Get to Know the Growers: Bryan Biegler
The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA), the state’s grassroots organization for corn farmers, is led by 18 board members with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. In our new “Get to Know the Growers” interview series, we’ll learn about their farms, work with Minnesota Corn, and thoughts on agriculture. Interviews for the project are by Jonathan Eisenthal.
Bryan Biegler, MCGA board member
Lake Wilson, Minnesota
Tell us about your farm: Where is it, what do you grow, how long have you farmed, who do you farm with, how long has your family farmed this land?
I farm in Lake Wilson, Minnesota, down in the southwest corner of the state. My wife and I run the operation, and we have three young kids. We raise corn, soybeans, and cereal rye. The farm has been in my mom’s side of the family since 1886. We are the fourth generation on the farm right now.
What do you like about farming? What do you find to be the most challenging aspects of it?
What I love about farming: being my own boss. The challenges are fun, too. Seeing ways to improve the operation and seeing how we can increase our yields. Having the family with me there through the days, taking part in things they want to do, and helping us out.
The biggest challenge is just keeping up with all the changes. Technology and the different diseases and bugs in the crops. It all seems to change so fast, and it’s a real challenge to keep up with it all.
Why is it important to you to participate in the Minnesota Corn Growers Association?
Having a voice is important, it’s the number one thing. There is so much happening now, politically, and around the world, and so the ability to influence those things, to make farming a little easier to do—that’s where MCGA fits in to agriculture.
[More: Learn more about how MCGA advocates on behalf of family corn farmers]
Do you have particular issues or goals that you would like to pursue as a grower-leader?
The biggest thing is information; to make sure that the general public and elected officials know what we are actually doing rather than accepting faulty information from naysayers who try to paint us as villains. We are doing the best that we can, and we are doing what we feel is right. We operate according to values that most people share—to provide safe and plentiful food at a reasonable cost, while doing our best to preserve the environment.
Who has inspired you by their example? What did you find inspiring about them?
I was on the county corn and soybean growers board, which was a key experience. But when I joined MCGA, Kirby Hettver became a role model. I enjoyed learning from him, watching how he operated, the things he did, and the time he put into it. I have admired everyone that has been on MCGA board—what they have done and what they stood for. But Kirby was the one who was there when I first came on the board, and I spent some extra time with him, talking to him and getting a feel for how things work at Minnesota Corn.
How do you like to spend your free time? Do you have hobbies? Play a sport? Like to travel?
We usually try to take a vacation with the family in the winter and in the summer to see something new and different. The kids are growing up quick. Our oldest turned 15 in September, and the others are following quickly behind. After they get done with school, you never know what they’ll want to do with us, so we take advantage now. We have visited Chicago and we’ll be going to Washington, D.C., next year. I’ve been to D.C. a few times as a board member for MCGA to visit with area legislators. Those are important relationships to keep up and MCGA board members take those visits seriously. It will be nice to have the family together for a visit without official business.
Last year I started helping coach my son’s fifth grade football and basketball teams. I’m doing that again this year. I know a lot of my son’s friends, so it’s great working with them. It’s been even more enjoyable than I guessed it would be.
What do you think is something about farming that might be surprising to the average consumer?
A lot about farming would surprise the average consumer. We just had a family reunion out at the farm this summer and had a lot of our relatives here, including members of my mom’s family who haven’t been here for 20 years or more. They were amazed at the equipment that we have to use, the technology in it, and the size of everything. They had fun driving stuff around. I had the sprayer sitting out with the booms unfolded, and they got to see 120 feet of boom hanging out there. We got into the tractor, and they drove around the yard. They were amazed at how everything worked.
