Berg Farm Enterprises is a diversified family farm owned and operated by Josh and Kelli Berg. They are the parents of Lincoln, 9, Lauren, 7, and Jackson, 4. Josh Berg’s father and Kelli Berg’s cousin are employed to help with the day-to-day operations. The Bergs also employ four part-time workers and have hired several high school students when available, many of whom are neighbors.

The Bergs raise corn, soybeans, finisher turkeys and brooder poults.

Josh Berg started farming as a mentee to Jym Covey in the fall of 2009. Covey was getting ready to retire, but wanted to identify a family to continue farming his family’s land. A relationship was built, and Josh and Kelli Berg started taking over his operation in 2013. They also rent her father’s land.

In April 2015, they bought their first three-barn finisher site. In 2019, they purchased land to build a 10-pen turkey brooder facility, which came into operation in early 2020. In October 2020, the Bergs’ bought another three-barn turkey finisher site. From 2014 to 2022, they sold Wyffels Hybrids to provide additional income.

“With a young and growing family, the Bergs not only take good care of their farm, but also have stepped forward to provide valued leadership within their school, community and agriculture organizations,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig. “Because of their dedication to their community and school, their stewardship of their farm, and contributions to Iowa agriculture, I am honored to present the Bergs with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”

The Bergs utilize the latest technology to ensure their birds live in a low-stress environment. At their turkey finisher and brooder facilities, they use Maximus Control Systems which enable them to completely control the barns through technology. They can monitor humidity, feed availability and water usage and automate fan times, feed timing, and ventilation. With multiple sites, they are very attuned to their biosecurity protocols to ensure disease, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), is not introduced to the farm or spread from site to site. The Bergs and all full-time employees have completed Tyson’s biosecurity certifications.

On their crop acres, the Bergs have been 100 percent no-till in the past. Currently, all bean acres are no-till, while they lightly disc corn acres to incorporate turkey manure. They use and believe in terraces, buffer strips, and grassed waterways to reduce nutrient loss from the soil. They rotate crops every year to increase soil health and reduce insect and disease pressure. They manage and monitor nutrients to minimize loss from the soil to surrounding surface water.

The couple is very involved in their community. They are actively involved in the Sac County Farm Bureau, with Kelli Berg serving as a past president. They are involved in the Iowa Turkey Federation, with Josh Berg having served as both a board member and vice president. She has been a judge for the Iowa Turkey Gobble Up contest since 2021. Both Kelli and Josh Berg are involved in numerous committees and events for the Storm Lake St. Mary’s school and are active in the St. Mary’s Church. She is also a youth sports coach, a member of the Sacred Heart Guild, and is on a nominating committee for Farm Credit Services of America.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award is made possible through a partnership with the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) and The Big Show on WHO Radio. This award recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in caring for the environment and their livestock and have demonstrated a commitment to their community. The award is named in memory of Gary Wergin, a long-time WHO Radio farm broadcaster who helped create the award.