Meet CCI Member, Ron Kielkopf
Ron and his wife Judy farm 2000 acres
of row crop near Fremont. Ron has been farming since 1959. They
were honored as Iowa Master Farmers in 2000 for their conservation
practices and community service.
They enjoy the great outdoors (including
a long trail they have on their farm they use for walking a few
miles at daybreak), having cookouts, and seeing their four grandchildren
(ages 3-7) learn how to enjoy all the neat things they can do outside.
“Our grandchildren are great environmental motivators; we
can only hope rural Iowa is a decent place to live for their lifetimes.”
How did
you get involved with CCI?
In 2002, our neighbors asked us to get involved in an effort to
prevent two factory farms from building nearby. We had no idea how
to be effective and enlisted the help of CCI. Members of the Southeast
Iowa Chapter of CCI and staff came to our town meeting and gave
us good advice. As a result, we were able to stop the facilities
from being built. I was impressed with CCI’s dedication and
expertise. It became obvious to me that no rural resident would
ever have the rights of enjoyment of their property (as our Constitution
"guarantees") in the future unless we "neighbors"
became more politically acute and active, and it was obvious CCI
was the most effective group to accomplish this.
What is
the key to CCI’s success?
I’m excited to see a lot of great folks of different ages,
abilities and experiences, who would have very little impact as
individuals, come together to become very effective with one voice
on many issues. For those who agree with us, we have become a strong
ally. For those who disagree with us, we have become effective opposition.
Both staff and members have in-depth knowledge and dedication.
Is CCI’s diversity a strength?
Yes, it is great that we have diversity of members and issues. After
learning the ugliness of predatory lending it became, to me, somewhat
of an analogy to the rural problems. Wherever one lives, whatever
one's age or color, there are always those who would take advantage
of our individual rights. There are always problems with laws that
are designed to serve the special interests. To get the laws changed,
rural and urban "neighbors" must support each other.
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