Logan Lyon – Muscatine County

“Before, during, and after is how I break things up. Respect the people that came before us, do good things for the people around us now, and make sure there’s some left behind for the people that will follow us.” – Logan Lyon, Iowa Corn Growers Association Board Member

Logan Lyon grew up on a dairy farm in Muscatine County, Iowa, where he helped milk their 800+ cows. A fourth generation family farmer, most of Logan’s childhood consisted of caring for livestock and taking care of calves. “For me, personally, it was always agriculture and it was always going to be a path for me, regardless of what shape it was,” Logan said. After their family sold the dairy operation in 2009, Logan attended college at Ellsworth Community College and upon completion of his two-year Agronomy degree, decided to attend Iowa State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Agronomy.

Logan’s initial interest in the Iowa Corn Growers Association stemmed from his time at Iowa State, where he joined one of the first ever Collegiate Advisory Teams (CAT). As a student with  a passion for agronomy, Logan fully immersed himself in every opportunity possible as an Iowa Corn Student Member. In the pursuit of his four-year degree, Logan met and started dating his now wife, Emily, who was also born and raised on a farm in Muscatine County. 

After graduating from Iowa State University, Logan kept up with Iowa Corn Growers Association, joining the ILEAD program for emerging leaders, where he learned more about purchasing grain, grain trade and pushing policy. Today, Logan sits on the Board of Directors for Iowa Corn.

Logan and Emily, along with their two kids Lambert and Lucy, now farm alongside Emily’s family’s diversified crop row and livestock operation in Muscatine and Scott counties. By day, Logan works selling farm and crop insurance, but his real passion lies within his own farm. Together, Logan and Emily have their own 180 acres alongside their family’s farming operation. “We are a unique breed. We do other things in between, we do board meetings and raise a couple kids. Emotionally, the ‘ag life’ or the ‘farm life’ definitely offers a different type of spiritual connection,” Logan said.

Logan and Emily are the fourth generation to live and work on that farm, proudly continuing a legacy that’s been upheld in their family for years. “I’ve been able to build our own little farm next to a longer legacy farm. We’re pretty fortunate to have the stability and infrastructure of a fourth and fifth generation farm, but also be able to implement new ideas in our own operation next to it,” Logan said. Being good stewards of the land for the generations to come is something the two prioritize heavily each new cycle.

“What I enjoy most is the legacy we’re continuing and making sure that it’s not just one individual’s legacy on our farm operation, but that it’s generational and growing. It’s been fun for Emily and I. It’s her family’s farm, but we’ve been able to immerse ourselves into that. We know we’re going to continue to grow that legacy and prepare it well for the next generation. To expand the legacy that is her family’s farm and to make sure our kids can carry on that legacy if they want to, that’s what gets me most excited,” Logan said. 

Logan keeps a steady mindset as he approaches every task on the farm and is quick to remind himself of his game plan: constant, gentle pressure. Logan’s main goal of their farm operation is to leave something behind that is a little better than when they got their arms wrapped around it and to also make sure that they’re doing their jobs well. 

Logan also acknowledges that what they’re doing today on their family farm would be nearly impossible without the generations that came before them, sustaining the land and appreciating it. Shared success and longevity are the two things that keep their family pressing forward with constant, gentle pressure. “Respect the people that came before us, do good things for the people around us now, and make sure there’s some left behind for the people that will follow us,” Logan said.