Striving to Better His Operation: Mark Smyth

It’s the day after Christmas and Mark Smyth is packing up his snowmobiles to head to northern Wisconsin with his neighbors, their families and his youngest daughter, Katie. They’ll spend a week hitting trails and enjoying being outside. Then, Mark and his crew will head home. They might return a few more times if the weather allows. For Mark, snowmobiling is a peaceful escape. It also helps make the winter go by faster and his favorite time of the year arrive sooner.

“I just really enjoy the springtime,” said Mark. “Usually, we’re pretty close to wrapping up calving by the time we start planting.”

In addition to being a snowmobiling aficionado, Mark is the father of two daughters, Hallie (27) and Katie (25), and a second-generation grain and cattle farmer in Solon, Iowa. His farm is nestled in rolling hills, with his herd of Red Angus cattle tucked back in a pasture that can hardly be seen from the road. Right next door is his parents’ farm where he grew up.

Getting a Start in Farming

Growing up in a farming family, Mark knew he had an interest in carrying the tradition when he graduated from Prairie High School in 1984. It wouldn’t be until 1988, however, when Mark would officially start his own farming operation.

“That year was the drought year,” Mark said. “It was tough on everybody.”

Nevertheless, Mark started renting around 120 acres of farm ground that year. He planted corn and soybeans and used his dad’s equipment to get started. In the years following, he continued to farm, including doing some 50/50 partnership farming with his neighbor, as well as working part-time for Jay Proffitt Construction.

In 1993, Mark started taking over his dad’s hog operation which was primarily farrow to finish with some farrow to wean. A few years later, in the late ’90s, he decided to sell the nursery rather than upgrade his facilities. Instead, he focused on increasing his grain operation and decided that in 1997 it was an opportune time to start farming full-time.

“I don’t know how you know when the right time or the wrong time is, but financially I had enough money to get started where I thought I could make a go of it,” Mark said.

Mark didn’t have any other major changes in his operation until 2018 when he went into partnership with his father on his father’s cow-calf operation. This past year, Mark has been in the process of completely buying his dad out of their 75-head Red Angus herd.

In addition to the cattle herd, Mark currently has 850 acres for corn and soybeans and 65 acres for hay. Even though his dad, Roy, is cutting back, he still helps Mark with his grain operation on occasion during peak times.

“My dad still hauls it in for me in the fall and kind of helps me out in the spring getting seed where I need it to be,” Mark said.

A Good Partnership

Mark first came to Stutsmans for his fertilizer needs in the early 2000s. Since then, he’s expanded to chemical, seed and our ProVantage program. We’re also fortunate that Mark has entrusted us with various equipment throughout the years, including his precision ag technology.

“I started out with an autosteer system,” Mark said. “That was my first purchase. Then, we progressed into yield monitoring on the combine.”

For Mark, being able to keep up with the changing technology has been one of his successes in farming.

“Anymore, it’s being able to just continue on with all of the changes,” Mark said.

Around eight years ago, Mark transitioned to variable rate fertilizer and variable rate mapping on planting and seeding rates. He works closely with members of the equipment and agronomy teams to explore the best options for moving his operation forward.

“We have a good partnership,” Al Kessler, Stutsman’s VP of Equipment and Precision Ag, said. “He trusts us, and we trust him.”

Taking Time for Family and Community

When he’s not farming, Mark can be found snowmobiling, ATVing, playing sand volleyball with his family and volunteering in his community.

Mark has been a member of the Prairie High School Booster Club since 2008. Even though both of his daughters have graduated, Mark remains involved in the spirit of helping his local school district.

“If it involves helping kids, I’m usually not too hard to convince,” Mark said.

Mark also recently became a grandpa and looks forward to getting his grandson involved with farming someday.

Striving to Get Better

Mark has had his fair share of lessons learned while farming, especially when starting out.

“You always take advice from your dad, but some of the things you just have to learn on your own,” Mark remarked.

One of those lessons, Mark said, was how much attention to detail farming requires.

“The first field of corn I planted I didn’t have my settings quite right, and it was pretty much a disaster,” Mark said.

Fortunately for Mark, it was only 10 acres that needed to be replanted.

Mark has taken the lessons he’s learned and turned them into his driving philosophy.

“I’m a person who strives to get better,” Mark remarked.

“Probably 15 to 20 years ago, the goal was 200-bushel corn,” Mark said. “Every year I strive to push for higher yields. Now the goal is to keep increasing.”

Not only does Mark look to increase his yield each year, but actively works to leave the soil in a better place than when he got it by planting cover crops.

“They work well for me going from corn to beans,” Mark said. “I haven’t really dabbled in the beans to corn part yet. I’m one that goes in stages. I don’t jump whole hog into something, but I’m not afraid to try things either.”

Whether it’s farming or serving as a member of the booster club (and everything in between), one thing is for sure, Mark is going to strive continually to improve, treat everyone he meets with fairness and respect, and follow his passion.

“My advice to young people who want to get started in farming is to follow your passion,” Mark said. “If it’s your passion, do it.”