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“Learning about what nature provides …it’s truly amazing.”

Clark Gerstacker
Corn Farmer

Name: Clark Gerstacker
Location: Midland, Michigan
Years farming: I have been part of my family’s farm all my life, and have been farming full-time for 13 years.
My family: My wife, Jennifer, and I have a daughter, Peyton who is nine, and a son, Hudson who is four. I farm with my brother Kirk, who has been farming all of his life.
How I came to be a farmer: Our family farm was settled in 1892. My brother and I are the fourth generation of family members involved in the farm. I received a manufacturing operations degree from Michigan State University, and worked at Frito-Lay, Inc. As my father neared retirement, I took the opportunity to move back home and run the farm with my brother.
The best thing about being a farmer: I am proud to be a part of my family’s long and noble tradition of farming. I could not envision a better way to raise my family.
My personal philosophy on farming: As a fourth generation farmer, I believe that farming has been the backbone of our country’s history and will continue to lead us forward to a more sustainable future. It is my honor to be managing my family’s farm, with my brother, Kirk, and be part of that future. We work on our land every day, doing things right and making sound decisions for the long-term future of our farm. We employ the latest farming technology to ensure that we are being environmentally responsible, providing our crops with the nutrients they need to grow. We strive to utilize good daily practices, while building and maintaining infrastructure so we have a viable farming operation that will be passed down to the next generation.

Corn Production in Michigan and the U.S.

• Michigan growers planted 2.4 million acres of corn in 2009.

• Corn is the most widely grown feed grain in the United States, accounting for more than 90 percent of total value and production of feed grains.

• Around 80 million acres of land are planted to corn, with the majority of the crop grown in the Midwest.

• Most of the crop is used as the main energy ingredient in livestock feed.

• The United States is a major player in the world corn trade market, with approximately 20 percent of the corn crop exported to other countries.

• Corn is a component in more than 650 products, and can be used to make livestock feed, food, clothing and blankets, carpets, plastics and pharmaceuticals.

• A bushel of corn is about 56 pounds, and you can process that bushel into nearly three gallons of ethanol and 17 pounds of a high-protein livestock feed.

For more information about Corn production in Michigan, please visit www.micorn.org

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