industry statistics that reveal the 00:14:44.789 --> 00:14:48.269 scope of this transformation. In 1950, fewer 00:14:48.269 --> 00:14:51.029 than 1 % of American dairy cows were bred through 00:14:51.029 --> 00:14:54.809 artificial insemination. By 1962, that number 00:14:54.809 --> 00:14:58.889 has jumped to 35 % and climbing rapidly. The 00:14:58.889 --> 00:15:01.820 economic implications are staggering. Farmers 00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:03.960 who embrace genetic improvement are seeing production 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:06.740 increases that translate to thousands of dollars 00:15:06.740 --> 00:15:09.919 in additional annual revenue per cow. Those who 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.340 resist are falling behind at an accelerating 00:15:12.340 --> 00:15:16.240 rate. But the revolution extends beyond genetics. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:19.340 Mechanical milking systems, improved nutrition 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:22.580 science, veterinary advances, every aspect of 00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:24.899 dairy production is evolving simultaneously. 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:27.940 The farmers who can integrate these improvements 00:15:27.940 --> 00:15:30.850 most effectively are positioning themselves to 00:15:30.850 --> 00:15:32.950 dominate the next generation of agriculture. 00:15:33.450 --> 00:15:37.230 This context makes Joe Simon's expensive genetics 00:15:37.230 --> 00:15:40.350 look less like gambling and more like strategic 00:15:40.350 --> 00:15:43.950 positioning for an inevitable future. While his 00:15:43.950 --> 00:15:46.230 neighbors debate the wisdom of premium semen 00:15:46.230 --> 00:15:49.210 prices, the broader industry is moving toward 00:15:49.210 --> 00:15:52.169 a reality where genetic excellence becomes the 00:15:52.169 --> 00:15:55.610 minimum requirement for survival. You stand at 00:15:55.610 --> 00:15:58.200 the crossroads of agricultural history. watching 00:15:58.200 --> 00:16:00.740 an industry transform from tradition -based farming 00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:03.840 to science -driven production. The farmers who 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:07.019 recognize this shift early will prosper. Those 00:16:07.019 --> 00:16:09.419 who cling to the old ways will be left behind 00:16:09.419 --> 00:16:13.120 by economic forces beyond their control. You're 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:17.620 Joe Simon again, February 15th, 1964. Three years 00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:19.659 since your first expensive breeding decisions, 00:16:19.899 --> 00:16:23.179 and today brings the moment of truth. In the 00:16:23.179 --> 00:16:25.750 calving pen, Elevation's first daughter takes 00:16:25.750 --> 00:16:29.269 her first steps on unsteady legs. She's beautiful, 00:16:29.490 --> 00:16:32.929 longer, deeper, with an utter attachment that 00:16:32.929 --> 00:16:35.230 suggests the genetic potential you've invested 00:16:35.230 --> 00:16:38.509 so heavily to achieve. But beauty doesn't pay 00:16:38.509 --> 00:16:41.250 feed bills. You won't know if your gamble succeeded 00:16:41.250 --> 00:16:44.590 until she enters her first lactation in two years. 00:16:45.090 --> 00:16:48.850 Spring 1964 brings seven more heifer calves from 00:16:48.850 --> 00:16:51.419 your elite breeding program. Each one represents 00:16:51.419 --> 00:16:54.220 validation of your genetic philosophy, but also 00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:57.559 increasing financial pressure. Premium feed for 00:16:57.559 --> 00:17:01.720 premium genetics. Enhanced veterinary care. Infrastructure 00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:04.000 improvements to house cattle worthy of their 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:07.440 expensive parentage. Your neighbor Bill Hartman 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.059 stops by to admire the calves. They're nice -looking 00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:13.900 animals, Joe, he admits, running practiced hands 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:16.789 over the heifer's frames. But I could have bought 00:17:16.789 --> 00:17:19.289 20 head of good commercial cattle for what you've 00:17:19.289 --> 00:17:22.309 got invested in genetics alone. The mathematics 00:17:22.309 --> 00:17:25.430 he's referencing are brutal. Your genetic program 00:17:25.430 --> 00:17:28.430 has cost $3 ,400 in direct breeding expenses 00:17:28.430 --> 00:17:31.609 over three years, enough to purchase a 20 -cow 00:17:31.609 --> 00:17:34.670 herd. The indirect costs are equally sobering. 00:17:34.890 --> 00:17:38.230 Enhanced facilities, specialized feed, veterinary 00:17:38.230 --> 00:17:40.430 consultation that your neighbors consider unnecessary 00:17:40.430 --> 00:17:45.180 luxury. Summer 1964. tests your conviction in 00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:48.079 ways you never anticipated. A drought withers 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.680 your corn crop, forcing you to purchase expensive 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:53.819 feed just as your genetic investments are consuming 00:17:53.819 --> 00:17:57.740 every available dollar. Helen's worried conversations 00:17:57.740 --> 00:18:00.440 at the kitchen table grow longer and more frequent. 00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:04.500 Maybe we're trying to do too much too fast, she 00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:07.519 suggests over morning coffee. The Hartmans are 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.920 getting by just fine with regular cattle and 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:13.420 regular breeding. You defend your decisions with 00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:16.200 facts and figures, but privately, you're calculating 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.960 survival scenarios. If the drought continues, 00:18:19.299 --> 00:18:22.640 if corn prices climb higher, if milk prices drop, 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.680 any combination could force you to abandon the 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.420 genetic program that's becoming your life's work. 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:32.099 August brings relief in the form of rain, but 00:18:32.099 --> 00:18:34.180 also sobering news from the County Extension 00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:37.539 Office. Three dairy operations have ceased production 00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:40.480 in the past six months. Farms that were established 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.579 before you were born, now silent because their 00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:46.559 owners couldn't adapt to changing economic realities. 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:52.519 Fall 1964 presents an unexpected challenge. A 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:54.660 cattle dealer approaches with an offer for your 00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:57.140 young breeding stock. Elite genetics that are 00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:59.599 attracting attention from larger operations with 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.660 deeper pockets. The proposed sale would eliminate 00:19:02.660 --> 00:19:05.539 your debt and provide working capital for immediate 00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:09.380 farm improvements. Standing in the barn, studying 00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:12.400 cattle that represent four years of genetic accumulation, 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:15.779 you face a decision that could determine everything. 00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:19.579 Take the immediate financial relief or maintain 00:19:19.579 --> 00:19:22.240 your breeding program despite increasing economic 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:25.740 pressure. The dealer's offer is generous, $2 00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:29.279 ,400 for six heifers, enough to clear your genetic 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:31.859 investment debt and finance normal operations. 00:19:32.670 --> 00:19:35.230 But selling these animals means abandoning the 00:19:35.230 --> 00:19:37.470 genetic foundation you've sacrificed to build. 00:19:37.769 --> 00:19:40.970 You walk among the young stock, evaluating not 00:19:40.970 --> 00:19:43.349 just their immediate value, but their genetic 00:19:43.349 --> 00:19:46.529 potential. These animals carry genes that could 00:19:46.529 --> 00:19:49.009 transform your herd's production capacity for 00:19:49.009 --> 00:19:51.970 decades. Selling them for short -term relief 00:19:51.970 --> 00:19:54.849 would be trading your future for temporary comfort. 00:19:55.789 --> 00:19:59.150 December 1964 brings the hardest winter in eight 00:19:59.150 --> 00:20:02.380 years. Heating costs drain resources, while feed 00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:05.359 expenses climb weekly. Your genetic gamble has 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:07.420 positioned you at the intersection of maximum 00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:10.400 investment and minimum return, the most vulnerable 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:15.279 moment in any long -term strategy. As 1965 dawns, 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:18.420 you face a brutal reality. Your expensive genetics 00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:21.099 experiment is entering its most critical phase. 00:20:21.539 --> 00:20:24.579 In six months, Elevation's daughters will begin 00:20:24.579 --> 00:20:27.619 their first lactations. Everything you've invested 00:20:28.109 --> 00:20:30.289 Everything you've risked comes down to whether 00:20:30.289 --> 00:20:33.069 these cattle can produce enough milk to justify 00:20:33.069 --> 00:20:36.269 their expensive conception. You stand in your 00:20:36.269 --> 00:20:39.990 barn at dawn, February 1968, the coldest morning 00:20:39.990 --> 00:20:43.369 in three years. Your breath fogs in the frigid 00:20:43.369 --> 00:20:46.190 air as you begin morning chores, but your mind 00:20:46.190 --> 00:20:49.589 is on larger questions. Eight years into your 00:20:49.589 --> 00:20:51.869 genetics program, you've learned things about 00:20:51.869 --> 00:20:55.049 breeding, about farming, and about yourself that 00:20:55.049 --> 00:20:57.220 you couldn't have anticipated. when this journey 00:20:57.220 --> 00:21:00.259 began. The numbers are starting to prove your 00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:03.240 theory. Elevation's daughters are producing an 00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:06.680 average of 13 ,200 pounds of milk per lactation, 00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:11.220 85 % above your herd average from 1960. The genetic 00:21:11.220 --> 00:21:13.500 investment that neighbors called reckless is 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:16.519 generating $1 ,400 additional revenue per cow 00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:19.799 annually. But success brings its own pressures. 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:23.660 Your son Tom, now 15, helps with morning chores 00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:27.150 before school. You watch him handle cattle with 00:21:27.150 --> 00:21:29.710 instinctive understanding and wonder if you're 00:21:29.710 --> 00:21:32.250 building something he'll want to inherit or a 00:21:32.250 --> 00:21:34.829 burden that will trap him in decisions made before 00:21:34.829 --> 00:21:39.509 his birth. Dad, Tom asks, adjusting a feed bunk, 00:21:39.730 --> 00:21:42.390 why do we spend so much more on breeding than 00:21:42.390 --> 00:21:45.609 everyone else? The question cuts deeper than 00:21:45.609 --> 00:21:48.589 he realizes. You explain the genetic mathematics, 00:21:48.970 --> 00:21:51.490 the long -term vision, the commitment to excellence 00:21:51.490 --> 00:21:53.970 over economy, but you wonder if you're teaching 00:21:53.970 --> 00:21:57.059 him wisdom. or passing on an obsession that could 00:21:57.059 --> 00:22:01.319 consume his future as it's consumed yours. The 00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:03.920 community's attitude toward your experiment has 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.799 evolved from skepticism to grudging respect to 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:10.079 genuine curiosity. Neighbors who once questioned 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.859 your judgment are now asking about your breeding 00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:15.799 program. The Dairy Herd Improvement Association 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:19.259 meetings feature your production records as examples 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:23.259 of what's possible with superior genetics. But 00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:26.599 recognition brings new pressures. Other farmers 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:28.740 want to purchase offspring from your breeding 00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:31.720 program. Genetics companies are interested in 00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:35.299 your bulls for artificial insemination. Success 00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:38.440 is transforming your small breeding program into 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:41.299 something larger and more complex than you ever 00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:44.859 intended. Helen notices the changes in you. You 00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:46.599 worry about those cattle more than you worry 00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:49.279 about us, she observes during a rare quiet evening. 00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:52.720 She's not entirely wrong. The genetic program 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:55.519 has become consuming in ways that extend beyond 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:59.059 economics into personal identity. You've invested 00:22:59.059 --> 00:23:02.420 so much, financially, emotionally, spiritually, 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:05.119 in genetic improvement that failure would mean 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.099 more than business loss. It would invalidate 00:23:08.099 --> 00:23:10.920 the core belief that excellence justifies sacrifice, 00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:14.420 that long -term vision trumps short -term security. 00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:18.119 Winter evenings find you in the barn long after 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:20.890 chores are finished. studying cattle that carry 00:23:20.890 --> 00:23:23.309 your genetic selections forward into an uncertain 00:23:23.309 --> 00:23:26.890 future. Each animal represents decisions made 00:23:26.890 --> 00:23:29.410 years earlier when you couldn't predict market 00:23:29.410 --> 00:23:32.609 conditions, weather patterns, or family dynamics 00:23:32.609 --> 00:23:35.630 that would shape their productive lives. The 00:23:35.630 --> 00:23:37.809 weight of generational farming settles on your 00:23:37.809 --> 00:23:40.890 shoulders like winter cold that penetrates despite 00:23:40.890 --> 00:23:43.829 the warmest clothing. Your father built this 00:23:43.829 --> 00:23:46.839 farm with steady, conservative decisions that 00:23:46.839 --> 00:23:50.299 prioritized stability over growth. You're transforming 00:23:50.299 --> 00:23:53.440 it into something he wouldn't recognize, a genetics 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:56.440 laboratory where every breeding decision carries 00:23:56.440 --> 00:24:00.380 implications for decades. Tom will graduate high 00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:03.160 school in three years. He'll face choices about 00:24:03.160 --> 00:24:05.960 college, about farming, about whether to continue 00:24:05.960 --> 00:24:08.420 the genetic program that's defining his inheritance. 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:11.420 You wonder if you're giving him opportunity or 00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:14.289 obligation, freedom. or a burden he'll carry 00:24:14.289 --> 00:24:17.769 for his entire working life. Walking back to 00:24:17.769 --> 00:24:20.410 the house under February stars, you understand 00:24:20.410 --> 00:24:22.789 that genetic improvement is more than scientific 00:24:22.789 --> 00:24:26.910 breeding. It's a form of faith. Faith that excellence 00:24:26.910 --> 00:24:30.289 matters more than economy. Faith that long -term 00:24:30.289 --> 00:24:33.369 vision justifies short -term sacrifice. Faith 00:24:33.369 --> 00:24:35.750 that the future will reward decisions the present 00:24:35.750 --> 00:24:39.210 can't fully appreciate. You're Joe Simon. March 00:24:39.210 --> 00:24:42.490 1974. and the agricultural world is shifting 00:24:42.490 --> 00:24:45.690 beneath your feet. The oil embargo has triggered 00:24:45.690 --> 00:24:48.130 an economic crisis that's rippling through rural 00:24:48.130 --> 00:24:52.009 America like a ground fire. Diesel fuel has doubled 00:24:52.009 --> 00:24:55.329 in price. Fertilizer costs have tripled. The 00:24:55.329 --> 00:24:57.809 comfortable assumptions that guided your breeding 00:24:57.809 --> 00:25:01.410 program for 13 years are crumbling. Your breeding 00:25:01.410 --> 00:25:03.789 program has produced exactly what you envisioned, 00:25:03.990 --> 00:25:07.029 cattle that consistently outproduce their contemporaries 00:25:07.029 --> 00:25:10.819 by 40%. But high -producing cattle require high 00:25:10.819 --> 00:25:14.319 input management, premium feed, enhanced veterinary 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:17.640 care, sophisticated facilities. All the expenses 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:20.380 that make genetic excellence profitable are now 00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:24.180 inflation casualties. The bank meeting that changes 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:27.000 everything takes place on a gray March afternoon 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:29.920 in Cedar Rapids. You sit across from a loan officer 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:32.599 who's known your family for 20 years, but now 00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:34.940 studies your financial statements with new scrutiny. 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:38.880 Joe, I'll be straight with you. he says, shuffling 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:41.319 papers that represent your life's work reduced 00:25:41.319 --> 00:25:44.579 to numbers. Your breeding program is impressive, 00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:48.000 but it's also expensive. We're seeing a lot of 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.660 operations scale back on specialty inputs right 00:25:50.660 --> 00:25:54.980 now. The numbers he presents are sobering. Your 00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:58.920 genetic investments total $47 ,000 over 13 years, 00:25:59.079 --> 00:26:01.420 more than many farmers earn in five years of 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:04.839 operations. The return on investment is documented, 00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:08.210 measurable. but requires continued capital investment 00:26:08.210 --> 00:26:10.910 that the current economic climate makes problematic. 00:26:11.390 --> 00:26:14.150 What are you suggesting, you ask, though you 00:26:14.150 --> 00:26:17.230 already know the answer. Simplify, he responds. 00:26:18.190 --> 00:26:22.170 Scale back the genetics program. Use more conventional 00:26:22.170 --> 00:26:24.750 breeding until economic conditions stabilize. 00:26:25.269 --> 00:26:28.710 Your production records prove you can farm profitably 00:26:28.710 --> 00:26:32.289 without the expensive inputs. Driving home through 00:26:32.289 --> 00:26:35.200 the Iowa countryside, you pass farms that are 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:37.400 implementing exactly what your banker suggested 00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:41.380 operations that are scaling back playing it safe 00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:45.079 waiting for better economic conditions the conservative 00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:47.019 approach that your father would have understood 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:50.140 that evening you spread your records across the 00:26:50.140 --> 00:26:53.079 kitchen table production data genetic evaluations 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:56.380 financial projections breeding plans that extend 00:26:56.380 --> 00:27:00.059 five years into an uncertain future helen studies 00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:02.750 the numbers with you but her silence communicates 00:27:02.750 --> 00:27:06.569 volumes. We could sell the young bulls, she suggests 00:27:06.569 --> 00:27:09.950 quietly. The genetics companies are still interested. 00:27:10.470 --> 00:27:13.589 Use that income to reduce debt and weather this 00:27:13.589 --> 00:27:17.009 crisis. The bulls she's referencing represent 00:27:17.009 --> 00:27:19.809 the culmination of your genetic program, young 00:27:19.809 --> 00:27:22.410 sires whose daughters could transform breeding 00:27:22.410 --> 00:27:25.509 programs across the Midwest. Selling them would 00:27:25.509 --> 00:27:28.240 provide immediate financial relief. but abandon 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:31.619 the genetic progress you've spent 13 years accumulating. 00:27:32.259 --> 00:27:35.859 Tom, now 21 and actively involved in farm operations, 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:38.319 offers his perspective during evening chores. 00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:41.660 Dad, maybe we should hedge our bets, he suggests. 00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:44.700 Keep the core genetic program, but scale back 00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:47.980 the intensity until economics improve. Standing 00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:50.180 in the barn among cattle that represent more 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:53.380 than genetics, they represent 13 years of conviction, 00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:57.200 sacrifice, and strategic vision. you face the 00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:59.259 most critical decision of your farming career. 00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:03.339 The safe choice is obvious. Scale back, reduce 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:06.059 expenses, wait for better economic conditions. 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:08.900 Your neighbors are making exactly these decisions. 00:28:09.160 --> 00:28:11.799 Your banker recommends it. Your wife supports 00:28:11.799 --> 00:28:14.940 it. The mathematics favor it. But you remember 00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:18.220 why you started this genetic program. Not for 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:21.079 short -term profits or social approval, but because 00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:24.119 excellence requires sacrifice that most people 00:28:24.119 --> 00:28:28.039 won't make. The economic crisis is testing whether 00:28:28.039 --> 00:28:30.500 your commitment to genetic improvement extends 00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:33.640 beyond comfortable circumstances. April 1974 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:36.819 brings a decision point that will define everything 00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:40.759 that follows. A genetics company offers $28 ,000 00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:44.059 for your three best young bulls, enough to eliminate 00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:47.480 debt and restore financial stability. The offer 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:50.660 expires in 10 days. You have seven days to choose 00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:53.180 between financial security and genetic continuity. 00:28:54.059 --> 00:28:56.900 Between the safe path that ensures survival and 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:58.920 the risky path that could secure generational 00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:02.440 success or generational failure. You're standing 00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:07.240 in your barn at 5 a .m., April 12th, 1974. Today 00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:09.660 is decision day. The genetics company's offer 00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:12.480 expires at noon, and you've spent seven sleepless 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:15.240 nights weighing options that extend far beyond 00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:18.400 immediate economics. The three young bulls in 00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:21.099 question stand quietly in their pens, unaware 00:29:21.099 --> 00:29:23.259 they represent a crossroads between security 00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:26.980 and ambition. Far near mark elevation, far near 00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:30.000 master plan, far near genetic pride, names you 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:32.240 gave them as calves, believing they would carry 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:36.039 your genetic program into the future. You've 00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:39.119 run the numbers dozens of times. Selling the 00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:41.539 bulls provides immediate debt relief and working 00:29:41.539 --> 00:29:44.599 capital for normal operations. Your breeding 00:29:44.599 --> 00:29:47.180 program could continue with less expensive genetics, 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:49.940 producing adequate results without the financial 00:29:49.940 --> 00:29:53.279 pressure that's kept you awake for months. But 00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:55.539 as you feed cattle whose genetic potential exceeds 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:58.079 anything your neighbors own, you confront the 00:29:58.079 --> 00:30:00.640 fundamental question that's driven every decision 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:04.259 for 13 years. Is excellence worth the price it 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:07.799 demands? Tom joins you for morning chores, and 00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:09.920 together you work through the familiar routine. 00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:13.000 He's been accepted to Iowa State's agricultural 00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:16.200 program, but has indicated he might defer enrollment 00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:18.960 to help with farm operations during the economic 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:22.859 crisis. What are you thinking, Dad? he asks as 00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:25.779 you adjust feed bunks. You explain the decision 00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:28.880 parameters, the financial implications, the long 00:30:28.880 --> 00:30:31.500 -term consequences of choosing security over 00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:34.640 genetic progress. Tom listens with the attention 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:37.339 of someone who will inherit whatever you decide. 00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:41.299 What would Grandpa have done? he asks. Your father 00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:43.160 would have sold the bulls without hesitation. 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:46.799 He believed in steady progress, manageable risks, 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:50.160 decisions that prioritized family security over 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:53.200 business growth. His approach built the foundation 00:30:53.200 --> 00:30:55.839 you've been expanding, but it wouldn't have created 00:30:55.839 --> 00:30:58.460 the genetic program that now defines your operation. 00:30:59.039 --> 00:31:01.500 Grandpa made decisions that got us this far, 00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:04.680 you tell Tom, but this decision determines where 00:31:04.680 --> 00:31:08.680 we go from here. As morning progresses, you complete 00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:10.700 the familiar tasks that have structured your 00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:14.519 life for 14 years. Milking cattle whose production 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:18.940 exceeds industry averages by 45%. Feeding genetics 00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:21.720 that consistently outperform their contemporaries. 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:24.500 Managing a breeding program that neighboring 00:31:24.500 --> 00:31:28.119 farmers study and genetics companies court. The 00:31:28.119 --> 00:31:30.779 phone call that changes everything comes at 9 00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:33.500 .30 a .m. the genetics company representative 00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:36.640 confirming details for the sale transaction that 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.759 everyone expects you to complete. We'll need 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:42.339 to collect the bulls by 3 p .m., he explains. 00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:46.279 Transport truck will be there at 2 .30. You'll 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:50.359 have your check before 4. You hang up and walk 00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:52.660 back to the barn where the bulls that represent 00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:55.839 13 years of genetic accumulation wait in pens 00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:59.019 that could be empty by evening. Standing among 00:31:59.019 --> 00:32:01.440 cattle that carry genes selected for excellence 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:04.440 rather than economy, you understand that this 00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:07.099 choice will define not just your genetic program, 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:11.160 but your identity as a farmer. Will you be remembered 00:32:11.160 --> 00:32:13.019 as someone who built something extraordinary 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:15.960 or someone who played it safe when extraordinary 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:21.420 became expensive? At 11 .45 a .m., you call the 00:32:21.420 --> 00:32:24.740 genetics company back. I appreciate the offer, 00:32:24.900 --> 00:32:27.660 you tell the representative. but the bulls aren't 00:32:27.660 --> 00:32:30.500 for sale. The decision resonates through the 00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:33.519 barn like thunder. You've chosen genetic continuity 00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:36.640 over financial security, long -term vision over 00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:39.240 short -term comfort. The economic crisis will 00:32:39.240 --> 00:32:41.119 have to be weathered through other strategies. 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:44.380 Tom, who overheard the phone call, joins you 00:32:44.380 --> 00:32:47.759 in the bullpen. So we're keeping them? We're 00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:50.619 keeping them, you confirm. This breeding program 00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:53.160 isn't just about cattle. It's about believing 00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:55.720 that excellence matters more than convenience. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:59.400 That afternoon, you implement alternative strategies 00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:02.680 for managing the economic crisis. Deferred maintenance, 00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:05.819 reduced equipment purchases, careful expense 00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:07.940 management that preserves the genetic program 00:33:07.940 --> 00:33:12.079 while maintaining operational stability. The 00:33:12.079 --> 00:33:14.539 decision to keep the bulls reverberates beyond 00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:18.299 economics. It signals to your family, your community, 00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:21.359 and yourself that some things are worth preserving 00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:25.140 regardless of cost. That genetic progress justifies 00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:28.440 present sacrifice. You're Joe Simon, October 00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:31.759 1978, four and a half years after the decision 00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:35.140 that nearly broke your financial resolve. Today 00:33:35.140 --> 00:33:37.279 brings vindication in the form of production 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:40.160 records that exceed every projection you made 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:44.259 during those dark nights in 1974. The three bulls 00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:47.059 you refused to sell have produced daughters that 00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:50.000 are revolutionizing your herd. Far Near Mark 00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:53.599 Elevation's daughters average 16 ,400 pounds 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:58.099 of milk per lactation, 95 % above county averages. 00:33:58.680 --> 00:34:01.920 Master Plan's offspring combine production with 00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:05.279 longevity that promises six lactations instead 00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:08.659 of three. More importantly, other farmers are 00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:11.280 noticing. The Dairy Herd Improvement Association 00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:14.300 meetings now feature your operation as a case 00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:17.500 study in genetic progress. Neighbors who once 00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:19.380 questioned your expensive breeding decisions 00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:23.059 are requesting semen from your young bulls. Tom, 00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:25.699 now graduated from Iowa State with a degree in 00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:28.119 animal science, brings modern genetic evaluation 00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:30.599 techniques to the breeding program you built 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:33.739 through intuition and conviction. Together, you're 00:34:33.739 --> 00:34:36.400 analyzing data that validates every expensive 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:40.679 decision made over 18 years. Dad, look at these 00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:43.800 projected transmitting abilities, Tom says, spreading 00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:45.780 computer printouts across the kitchen table. 00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:49.380 Our bulls are ranking in the top 5 % nationally 00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:52.460 for production, longevity, and functional type. 00:34:52.679 --> 00:34:55.860 The numbers he's showing represent genetic progress 00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:59.559 that will compound over generations. Bulls whose 00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:01.659 semen is being requested by breeding programs 00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:04.679 across the Midwest, genetics that began with 00:35:04.679 --> 00:35:08.420 your expensive gambles in 1961. The economic 00:35:08.420 --> 00:35:12.380 validation is equally impressive. Your high -producing 00:35:12.380 --> 00:35:15.239 genetics have generated additional revenue that 00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:17.559 more than justifies every expensive breeding 00:35:17.559 --> 00:35:21.340 decision. The $47 ,000 invested in genetic improvement 00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:24.260 over 18 years has produced additional income 00:35:24.260 --> 00:35:28.820 exceeding $180 ,000. But the personal validation 00:35:28.820 --> 00:35:32.239 matters more than economics. Walking through 00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:34.860 your barn, you see cattle that embody principles 00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:37.480 you've maintained against skepticism, economic 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:41.659 pressure, and safer alternatives. Every animal 00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:44.340 represents choices made for long -term excellence 00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:47.400 rather than short -term convenience. Helen notices 00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:49.820 the change in your demeanor. You're different 00:35:49.820 --> 00:35:52.860 now, she observes during a quiet evening, more 00:35:52.860 --> 00:35:55.179 settled, like you've proven something important 00:35:55.179 --> 00:35:58.340 to yourself. She's right. The genetic program 00:35:58.340 --> 00:36:01.300 has evolved from expensive experiment to proven 00:36:01.300 --> 00:36:04.599 strategy, from risky gamble to foundation for 00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:07.760 generational success. Community recognition arrives 00:36:07.760 --> 00:36:11.469 in unexpected forms. The County Extension Office 00:36:11.469 --> 00:36:14.030 requests your operation for educational tours. 00:36:14.289 --> 00:36:16.769 Agricultural students visit to study genetic 00:36:16.769 --> 00:36:19.630 improvement programs. Your breeding philosophy 00:36:19.630 --> 00:36:23.750 becomes curriculum at Iowa State. Tom's involvement 00:36:23.750 --> 00:36:26.309 brings new perspectives that complement your 00:36:26.309 --> 00:36:29.369 experience -based wisdom. He introduces genetic 00:36:29.369 --> 00:36:32.110 evaluation software, reproductive technologies, 00:36:32.469 --> 00:36:34.730 breeding strategies that accelerate progress 00:36:34.730 --> 00:36:37.369 while maintaining the excellent standards you 00:36:37.369 --> 00:36:41.710 established. October 1978 concludes with an achievement 00:36:41.710 --> 00:36:44.969 that validates every sacrifice, your first home 00:36:44.969 --> 00:36:47.929 -bred bull accepted by a major artificial insemination 00:36:47.929 --> 00:36:51.570 company. Farnair Mark Genetic Pride will distribute 00:36:51.570 --> 00:36:54.210 your genetics to dairy operations across North 00:36:54.210 --> 00:36:57.889 America. Standing in your barn as autumn settles 00:36:57.889 --> 00:37:00.610 over Iowa, you understand that genetic improvement 00:37:00.610 --> 00:37:03.190 isn't just about cattle. It's about believing 00:37:03.190 --> 00:37:05.909 in principles that extend beyond immediate circumstances. 00:37:07.239 --> 00:37:10.079 Excellence requires sacrifice that most people 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:13.360 won't make, but rewards that sacrifice over time 00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:16.320 scales that most people can't envision. You're 00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:20.219 Tom Simon now, October 4th, 2024, watching the 00:37:20.219 --> 00:37:23.219 announcement that caps 63 years of genetic commitment. 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:26.199 Two premier sires from one breeding program, 00:37:26.639 --> 00:37:30.000 Farnier Delta Lambda ET and Farnier Altitude 00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:33.300 Red ET, represent genetic progress that began 00:37:33.300 --> 00:37:35.739 with your father's expensive gambles in 1961. 00:37:36.940 --> 00:37:40.079 The journey from Joe's first $15 semen purchases 00:37:40.079 --> 00:37:42.920 to today's premier sire recognition encompasses 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:46.619 technological revolutions, economic crises, and 00:37:46.619 --> 00:37:49.519 generational changes that have transformed agriculture 00:37:49.519 --> 00:37:53.119 beyond recognition. But the core principle remains 00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:56.659 unchanged. Excellence justifies whatever it costs. 00:37:57.099 --> 00:37:59.699 Delta Lambda's success exemplifies everything 00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:02.900 your father envisioned. Commercial dairies embraced 00:38:02.900 --> 00:38:05.920 his genetics first. proving functional excellence 00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:09.579 before show ring recognition followed. Lambda's 00:38:09.579 --> 00:38:12.059 daughters produce exceptional volumes while maintaining 00:38:12.059 --> 00:38:15.559 structural soundness that ensures six lactation 00:38:15.559 --> 00:38:19.239 productive lives. The numbers that define modern 00:38:19.239 --> 00:38:21.699 success would have seemed impossible to your 00:38:21.699 --> 00:38:25.119 father. Genomic evaluations that predict genetic 00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:28.780 potential from DNA analysis, reproduction technologies 00:38:28.780 --> 00:38:32.019 that multiply elite genetics across global markets, 00:38:32.650 --> 00:38:34.849 breeding programs managed through artificial 00:38:34.849 --> 00:38:38.289 intelligence and precision agriculture. But standing 00:38:38.289 --> 00:38:40.889 in the barn your father built, surrounded by 00:38:40.889 --> 00:38:44.170 cattle whose genetics trace to his original decisions, 00:38:44.429 --> 00:38:47.309 you understand that technology has simply accelerated 00:38:47.309 --> 00:38:50.849 principles he established decades earlier. Invest 00:38:50.849 --> 00:38:53.590 in the best genetics available. Maintain long 00:38:53.590 --> 00:38:56.789 -term vision despite short -term pressures. Choose 00:38:56.789 --> 00:39:01.400 excellence over economy. Your son Mark and nephew 00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:04.000 Adam represent the fourth generation of genetic 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:06.760 stewardship, bringing perspectives that complement 00:39:06.760 --> 00:39:10.059 tradition with innovation. They manage genomic 00:39:10.059 --> 00:39:12.300 data that reveals genetic relationships your 00:39:12.300 --> 00:39:14.800 father could only guess at, but they apply it 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:16.619 through breeding philosophies he established. 00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:19.599 The breeding program has evolved into something 00:39:19.599 --> 00:39:23.300 larger than individual success. Far near genetics 00:39:23.300 --> 00:39:26.000 influence breeding decisions across six continents. 00:39:27.300 --> 00:39:30.260 Bulls developed in your Iowa barn, are improving 00:39:30.260 --> 00:39:33.059 production efficiency in New Zealand, heat tolerance 00:39:33.059 --> 00:39:35.840 in Australia, component production in Europe. 00:39:36.400 --> 00:39:38.840 Recognition extends beyond cattle achievements. 00:39:39.400 --> 00:39:42.159 Agricultural universities study your breeding 00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:45.159 program as a model for long -term genetic improvement. 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:48.420 The strategies your father pioneered are now 00:39:48.420 --> 00:39:50.980 standard practice in progressive breeding programs 00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:54.500 worldwide. But the personal legacy matters most. 00:39:55.159 --> 00:39:57.360 Walking through facilities that house cattle 00:39:57.360 --> 00:40:00.300 worth more than entire farms, you remember Joe's 00:40:00.300 --> 00:40:03.099 fundamental wisdom. It costs the same to feed 00:40:03.099 --> 00:40:06.599 a bad cow as a good cow. Everything else follows 00:40:06.599 --> 00:40:09.320 from that insight. The genetic program that nearly 00:40:09.320 --> 00:40:13.019 broke your family's finances in 1974 now generates 00:40:13.019 --> 00:40:15.340 revenue that sustains not just your operation, 00:40:15.460 --> 00:40:19.119 but influences global breeding strategies. Excellence, 00:40:19.380 --> 00:40:21.900 maintained through decades of sacrifice, has 00:40:21.900 --> 00:40:24.320 created generational impact that extends far 00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:28.340 beyond original intentions. October 4th, 2024 00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:31.039 represents more than premier sire recognition. 00:40:31.739 --> 00:40:35.659 It validates 63 years of choosing difficult paths 00:40:35.659 --> 00:40:39.480 because they led toward genetic progress. Of 00:40:39.480 --> 00:40:41.920 maintaining conviction when neighbors counseled 00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:45.119 compromise. Of believing that excellence, regardless 00:40:45.119 --> 00:40:47.920 of cost, creates value that compounds across 00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:51.320 generations. You stand in the same barn where 00:40:51.320 --> 00:40:53.940 Joe Simon made his first expensive breeding decisions 00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:57.820 in 1961, but everything has changed except the 00:40:57.820 --> 00:41:00.519 fundamental principle that drives genetic improvement. 00:41:01.099 --> 00:41:04.280 Excellence costs more than mediocrity, but excellence 00:41:04.280 --> 00:41:06.780 is the only investment that pays generational 00:41:06.780 --> 00:41:11.139 dividends. The dairy industry of 2024 faces challenges 00:41:11.139 --> 00:41:14.420 Joe couldn't have imagined. Climate change, sustainability 00:41:14.420 --> 00:41:17.559 pressures, global market volatility, regulatory 00:41:17.559 --> 00:41:20.610 complexity, consumer demands that extend beyond 00:41:20.610 --> 00:41:23.250 milk production to environmental stewardship 00:41:23.250 --> 00:41:26.949 and animal welfare. But the Farniar formula remains 00:41:26.949 --> 00:41:29.730 relevant because it addresses the timeless challenge 00:41:29.730 --> 00:41:33.329 every farmer faces, choosing between short -term 00:41:33.329 --> 00:41:36.769 security and long -term excellence, between decisions 00:41:36.769 --> 00:41:39.610 that ensure survival and decisions that create 00:41:39.610 --> 00:41:43.250 legacy. Modern dairy producers studying the Farniar 00:41:43.250 --> 00:41:46.030 story understand that genetic improvement is 00:41:46.030 --> 00:41:48.630 ultimately about faith. Faith that excellence 00:41:48.630 --> 00:41:51.590 matters. Faith that long -term vision justifies 00:41:51.590 --> 00:41:54.530 short -term sacrifice. Faith that future generations 00:41:54.530 --> 00:41:57.550 will benefit from decisions poor, present circumstances 00:41:57.550 --> 00:42:01.329 make difficult. The mathematical principles Joe 00:42:01.329 --> 00:42:03.670 discovered remain unchanged by technological 00:42:03.670 --> 00:42:07.309 advancement. Premium genetics still cost more 00:42:07.309 --> 00:42:10.090 than average genetics. Genetic progress still 00:42:10.090 --> 00:42:12.809 requires patience that extends beyond quarterly 00:42:12.809 --> 00:42:15.809 profit statements. excellence still demands sacrifice 00:42:15.809 --> 00:42:18.849 that most people won't make. Today's breeding 00:42:18.849 --> 00:42:21.570 technologies, genomic selection, reproductive 00:42:21.570 --> 00:42:24.329 engineering, artificial intelligence, simply 00:42:24.329 --> 00:42:26.610 accelerate genetic progress while maintaining 00:42:26.610 --> 00:42:29.449 principles established in Iowa barns 60 years 00:42:29.449 --> 00:42:33.030 ago. The tools evolve, but the wisdom remains 00:42:33.030 --> 00:42:36.170 constant. Standing among cattle whose genetic 00:42:36.170 --> 00:42:38.789 potential exceeds anything Joe could have envisioned, 00:42:39.070 --> 00:42:41.889 you understand that breeding improvement isn't 00:42:41.889 --> 00:42:44.880 just about cattle. It's about believing in principles 00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:48.360 that transcend immediate circumstances. That 00:42:48.360 --> 00:42:50.940 excellence, pursued with conviction and maintained 00:42:50.940 --> 00:42:53.760 through difficulty, creates value that compounds 00:42:53.760 --> 00:42:56.639 across time scales that individual lifetimes 00:42:56.639 --> 00:43:00.179 can't fully measure. The Farnier formula continues 00:43:00.179 --> 00:43:03.340 because each generation faces the same fundamental 00:43:03.340 --> 00:43:06.599 choice. Invest in excellence despite immediate 00:43:06.599 --> 00:43:09.980 costs, or accept mediocrity because it's financially 00:43:09.980 --> 00:43:13.090 comfortable. The farmers who choose excellence, 00:43:13.289 --> 00:43:15.750 who maintain that choice through economic pressure 00:43:15.750 --> 00:43:19.670 and social skepticism, build legacies that influence 00:43:19.670 --> 00:43:23.489 industries. The premier sire recognition that 00:43:23.489 --> 00:43:25.949 concluded Joe's story becomes the beginning of 00:43:25.949 --> 00:43:28.230 challenges his great -grandchildren will face. 00:43:28.670 --> 00:43:31.889 Different technologies, different markets, different 00:43:31.889 --> 00:43:34.769 pressures, but identical opportunities to choose 00:43:34.769 --> 00:43:38.030 excellence over economy, long -term vision over 00:43:38.030 --> 00:43:41.800 short -term comfort. The Farnier formula endures 00:43:41.800 --> 00:43:44.099 because it addresses the eternal agricultural 00:43:44.099 --> 00:43:47.480 question. What are you willing to sacrifice today 00:43:47.480 --> 00:43:49.760 to build something extraordinary for tomorrow? 00:43:50.139 --> 00:43:53.219 In barns across Iowa and around the world, that 00:43:53.219 --> 00:43:56.139 question awaits each farmer's answer. And that's 00:43:56.139 --> 00:43:59.460 the story of the Farnier formula. It's a reminder 00:43:59.460 --> 00:44:01.780 that a commitment to excellence, no matter the 00:44:01.780 --> 00:44:04.579 cost, is the most valuable investment a producer 00:44:04.579 --> 00:44:08.119 can make. The Simons story isn't just about one 00:44:08.119 --> 00:44:11.059 family's success. It's a blueprint for anyone 00:44:11.059 --> 00:44:14.239 in agriculture. It's a testament to the power 00:44:14.239 --> 00:44:17.199 of a long -term vision in an industry often defined 00:44:17.199 --> 00:44:20.619 by short -term volatility. Thank you for joining 00:44:20.619 --> 00:44:23.219 us on this journey. For more stories about the 00:44:23.219 --> 00:44:25.599 people, the genetics, and the innovations shaping 00:44:25.599 --> 00:44:29.260 our industry, visit thebullvine .com. Until next 00:44:29.260 --> 00:44:31.980 time, keep breeding for the future. And remember, 00:44:32.159 --> 00:44:34.860 it costs the same to feed a bad cow as a good 00:44:34.860 --> 00:44:35.079 cow.