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WILCOX — Three of the five generations of Ziebarths who have farmed northern Franklin County land south of Wilcox are working long hours harvesting a share of the record Nebraska corn crop.

Wayne, 88, who says he’ll “probably never” retire, is behind the wheel of the combine.

His grandsons, Tyler Ziebarth and Marty Kinerk, drive the trucks and the tractor used to pull a grain cart down fresh-cut rows of cornstalks in sync with the combine.

As the middle generation, 50-year-old James fills in where needed.

James works in farm fields planted and harvested by his dad, grandfather, Herman, and great-grandfather, Ludwig, for more than 100 years.

Off the farm, he’s following in Wayne’s footsteps in ag-related public service.

James recently resigned as chairman of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Board of Commissioners — his term would have ended in January — to accept an Oct. 30 Obama administration appointment to Nebraska’s Farm Service Agency State Committee.

“I can’t believe when I resigned how it impacted me. I was about in tears,” he said. “... You work with people so deeply devoted to what they’re doing, you tend to get that drive, too.”

The FSA committee oversees U.S. Department of Agriculture programs in Nebraska. James said some specific duties include ensuring that county FSA offices administer farm programs correctly and handling farmer appeals of county officials’ decisions.

He had expressed an interest in the position to U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, who included James on a list of state committee nominees.

James brings to the position an understanding of ag production, conservation and in renewable fuels as a farmer, past Nebraska Ethanol Board vice president and the longest serving president of the Game and Parks board.

His Ethanol Board years were during the second wave of ethanol plant construction. “It was probably the most exciting times in recent years,” he said, because the focus was on recruiting new companies to Nebraska. “That’s something the Ethanol Board does really well.”

A lot of time and money also were invested in educating the public about ethanol and “putting out the fires” of false information about why ethanol wouldn’t work in some vehicles. “Your radio wouldn’t work on your car if you used ethanol,” James joked.

The Game and Parks Commission focus in recent years has been on how to recruit, develop and retain old and new hunters and anglers, and how the commission can do things better and more efficiently.

Wayne earlier served on the Game and Parks board and state FSA Committee. Father and son also are past presidents of the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce.

“The opportunities presented themselves,” James said, explaining that he’s never had a specific goal to hold the same positions as his dad.

“But I don’t know any different,” he continued. “This is how I grew up. I’ve watched my family do community and public service. I watched it my whole life.”

As a child, James accompanied his parents to South Platte chamber meetings. “So, taking a leadership role was easy because I had known those people forever,” he said.

He always wanted to follow his dad and grandfathers into the fields as a farmer. James said his only career interest was to be part of the Ziebarth family farm.

He enjoys the equipment/mechanical side of agriculture as much as growing crops. He has embraced new technologies that allow him to operate all of his pivot irrigation systems from a pocket smartphone.

“To be honest with you, I love it all, the whole process,” James said about harvest season, “whether I run the combine or the truck or the grain cart or the dryer. I’m kind of the swing guy. I fill in where I’m needed.”

He choked up when asked if it has been difficult to follow in his dad’s footsteps. “It’s pretty easy to walk behind Wayne,” James said. “The opportunities, because of what he has done, have allowed me to do this. ... It’s a plus for me, not a detriment.”

Reminded that his dad also was a state senator and Democratic candidate for 3rd District congressman, he said, “I wouldn’t be opposed to continuing on, but that doesn’t motivate me. I don’t know where I go from here. It’s all in the opportunities.”

James understands that public service involving political elections is much different than accepting appointments. “Everything would have to be right in my life to even consider something like that,” he said.

As he drove the combine through a cornfield southeast of Wilcox recently, Wayne shared a lesson from his political career. He said he was relieved that former Rep. Virginia Smith won their head-to-head election in 1974 and went to Washington, D.C., instead of him.

“It was more fun to campaign than to do the actual job,” Wayne concluded.

Both Ziebarths are active in the Democratic Party, but they had a temporary parting of ways during the 2008 primary election. Wayne said he supported Hillary Clinton and James favored Barack Obama.

They’re in sync whenever it’s time to stay home to plant or harvest crops.

“I guess this is my favorite job,” Wayne said as he turned the combine around at the end of a field. “Farming.”

e-mail to:

lori.potter@kearneyhub.com

USDA Farm Service Agency State Committee

Duties: Oversees agency activities, including carrying out ag conservation programs, resolving appeals from the agriculture community and helping to keep producers informed about FSA programs

Nebraska Executive Director: Dan Steinkruger

Obama Administration farmer-appointees (Oct. 30): Susan Frazier, Fillmore County, chairwoman; Fred Christensen, Burt County; Norma Hall, Cass County; Leo Hoehn, Scotts Bluff County; and James Ziebarth, Franklin County

Personal File

Name: James Ziebarth

Age: 50

Home: Franklin County farm south of Wilcox

Family: Wife, Lisa; children, Tyler, Jillian, Katelyn and Alec; and grandson, Jackson

Education: 1977 graduate of Wilcox High School and two years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agriculture

Business: President of Ziebarth Farms Inc.

Honors: 2000 Nebraska Pioneer Family Award from the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben and Con-Agra for 100 years of continuous family farm ownership

Community organizations: Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege; Wilcox Volunteer Fire Department, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce and Booster Club; South Platte United Chamber of Commerce, past president

Professional and political organizations: CPI ag co-op, National Corn Growers, Nebraska Farmers Union, Franklin County Democratic Party chairman, Franklin County Obama for President chairman, delegate to the 2000 National Democratic Convention in Los Angeles

Government appointments: Resigned as chairman of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission after appointment to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency Committee for Nebraska, past vice-chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, District 10 Judicial Nominating Commission, Small Business Regional Board, Small Business Administration Fairness Board, University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken’s Advisory Council

Hobbies-interests: Hunting and spending time with family

 

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