Jimmy is the third generation on his family farm in Oklahoma. He and his wife Ginger have been farming and ranching together since 1980. They have a diverse 2000 acre cropping operation growing wheat, soybeans, sunflowers, alfalfa hay, canola, and several cover crops for seed. They also have a 250 cow/calf herd and take in yearling cattle for custom grazing on the nearly 6000 acres of native range.

Jimmy quit plowing 10 years ago to begin rebuilding his soils and says by adding diverse cover crop mixes to his operation over the same period he’s cut his farm’s overall purchased fertilizer use by 85%. He loves to share his passion for soil health. “I really think we have got to get them to understand that the health of our soil is like the health of our bodies. If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, you can go on and on and we still function but we don’t function at our full capacity,” Mr. Emmons says. “It’s the same way with soil. If it’s not healthy, it may be functioning and growing a crop—but not to its full capability.”

Jimmy is committed to improving the soil resources on his land, and hopes others will follow suit—not just for the sake of the resources, but also for the sake of their farming operations. From a business perspective, Mr. Emmons believes improving soil health will improve his businesses’ bottom line. “I’m very passionate about getting to the next level of production.”

Jimmy joined us in the Lakeland on August 16, 2022 for a wonderful day full of learning.