08/29/06 M&M Feedlot, part two

Kent Mann has a good outlook about his M&M Feedlot at Parma. MANN "You can never be the biggest. Someone is always bigger. But you can be the best. There's satisfaction in producing a quality product." Mann and son Darin say they do all they can to protect the environment and their agricultural operation. Kent says they have to be good stewards to maximize their yields. A top priority is the nutrient management program. They have sprinklers in all of the corrals to control dust. DARIN "All corrals throughout the feed lot are scraped weekly and that is removed from the corrals on a weekly basis so the corrals stay fairly clean year round." In the middle of their feedlot the Mann's built a park and neighbors around the feedlot are invited in each year for a picnic. DARIN "We know that at times there are inconveniences with living next to a large feedlot operation with a lot of trucks and equipment going on the roads. It's just a way to say thank you." They see wild turkeys, ducks, geese, and pheasants on their land. Swans migrate through in the spring, stopping at the Mann ponds and there are plenty of white tail deer. The Canyon County Farm Family of the Year cares about four legged and feathered friends, their neighbors too. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott