Dean Meyer is no stranger to the livestock industry, for more than 30 years, he along with his family have been farming near Rock Rapids, Iowa. He has served as chair of the Lyon County Pork Producers, president of the Farmers Elevator Co-Op, the Lyon County Extension Council, chair of the Iowa Corn Animal Ag and Environment Committee and District 1 Director of the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Being from one of the densest livestock regions of the state, he is passionate about supporting the crops he grows and the livestock he raises. He currently serves as chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation where he puts this passion to work as he advocates for the expansion of market demand for U.S. red meat exports. Dean and his wife Linda have five children including three sons, Alvie, Jacob and Blake, who work on the family farm helping raise corn, soybeans, cattle and swine.   

• Corn and livestock production are inexorably intertwined in our modern agricultural system.
• Much of the corn produced in the U.S. goes to feed livestock, which underscores the need for sustainability within the industry.
• We must continue to focus on the balance of sustainability and profitability in order to keep growing.
• The U.S. Meat Export Federation advocates to ensure the farming industry remains competitive globally by focusing on sustainability initiatives.
• It is becoming more and more evident that marketing the whole hog is essential to creating a sustainable industry on a global basis to reap economic rewards for all parties.
• Keeping a balance between ecology, business, and consumer choice will remain essential in the ongoing process of creating a healthier food system.
• Dean Meyer’s “golden nugget”