Bates Family Farm in Washington will be presented with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Thursday, July 14th. The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who show exceptional care for the environment and livestock and are exceptional community members.  

Naig spoke very highly of Bates Family Farm, praising their commitment to no-till practices, their Beef Quality Assurance certification, animal husbandry advancements, and the use of solar power to power their house and turkey barns.

The turkey farm operation at Bates’s was a part of the farm for the last 33 years but has recently been transitioned to another farmer in the area. The former turkey operations at Bates were individually very highly praised for their use of biosecurity, environmentally controlled barns, and detailed record keeping.

Mike Bates is currently a member of the Iowa Turkey Federation, the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. Mike and his wife, Karen Bates, are also involved with Water for Life, an organization focused on providing clean drinking water to people living in Haiti.