Cummins retires with optimistic outlook
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 02/18/2010 11:25 AM
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CHARLES CITY, Iowa —George Cummins is a strong advocate of what he calls value-retained agriculture, and he's always been a proponent of leadership development.
"During the 1980s farm crisis, we turned to both leadership and community development," said Cummins, who retired last month from Iowa State University Extension. "People from this area who started on Extension Councils and commodity groups went on to state and national leadership positions."
The principles Cummins focused on in leadership training in the 1980s were the same principles he espoused in the 1990s. He conducted workshops on value-retained agriculture, and he said those same principles apply today.
Cummins believes that if people are empowered, they will find solutions. Successful rural development has to benefit farmers and rural communities.
"Most of the ideas came from someone else," he said. "A lot of it is connecting people."
Cummins' "Harvesting Our Full Potential," value-retained workshop series ran for three years and taught farmers ways to keep the value they added to their commodities. To succeed, projects had to be profitable, environmentally sound and socially acceptable.
The course, which required small groups to identify projects to improve the area, resulted in plans for ethanol plants, feeder pig cooperatives, hay auctions, and farmers markets, which came to fruition. Other projects were deemed too risky.
"It's better to know before you start with bricks and mortar that the chance of success is slim," Cummins said.
He compares the 40-page co-op crop protection guide he used when he starting teaching to the one he works out of today, which is 600 pages, to demonstrate how things have changed. Herbicide resistant weeds, soybean aphids, extended diapause in northern corn rootworm and many options in genetically modified seed are among the agronomic changes Cummins has witnessed as an Extension field agronomist.
The 1987 Groundwater Protection Act required pesticide applicator training for restricted use pesticides. Other regulations require certification to apply manure. The livestock industry is far more integrated, and there are far fewer players in all of agriculture.
Cummins owns a 40-acre farm near Charles City and manages his father's farm near New Providence.
"First and foremost I consider myself to be a husband, father, grandfather, teacher and farmer," he said.
Cummins is most grateful to his wife, Vonda, for her support.
"When I was the county director there were times when I spent more time with other people's kids than my own, and the fact that our four kids turned out decent is because they had a good mother and a supportive community," Cummins said with a grin.
He said his staff has always been competent, efficient and loyal.
"They make me look good," he said.
He's appreciative of all the volunteers who have helped him.
"I always say my career was built on the backs of volunteers," Cummins said. "Some of them are reminding me that it's pay back time."
He revels in the success of his former students and Extension clients.
"I think I'm a better Extension educator because of my teaching and I think that I'm a better teacher because of my Extension experience," Cummins said.
He has agreed to be part of a committee that oversees the welfare of animals used in production and testing at the Pfizer facility in Charles City, and has had offers to do value-retained project development evaluation, ag writing and teaching.
He'll spend more time with family, visit friends, canoe, bike, do woodworking, read and get more involved at church, in the community and hopefully with international efforts.
"There is life after Extension," Cummins said. "I'm looking forward to turning the page and starting life's next chapter."