THE WINTER OLYMPICS
HOMETOWN COOKIN'
NELSON REFLECTS ON LATEST EVENTS/PAGE 3A
RECIPES FOR THE BUSY FARMER/PAGE 1B
FARM NEWS
A Messenger Publication Serving Farmers in Northwest and North Central Iowa Vol. 30, No. 22
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026
2 sections, 14 pages
Ag Outlook 2026
‘Big Beautiful Bill’ changes outlined Other tax changes highlighted
By KAREN SCHWALLER Farm News writer
SPENCER — Clarity on tax preparation and planning for 2026 took center stage with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) starting things off at the 41st annual Northwest Iowa Ag Outlook in Spencer. Eric Hofland, consultant with Northwest Iowa Farm Business Association, briefly outlined the OBBBA, saying it wasn’t “groundbreaking legislation,” as much as it was a continuation of existing rules. “Before the OBBBA was passed last July, we were (in place) to have a lot of our tax rules set to (the time prior to the) Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) legislation that was passed when Trump was in office the first time,” he said. Hofland explained that under the OBBBA, tax brackets are set to be lowered slightly and that taxpayers who are married and filing jointly could make up to $95,950 and still be in the top of the 12 percent tax bracket. “The 12 percent tax bracket is a historically cheap rate when you look at the all-time history of the U.S. Tax Code,” he said. Something he said was new this year is a $6,000-per-person senior deduction for those age 65 and older. It runs on a sliding scale of modified adjusted gross income amounts. Those with less than $75,000 can obtain the full deduction; those making up to $175,000 receive partial deductions, and deductions for those making more than $175,000 are phased out. His example stated that a See BILL, Page 5A
By KAREN SCHWALLER Farm News writer
-Farm News photo by Karen Schwaller
ERIC HOFLAND, consultant for Northwest Iowa Farm Business Association in Spencer, spoke to attendees about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and how it would impact farm families.
-Farm News photo by Karen Schwaller
A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER SESSION involving a panel of local tax and legal professionals took place at the 41st annual Northwest Iowa Ag Outlook in Spencer.
SPENCER — The message of the day at the tax law changes session of Ag Outlook 2026 was — plan ahead. A panel of tax preparers and other legal professionals encouraged those in attendance to not only plan ahead to save money and tax dollars in their farming operations, but to do it so they can pass something down to their heirs. “Plan for your death — do it for your loved ones,” said Ryan Crew, attorney with Montgomery, Barry, Bovee and Davis Law Firm in Spencer. “Tax time is a good time to work on your estate planning.” Crew said estate taxes were terminated on the state level in 2025, but it still exists on the federal level. He said for 2025 and 2026, the annual gift exclusion is $19,000 per recipient per year, and a married couple can combine their exclusions to give up to $38,000 per recipient annually without filing a gift tax return. The federal gift and estate tax exemption is $15 million per individual. “With that higher dollar amount, estate taxes touch fewer people,” said Crew. “There are See CHANGES, Page 5A
Van Diest Supply Co. marks 70th year serving agriculture It’s not just about inputs, it’s about feeding the world
Community, families grow along with Van Diest Supply Co.
By LORI BERGLUND Farm News writer
By LORI BERGLUND Farm News writer
WEBSTER CITY — It’s a milestone in the making as Van Diest Supply Company prepares to celebrate its 70th year in business in the fall of 2026. The now-sprawling agri-business just west of Webster City on old Highway 20 all started for the simplest of reasons, and one that remains highly relatable for today’s farmers. The time period now seems long ago. Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House. Elvis Presley was soaring to the top of the charts with songs such as “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Love Me Tender.” And parents across the nation and the world were giving thanks to God and Jonas Salk for a long-awaited vaccine to protect children from the devastating disease of polio. A lot of things have changed since 1956, but in farming, some things have not changed. Farming may be more complex, but the need that Bob Van Diest sought to fill when he opened his own small business is much the same. “It was an easy motivation,”
The family story goes that Mary Van Diest became the first employee when she and Bob married in 1959. In those early days, business was often conducted around the kitchen table. Some of those early customers are still customers today. Like her husband, Mary Van Diest remains as active as possible in the family business yet today, and both are pleased to see the next generations making their own mark. The family story of how this company started is now well-known. It has grown from supporting Bob and Mary Van Diest and their
WEBSTER CITY — At Van Diest Supply Company, it’s more than just family, and more than just one family. It’s a place where multiple generations of many families have come to build a life. To mark the company’s 70th anniversary, it’s worth looking beyond the Van Diest family, to the impact the company has had on hundreds of employee/team members over the years. We asked company leaders, including President Jake Van Diest and Vice President John Van Diest to estimate how many families have worked for the company over the years. It was an equation too complex to fathom. Over the decades, the jobs created here have factored into mortgages paid in full and kids sent to college. Add in the ancillary jobs, from construction to retail, created throughout the community, and it’s hard to imagine the full impact of wages paid and benefits received. The impact this one company has had in Hamilton County and beyond is perhaps best seen in the people who have built careers here. Van Diest Supply Company now employs some 520 team members in Hamilton County, and approximately 640 full- and part-time team members across all of its Midwest locations. Over the years, hundreds more families have grown their own families in Hamilton
See VAN DIEST, Page 6A
See FAMILY, Page 2A
-Photo courtesy of Van Diest Supply Company
THREE GENERATIONS of the Van Diest family now form the leadership team at Van Diest Supply Company. From left are: Vice President John Van Diest, President Jake Van Diest; Chairman Bob Van Diest and Sales Manager Jack Van Diest. John Van Diest said of his father’s decision to start a small business in the fall of 1956. “He was farming. He wanted to get his own input costs lower, so he thought if he bought more fertilizer than he needed for his farm — buy in large quantities, get a better price — then he could resell it to his friends and neighbors.” Bob Van Diest continues to serve as chairman of the business that remains family owned. John Van Diest is now vice president. Rounding out the three generations of the family heading up the business are John’s sons: Jake Van Diest, president; and Jack Van Diest, sales manager.