John Kuegel is a third-generation farmer, continuing the legacy his grandfather began years ago.
“My grandfather worked as a tenant farmer until he was able to buy the place where we are now,” Kuegel said.
After serving in the military, his father returned home to work with Kuegel’s grandfather and brothers. Eventually, the family operated a dairy farm—a way of life that defined Kuegel’s early years.
“I grew up with the cows and always loved working with them. That’s just what I wanted to do,” Kuegel said.
However, the dairy farming landscape has dramatically shifted over time.
“We sold our cows in January 2020,” Kuegel said, adding that his family was among the last in Daviess County to leave the industry. “The number of dairy farms nationwide has plummeted in the last 20 years. Farms have expanded and gotten bigger, but it’s tougher for the smaller guys.”
Like many others, Kuegel’s family has adapted to the evolving landscape of agriculture, shifting its focus from dairy farming to other types of farming.
“Now we raise crops,” Kuegel said. “It’s different, but I still enjoy being able to produce something of quality. There’s something fulfilling about putting something in the ground and seeing it grow.”
Beyond the tangible outcomes, farming is deeply embedded in his identity.
“Farming is part of you when you grow up in it,” he said. “I like the heritage part – that my grandfather and dad farmed. Carrying that on is important to me, and hopefully, we can do that for another generation.”
That said, Kuegel is mindful of the challenges ahead.
“We’re getting into times that are going to be more challenging,” he said. “We’ve had several years of really good prices and low interest rates, but that’s changed a bit. We have to be more cautious in our purchases and how we do things.”
Despite these difficulties, Kuegel remains optimistic about the industry.
A key concern, though, is ensuring that farmers are properly represented, particularly in the global marketplace.
“Billy Joe Miles once told me it’s a big world, and sometimes we look too close,” Kuegel said. “We need to make sure we have trade agreements that work because if we can produce it, we need to be able to market it.”
As fewer families remain in production agriculture, Kuegel believes it’s essential for the public to recognize the value of farming.
“Less than 2% of our population is still active in production agriculture,” he said. “We’re out here working, trying to provide the raw materials that the world needs.”
Kuegel also expressed concerns about the use of agricultural land for non-farming purposes.
“We need to be cautious about how we use our farmland,” he said. “We don’t want to rely on other countries to feed us. We need to make sure we can do that ourselves.”
Throughout his career, Kuegel has witnessed significant changes in farming, particularly in the area of technology.
“It’s a big conversation with my son – what we adopt and how fast we go. He’s a lot quicker to accept it than I am,” Kuegel said. “Farming isn’t just farming anymore – it’s a business. Everything we do, we have to look at how we’re producing it and what we’re spending. It’s definitely changed, and it will continue to evolve.”
But at the heart of it all, Kuegel’s motivation remains the same. In a text he sent after the interview, he shared a photo of one of his cows, Jasmine, who is now living in Wisconsin and was recently shown at the World Dairy Expo.
“Taking care of the animals and having the best we could breed and manage was always the goal and passion,” he wrote. “Just repositioning that to the hay and crops is now the motivation. It just comes in a shorter time span.”
