Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture

ZoeMartin
Mar 27, 2026
Mar 27, 2026

1 of 3

Darcy Maulsby was honored in 2025 as part of the Women Impacting Agriculture award program sponsored by Iowa State University.

Photos courtesy of Iowa State University

Darcy Maulsby speaks with James Hepp, who farms her family’s land in Calhoun County, Iowa.

Photo courtesy of Iowa State University

Photo courtesy of Iowa State University

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

ZoeMartin

Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series on the 2025 Iowa Women Impacting Agriculture award winners.

k9C ^m

kAm(C:E6C[ 9:DE@C:2? 2?5 72C>6C s2C4J |2F=D3J =:G6D 3J E96 H@C5D “9@?@C E96 A2DE 2?5 6>3C246 492?86]”k^Am

kAmpD 2 “49:=5 @7 E96 72C> 4C:D:D[” |2F=D3J’D A2C6?ED 6?4@FC2865 96C E@ =62G6 E96 72C>] $96 E@@< E96:C 25G:46[ 3FE 96C A2E9 DE:== =65 96C 324< E@ E96 =2?5 2?5 3F:=5:?8 2 ?6H 72C> =6824J E@52J]k^Am

kAm|2F=D3J H2D 9@?@C65 :? a_ad 2D A2CE @7 E96 (@>6? x>A24E:?8 p8C:4F=EFC6 2H2C5 AC@8C2> DA@?D@C65 3J x@H2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am

kAm$96 8C6H FA 2D E96 7:7E9 86?6C2E:@? @? 2 4@C? 2?5 D@J362? 2?5 72CC@H\E@\7:?:D9 9@8 72C> ?@CE9H6DE @7 {2<6 r:EJ[ x@H2]k^Am

kAmqFE DA@<6? 2?5 F?DA@<6?[ D96 D2:5 E96 >6DD286 D96 8@E 7C@> 96C A2C6?ED y:> 2?5 y2? s@F896CEJ H2D “(6 =@G6 J@F E@@ >F49 E@ 6?4@FC286 J@F E@ 8@ :?E@ 28C:4F=EFC6 — 8@ E@ 4@==686[ =62G6 E96 72C>[ 86E 2 ;@3 :? E96 4:EJ 2?5 5@?’E 4@>6 324<]”k^Am

kAm|2F=D3J 2EE6?565 r6?EC2= r@==686 :? !6==2 E96? EC2?D76CC65 E@ x@H2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ E@ DA64:2=:K6 :? 28 ;@FC?2=:D>]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 8C25F2E:?8[ D96 H@C<65 7@C E96 x@H2 u2C> qFC62F u656C2E:@? 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^p8(63]4@>Qmp8(63]4@>k^2m[ H96C6 4C:D:D 42F89E FA E@ 96C 282:? H:E9 E96 5@E\4@> 4C2D9] $96 H2D =2:5 @77 :? a__a]k^Am

kAm“x E9@F89E >2J36 x 4@F=5 92?8 @FE >J @H? D9:?8=6 2?5 CF? >J @H? 3FD:?6DD[ 2?5 E92E =2J@77 H2D E96 A6C764E E:>6 E@ ECJ[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm$96 7@F?5 2 ?:496 :? 28 4@>>F?:42E:@?D] x? a__a[ D96 DE2CE65 s2C4J |2F=D3J U2>Aj r@] :? s6D |@:?6D[ AC@G:5:?8 DEC2E68:4 >2C<6E:?8 2?5 4@>>F?:42E:@? D6CG:46D E@ 4@@A6C2E:G6D[ 28C:3FD:?6DD6D 2?5 72C> >65:2]k^Am

kAm$@@? 27E6C[ D96 2?5 96C 9FD32?5[ y] |2F=D3J[ 3@F89E 2? 24C6286 324< :? r2=9@F? r@F?EJ[ H96C6 E96J’C6 3@E9 7C@>]k^Am

kAm$96 ;@<6D E92E D96 3F:=E 96C 3FD:?6DD “7C@> E96 DF3FC3D @7 8C62E6C *6EE6C[ x@H2]”k^Am

kAm}@ EH@ 52JD 2C6 2=:<6] |2F=D3J :D 2 4@=F>?:DE 2?5 C6A@CE6C 7@C D6G6C2= 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 CFC2= ?6HDA2A6CD] $96 5@6D 4@?EC24E H@C< H:E9 72C>=2?5 >2?286>6?E 4@>A2?:6D 2?5 28 4@@A6C2E:G6D[ H96C6 D96 >:89E 36 HC:E:?8 AC6DD C6=62D6D[ ?6HD=6EE6CD @C 5@:?8 A9@E@8C2A9J]k^Am

kAmw6C H@C< E@52J C67=64ED D@>6 @7 E96 =6DD@?D =62C?65 @? E96 72C> 8C@H:?8 FA] $96 D2H 96C 525 AFEE:?8 :? =@?8 9@FCD E@ 86E E96 ;@3 5@?6[ ?@E H2:E:?8 7@C D@>6@?6 6=D6 E@ E6== 9:> H92E E@ 5@]k^Am

People are also reading…

Dairy era ends in sadness
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Get better hay, returns with small changes
Cattlemen answer the call with hay convoy to wildfire-stricken Nebraska
Laws restrict foreign land owners
EPA makes latest attempt to define WOTUS
Farmland values relatively stable amid volatile world markets
Functional storage with easy access serves acreage owners
Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term
Unexpected discovery leads to potential pollination control mechanism
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Understanding beef quality from the carcass up
Seasonal supply squeeze drives sheep, goat prices

kAm“t2C=J @? x H2D ECJ:?8 E@ 36 2 4@8 :? E96 >249:?6 — 8@ H@C< 7@C 2 4@>A2?J 2?5 AFE :? J@FC E:>6[” D96 D2:5] “x EC:65 E92E 2?5 925 E96D6 =2J@77 6IA6C:6?46D 2?5 @E96C 325 6IA6C:6?46D] … %92E’D H96? x DE2CE65 E9:?<:?8[ ‘x7 x 4@F=5 8@ @FE E96C6 2?5 5@ >J @H? E9:?8[ E96 D<J’D E96 =:>:E 32D65 @? 9@H 92C5 x H2?E E@ H@C< 2?5 9@H 8@@5 x 2>]’”k^Am

kAmw6C A2C6?ED 2=D@ :?DE:==65 2? 2AAC64:2E:@? 7@C 9:DE@CJ H:E9 E96 72>:=J DE@C:6D E96J D92C65 2?5 G:D:ED E@ 46>6E6C:6D @? |6>@C:2= s2J]k^Am

kAm“(96? J@F 8C@H FA @? 46?EFCJ 72C>[ x H2D =:G:?8 E96D6 A:646D @7 E96 A2DE 6G6CJ 52J[” |2F=D3J D2:5] “%96 9@FD6[ E96 32C?[ E96J’C6 DE:== DE2?5:?8 H96C6 86?6C2E:@?D @7 >J 72>:=J 92G6 =:G65 2?5 H@C<65]”k^Am

kAm$96 C646?E=J 7@F?5 2 9@CD6D9@6 :? E96 7:6=5 2?5 H@?56C65[ “(2D E92E 7C@> >J 8C2?5A2’D E62>[ >J 8C62E\8C2?5A2’Dn”k^Am

kAm|2F=D3J 92D HC:EE6? 6:89E 3@@<D @7 x@H2 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 4F=:?2CJ 9:DE@CJ[ E96 7:CDE :? a_`d @? E96 9:DE@CJ @7 r2=9@F? r@F?EJ] $96 D92C6D E96D6 DE@C:6D DE2E6H:56 E9C@F89 E96 wF>2?:E:6D x@H2 $A62<6CD qFC62F]k^Am

kAm%2<:?8 @? 2 C@=6 @? 96C 72>:=J 72C> DE:== H2D?’E A2CE @7 E96 A=2? F?E:= 96C 72E96C 5:65 :? a_`h]k^Am

kAm“(96? >J 525 E@@< 2? :?:E:2= DE23 2E 6DE2E6 A=2??:?8[ x H2D?’E :?4=F565 :? AC@46DD 2E 2==[” |2F=D3J D2:5[ 3FE 96C >@>[ 2 E62496C 2== 96C =:76[ DECF88=65 E@ CF? E9:?8D @? 96C @H?]k^Am

kAm$6G6?EJ E@ g_T @7 72C> 72>:=:6D 5@?’E 92G6 2 8@@5 A=2? :? A=246[ |2F=D3J D2:5]k^Am

kAm“|J 8@@5?6DD[ H6’C6 CF??:?8 >F=E:\>:==:@? 3FD:?6DD6D — H6 42?’E =62G6 E9:D E@ 492?46[” |2F=D3J D2:5]k^Am

kAm$96 2?5 96C J@F?86C 3C@E96C[ y2D@? s@F896CEJ[ 5@?’E 92G6 49:=5C6?[ D@ =6824J A=2??:?8 :D 5:776C6?E[ D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmt249 D:3=:?8 ?@H >2?286D E96 24C6D E96J’== :?96C:E] u@C |2F=D3J[ E92E >62?D 2 7@4FD @? D@:= 962=E9 H:E9 C65F465 E:==286[ A=2?E:?8 2 E9C66\H2J 4@G6C 4C@A >:I 2?5 32D:?8 76CE:=:EJ ?665D @? :?\D62D@? D2A E6DE:?8]k^Am

kAm$96 72C>D H:E9 y2>6D w6AA @7 #@4<H6== r:EJ[ H9@ 92D E9C66 J@F?8 49:=5C6?] rC@A\D92C6 :D A2CE @7 E96:C 2CC2?86>6?E]k^Am

kAm“xE 8:G6D 6G6CJ3@5J >@C6 D<:? :? E96 82>6[” |2F=D3J D2:5[ 6?4@FC28:?8 ECFDE[ 4@==23@C2E:@? 2?5 3F:=5:?8 @? E96 D@:= 962=E9 8@2=D E@86E96C C2E96C E92? ;FDE FD:?8 2 42D9 C6?E 28C66>6?E]k^Am

kAm“(6 H2?E E@ >:>:4 ?2EFC6 2D >F49 2D H6 42? :? E96 9@A6D @7 C63F:=5:?8 D@:= 962=E9[” |2F=D3J D2:5] “p> x 492D:?8 E@A J:6=5n }@E ?646DD2C:=J — x’> >@C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? C6EFC? @? :?G6DE>6?E A6C 24C6 2?5 >2<:?8 E96 72C> 3:@=@8:42==J 2?5 64@?@>:42==J G:23=6 7@C 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D]”k^Am

kAm!2CE=J 32D65 @? E96 H2G6 @7 J@F?8 A6@A=6 =:<6 96C =62G:?8 72C>D :? E96 `hg_D[ CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D 2C6 DECF88=:?8[ D96 D2:5] $96 D2H 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 96=A D@>6@?6 DE2CE D@>6E9:?8 ?6H]k^Am

kAm“%96C6 2C6 J@F?8 A6@A=6 @FE E96C6 H9@ H2?E E@ 72C>[” D96 D2:5] “s@?’E 3FJ :?E@ E96 =:6 ?@3@5J H2?ED E@ H@C< 92C5 @C =:G6 :? E96D6 CFC2= 2C62D] (:E9 =2?5 2D AC:46J 2D :E :D[ :E’D 2=>@DE :>A@DD:3=6 7@C 2 J@F?8 72C>6C E@ 86E DE2CE65 7C@> D4C2E49[ 3FE x D66 D@ >2?J 72>:=:6D H9@ 42? 8:G6 E96> E92E A2E9H2J]”k^Am