DeWitt will stay busy even in retirement
By Nancy Vander Schaaf
nanrvs@gmail.com
Date Modified: 02/11/2010 8:00 AM
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SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa — Dennis DeWitt's 33 years of service to Iowa State University Extension and the cattle industry came to a close Jan. 31.
Feb. 22, 1977 marks the beginning of DeWitt's career with ISU Extension as a livestock field specialist.
"This is what I wanted to do since high school," says DeWitt, who grew up on an 800-acre farm south of Marshalltown.
He graduated from ISU with an animal science degree in 1971 and a master's degree in meat and animal science in 1973. From 1973 to 1976, DeWitt was a livestock specialist with Wilson Foods, Albert Lea, Minn. DeWitt started his Extension work in Clay County and then in Buena Vista County in 1985.
He has worked from the Dickinson County Extension office since 1997.
"My job was to provide research-based educational information to livestock producers to assist them in becoming more profitable and sustainable," DeWitt said. "I enjoyed answering livestock farmers' questions."
That's what he'll miss most, "working with farmers to assist them in improving their lives through a sustainable livestock farm."
Among the programs he's proudest of are Iowa Lakes Controlled Grazing, Cow Herd Improvement Program Services; Cull Cow Marketing program; Beef Heifer Development Program; Certified Beef Female Sale; Environmental Management System; Value Added Beef Marketing Program; Sheep For Profit Field days; and the National Sheep Improvement Program's national educational meeting held each year in Spencer.
In an e-mail, DeWitt sent publicizing the Jan. 9 Northwest Iowa Sheep Producers Association annual meeting, he noted that the second Extension meeting he held 33 years ago was a sheep meeting. The 2010 meeting was his last.
DeWitt offers this advice to anyone thinking about getting involved with local Extension programs: "If you like working with people to improve their lives, then get involved."
DeWitt is one of three beef field specialists who retired from ISU Extension Jan. 31.
Darrell Busby, served southwest Iowa for 35 years, and Dale Thoreson served northeast Iowa for 37 years. ISU beef specialist, Daryl Strohbehn also retired after 35 years of service.
"I have seen three major restructuring programs in my 33-year career," says DeWitt. The current Extension Restructuring Plan is consolidating Extension's field administration, he said.
The DeWitt family lives in Spencer.
"My spouse, Sara, taught 28 years in the Spencer Christian Pre-school," says DeWitt. They have two married children.
Son Lucas and his family live in Spencer, and he is the elementary principal. Their daughter Joellen Hamann is married, has three children, and is a high school English teacher in Auburn, Neb.
"Our family is really education orientated," said DeWitt.
His plans for the future are to do more lay speaking in northwest Iowa churches, do more flower gardening, and do livestock consulting through LivestockProfit, LLC. He can be reached at dewitt@LivestockProfit.com or (712) 260-0019.