As a woman in a profession dominated by men, Pam Johnson has made tracks for others to follow. She’s the first woman to serve as president of the National Corn Growers Association, and her leadership and involvement is shared with other local, state, national and international organizations, committees and boards. But it all comes back to the farm and her family, where the grassroots grow.

Pam and husband Maurice have been farming together for 45 years in Floyd County in northern Iowa. Pam grew up on a small farm near Osage, with her parents and three younger brothers, where she developed a deep love of agriculture.

Maurice grew up on a farm near Floyd, where Pam and Maurice farm today. Both are sixth-generation farmers. The current operation includes the seventh generation: two sons, Ben and Andy, and their respective wives, Amy and Abbie. Pam and Maurice have three grandchildren, so the eighth generation isn’t far behind.

Pam graduated from nursing school in Minneapolis as a registered nurse, returned to Iowa and worked at Mitchell County Hospital. Maurice, after a year at Iowa State University, came home to farm with his family.

Early farming days
Pam and Maurice met and were married in 1972 and farmed with his parents to get their start. They began farming 300 acres, farrowing 10 sows and feeding out pigs. Both had off-farm jobs to supplement the farm income.

Today, the multi-generation operation has all hands on deck for planting and harvest. “Our goal has always been to give the next generation the ability to carry on the family farm if they choose,” says Maurice. Working together, the families share machinery and labor; each family has their own enterprise. Records are kept with Iowa Farm Business Association.

The Johnsons use variable-rate seeding technology, precision ag and autosteer on 1,120 row crop acres. They split-apply nitrogen, sidedressing corn. Corn acres are in strip till, soybeans in no-till and 80 acres in CRP. Cereal rye is their cover crop.

Pam and Maurice farrowed and finished hogs for 38 years and now rent the hog facilities to a local beginning farmer. Their two sons and their families have 50 ewes and feed out lambs in an open-front building on the home farm.

Farming as a family
Pam and Maurice have always focused on continuous improvement in management practices, taking advantage of seed technology and advances in equipment to grow more bushels sustainably, conserving soil and water.

“Continuing to learn is the key to our farming operation and having the younger generation involved brings a different perspective, knowledge and network to keep the business relevant,” notes Pam.

This family continually evaluates the specific need and success of soil conservation on each farm. They use many conservation practices, including:
• putting acres in the Conservation Reserve Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program
• planting field windbreaks, native grasses and trees, and pollinator habitat
• building grass waterways, shallow wetlands and filter strips along streams

They also attend field days to continue their conservation education. Detailed mapping and yield data are used to make decisions. They own a tiling machine, and each year address drainage issues on each farm. They use crop advisers and farm financial consultants.

Outside the home and farm
Maurice is a township trustee in Floyd County. He served on the Floyd County Farm Bureau board and is a past president and voting delegate. He also was a 4-H leader for 10 years. A longtime volunteer at Floyd County Fair, he announces the livestock shows and helps in other ways. Also, Maurice is a trustee and Pam is the pianist at their church.

In 2001, Pam was elected to the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. Quickly recognized as a leader, she went on to be ICPB’s chairwoman in 2005. She served nine years on ICPB and was then elected to the Iowa Corn Growers Association board of directors. She became involved at the national level and was president of NCGA in 2013.

Today, Pam continues in ag leadership roles, including representing Iowa on the U.S. Grains Council. 

She also is a founding board member of the International Maize Alliance — known as Maizall, established by the U.S., Argentina and Brazil in 2013 — and will become its president this year. Maizall addresses issues corn growers in all three countries have in common. The group also works on worldwide acceptance and advancement of modern ag practices, including advanced seed technology.

Strong partnership
“Farming together, the most important thing Maurice and I have is our strong partnership and willingness to encourage the other person to go out and make a difference,” says Pam. “That’s huge for me. Some women have told me, ‘My husband would never let me do this.’ ”

Maurice adds, “It’s rewarding that our sons want to continue to farm. We don’t have to worry about walking away from all the work we’ve done. They are helping preserve the legacy of what our parents did to help us. It’s a continuation. We are very fortunate.”

Profile of Pam and Maurice Johnson

HOMETOWN: Floyd
FARM: corn, soybeans and, at one time, hogs; rent facilities to a beginning farmer; share machinery and labor with two sons who have separate farms with their families
FAMILY: sons Ben, with wife Amy, and Andy, with wife Abbie; and three grandchildren
LEADERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS: Pam — past chairwoman of Iowa Corn Promotion Board and past president of National Corn Growers Association, vice president of Maizall, secretary of USDA Foundation for Food and Ag Research, and chairwoman of NCGA’s Diversity Task Force. Former roles: member of U.S. Grains Council Biotech Advisory Team, Ag Products Advisory Council for Iowa Department of Economic Development, Floyd County Enterprise Zone Development commissioner, Floyd County Farm Bureau director, Floyd County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee chairwoman, and Floyd County Ag Development Authority vice president and director
Maurice — Floyd County Fair volunteer, Cedar Township trustee and Grace United Methodist Church trustee. Former roles: 4-H leader, and president and voting delegate for the Floyd County Farm Bureau board