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Kyle West Story-Truth Project
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Dr. Del Tackett is the author, architect and teacher for Focus on the Family's The Truth Project, a nationwide initiative designed to bring the Christian worldview to the body of Christ.
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Whose Property? The Sukup Family Story
Posted on August 20, 2010
Filed Under Labor, Marriage & Family, The State | 26 Comments
I just spent three days in Iowa, visiting the Sukup family, their manufacturing plant and the good folks of Sheffield—population ~1,000.
Yes, I ate some of the most delicious corn you can imagine. In fact, I was so fascinated by the cornfields that it gave me a chance to meet the local sheriff! (I’ll fill you in on that later).
We were there to film a story for Cross Examine. I flew into Minneapolis and then drove the 2 ½ hours south. This is a land of farms, silos and cornfields as far as the eye can see. You can’t get a whole lot closer to the heart of America.
As a farm boy myself, I loved it!
Eugene and Mary Sukup are farmers at heart for sure. But several years ago, the need to figure out a way to keep so much of his corn from spoiling in the silo stirred his creativity and ingenuity into devising a solution that worked not only for him, but for other farmers as well. One thing led to another and Eugene ended up in the manufacturing business with a bucket-full of patents and a large business that not only produces silos that keep farmer’s corn dry, but also a host of other useful farm products.
Eugene’s sons, Charles and Steven pretty much run the plant now. It truly is a family business that extends down the lineage to Matt, husband of Eugene’s granddaughter, Crystal. Matt graduated from college with an engineering degree and works at the plant designing new control systems for the various Sukup products.
Mary cooked us an awesome Iowa dinner and we shared it with a larger gathering of the Sukup family, including little great-grandchild, Lilly. I unashamedly ate through way more than my share of the corn-on-cob. Makes me hungry just to think about it!
We spent several days interviewing not only the Sukup family, but also the employees and the townsfolk, including the mayor of Sheffield and the banker. What emerged was a very clear picture of how much this family business has impacted Sheffield and the surrounding little towns. The plant employs about 500 people and it seemed that everyone we talked to had nothing but deep respect and love for their employers. As we walked around, Eugene or Charles or Steven would call out to an employee by name and maybe even ask about how a sick child was doing or how some personal project was working out. One worker told me that Eugene and Mary never miss a funeral or wedding if it involves even a relative of one of their employees.
This is a delightful story, but it wasn’t the main reason we were there. A dark cloud hangs over the Sukup family.
It is the inheritance tax.
I want to take some time dealing with this and so will do that next time.
Oh! The sheriff…well, I was driving around taking pictures of farms and silos and cornfields, pulling over on the side of the road over and over again to get a shot. The sunset was gorgeous and I wasn’t paying much attention to anything around me. At one point, I was trying to get a picture of a farm, the silos, the cornfields and the sunset, all aligned just right, which meant I was driving very slowly along the side of the road, stopping, starting…now that I think about it, looking pretty weird from an outside perspective. It was somewhere in this picture-framing process that I looked into the rear-view mirror and noticed a police car tracking right behind me. I think he saw me finally look at him in the rear-view mirror, so he turned on his red and blue lights.
I stopped (aren’t you proud?).
He was very kind and asked me if I was having any trouble. I told him that I was just trying to take a picture of the cornfields. (I should have elaborated a little more).
He leaned forward and looked in my car and then lowered his sunglasses and said “You’re taking pictures of the cornfields?”
I told him I was from Colorado and we didn’t have cornfields like this where I come from.
There was a long silence that was a little uncomfortable and then he nodded his head, stood up and said in a slow Iowa-sheriff way, “Well, I suppose we’re guilty of taking for granted how fascinating a cornfield is to some folks.”
He then tipped his hat and said, “Enjoy your stay!”
And that’s how I met the sheriff.
Comments
26 Responses to “Whose Property? The Sukup Family Story”
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Comments are moderated and will not appear until they've been approved. While we are eager to facilitate conversation by publishing most comments, we may withhold one from time to time if we deem it to be inappropriate, i.e. offensive, vulgar, overly personal, cynical, disrespectful, irrelevant, redundant or unnecessarily contentious (what a list, huh?). Check it over for spelling and grammar before you submit so that nothing will hinder your eloquence!
Del:
I was amazed to read your article about the Sukup Family. We listen to “Sing For Joy” from St. Olaf College, Minnesota on our local classical music station WCPE. The Sucup Co. supports the broadcast of the wonderful Sunday morning program.
May God continue to bless your work.
Roy Simpkins
Raleigh, NC
[Thanks, Roy. I'll mention that on the show! dt]
Sukup…not Sucup. See grain bin sign.
[Ugh! Can't believe I did that. Thanks, Steve. dt]
Del,
Beautiful picture. We have relatives in Iowa and have a propensity for making jokes about Iowa’s corn, pig farms, flatness, and relative treelessness. (Wow, that word looks strange) But truth be told, every state has beauty, sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle, just like people. Obviously you were able to capture that beauty, in spite of the legal distraction. Did I detect a bit of (Godly attribute) sarcasm in the sheriff’s reply? We’ve been enjoying sweet corn this year as well, although apple season is on our doorstep. Autumn! My favorite time of year.
Speaking of “checking over spelling and grammar before you submit so that nothing will hinder your eloquence”… I think your brain was humming along faster than your nimble fingers could keep up this time! Still very eloquent though. Eagerly awaiting info on Cross Examine. Brian from Wisconsin. Go Packers.
[Thanks, Brian. There really is beauty everywhere if we will just look for it. And, I did post a little too quickly today. Thanks for "pulling me over"!
And, actually, the sheriff was quite nice. I'm sure he wondered what kind of goof-ball he was going to encounter. Thanks for reading the blog. dt]
Thanks for sharing this story and others Dr. Tackett. It is always a blessing to read your blogs. Do you know where we can find out more about Cross Examine and when it will come out?
Bradley from Georgia
[I pray they are of benefit to you, Bradley. I will post something next week regarding the time & networks for Cross Examine. The first show airs on September 12. dt]
Del,
Your barn/cornfield picture doesn’t even look real, it’s so awesome! Just another glorious display of beauty from our Father. Thank you for catching it for all of us to enjoy!
I praise the Lord for you and for God’s ministry through you.
[Glad you enjoyed it, Carol. I had to do some iPhoto editing on it because of the dark shadows late in the evening, but I enjoyed seeing it in person. Soli Deo Gloria! dt]
We have Direct TV. I’m having a hard time finding the show Cross Examine. Has it already started airing? Does Direct TV carry the show?
Is a followup to the Truth Project coming out any time soon? We did the Truth Project last year and enjoyed it immensely. So many things became much more clear to us after our study.
Thank you for all you do,
Jodi
[Thanks for your kind words, Jodi. The Lord is the One Who is making the Truth Project successful. I'm thankful it was beneficial for you. CE is scheduled to air September 12 and I will be posting directions on how to find out where and when in the next week or so. Thanks for asking! dt]
As a semi retired CPA I am in total sympathy with the Sukup disaster. Although it is possible to spread the payment of the estate tax over up to 15 years (as I recall), it is still a disaster. To pay the tax even then, with the liquidation of the organization’s assets, jobs will be chopped.
I started in a bank’s trust department as a college accounting student and when I saw all the legal stuff the noteworth families in our town had to jump thru it made me angry (and this was the law in 1964).
Things could have been done beyond cutting the nails off the elephant but the best solution is to exempt family businesses like theirs. Exempting them would provide normalcy to similar operations across the country. If not exempt the estate then exempt the operating entity of the business etc.
Sign me up for any group that is pushing against the estate tax. No horrow stories will I add but man they are all over the country and never justified by logic or other reasoning.
[Max, thanks for the comments. I have long wished that we had created a place on the TP website that would provide "issue centers" where someone would maintain the current information and literature on a particular issue and allow those who have that passion to network together, sharing things they are doing, learning from each other, etc. Someday we will have that and I will then have a place to point you to! dt]
Love what God is doing though you Del. You capture God’s Creativity in you pictures extremely well. His Beauty is everywhere we look and I too find myself standing in awe at all of his creations. Every detail has His thumbprint on it. I can’t wait to see Cross Examine if it is available on our networks here in Toledo. Please post the networks and times when you get a chance. Thanks again for all the work you are doing!!!!!!!
[I will post how to find Cross Examine airing locations next week. Thank you for your encouraging words. Soli Deo Gloria! dt]
I completely agree with what every one is saying about God’s amazing beauty in the sunset and the corn and silos, but I think people are missing out on the Beautiful Lilly, Now there is a n amazing creation of Gods. Sorry, I adore kids so I had to comment.
[I agree! Of all the creation's beauty, none can match the beauty of a child. dt]
Wow! I’m a misplaced Iowa farm girl. You can take the girl off the farm but not the farm out of the girl. Thank you for what you are doing — to expose the destructive policies of a government headed in the wrong direction. Thank you also for sharing the beauty of God’s creation and His handiwork … man’s ingeniousness.
[My pleasure, Jamie. I know what you mean, though. I'm still a farm boy at heart. God's design always fascinates me. Thanks for following the blog. dt]
Yesterday a lovely little poem arrived about a little boy dawdling along, he checked out a caterpilllar, blew the fluff from a milkweed, etc. etc. A neighbour, watching, asked where he’d been. “I’ve been to Bible school and I learned about God”. The man said “If you tell me where God is, I’ll give you a dime”. The last verse:
Quick as a flash the answer came
Nor were his accents faint.
“I’ll give you a dollar, Mister
If you can tell me where God ain’t”
[Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil, no point.]
I thank God for what you are doing. Bless you.
[Thanks, Marie. Brought a smile to my face. dt]
Del, Thanks for sharing your gift of storytelling! Spending time in the midwest during the fall is a huge treat! Blessings, Terri
[Telling the Sukup story wasn't very difficult...they are a great family! Thanks for reading the blog. dt]
Wow! What a gorgeous picture! I paint in oils, so I am always looking at the sky. “The heavens declare the glory of the Lord!” Thanks for all you are doing. We’ve been through The Truth Project twice with our teeneagers and just love it. The networking idea is a good one. Lots of people want to help this great nation stay great–we need to fire things up and get moving!
[Thank you, Vivian. I love the creation and am fascinated by it. That is why I never go out without my camera! Thanks for being a part of the Truth Project work. Hopefully, as God's people develop a greater and greater biblical worldview, there will be a change in this nation. dt]
I can’t express the impact that The Truth Project had on my life. The study just had to be God imspired. Our leader was outstanding and many in our group shared my excitement. Thank you!!
Did I miss the info on locating Cross Examine?
[Thanks, Joy! The Lord has indeed blessed it mightily. I wrote a blog on how to get the Cross Examine info last week. dt]
Nice pictures of my state! The inheritance tax is not popular here and one of our US Senators get that ,but not the other.
[You have a beautiful state! My prayer is that we will find a larger and larger segment of our population that begin to see that there is something wrong in this. Maybe then our elected officials will "get it". dt]
thank you for your posting of the Sukup family story. as someone who grew up on a family farm in northern Indiana, where corn is also king, i still appreciate the beauty of it all. i also understand to some extent the financial stresses on farm life that more expenses bring. We should thank God for the Sukup family and for people like them that genuinely care for their employees and those around them. Let’s keep them in our prayers. God Bless!
[Thanks, Robert. There is a simply beauty to it all...the cornfields, a wonderful family, and the blessings that come from hard and creative work. dt]
Dear Del,
I am just starting a bible study on the truth project with my college group of friends and it has been an amazing influence. Thank you. Also, I read the article about your trip to Iowa, and wanted to say that you should have definitely stopped at my house in Clear Lake. You were within a mile of it as you were driving down I-35. That is ok though, because I am in Kansas anyway at Central Christian College. Thanks for being such an amazing instrument of of our God
[Thanks, Josh. I have a heart of college students and pray the Lord will deeply bless your group. Thanks for joining us in the TP effort! dt]
Del, I think it is fascinating to note that we only see what God is doing in “our neck of the woods” during those passing moments. Actually, He is painting those magnificent sunsets, and bringing Beautiful Lillies into the world 24/7. Unceasing marvels! I can hardly wait for Heaven!!
[Jesus said in John 5:17, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." He didn't stop on Day 7 and retire! Thanks! dt]
I think we are all like the sherriff at times. We are inclined to take for granted the beauty of God’s wonderful creation all around us. I am fortunate to live within sight of Mt Rainier in Western Washington, so I am often reminded of His beauty. However, I have never been anywhere in this world without finding something beautiful. We just have to look around or up.
Thanks for all you do.
[That is also true of missing the beauty of the people around us. Mt. Rainier is awesome. What a blessing to live near it (and see it on clear days!) dt]
Del
I’ve known Eugene Sukup since I first worked with his grain stirring devices in 1964-65. I conducted the first large field trials and wrote the first management manual for grain stirring devices in 1965. I was on a national committee committe with Charles Sukup, as both of us are agricultural engineers. Charles Sukup was the President of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) just a few years ago. I’ve been through their manjufacturing plant (about 9 years ago) when I hosted two Ukrainian scientists that I work with on grain storage and drying technology, and eaten with them at one of their favorite restaurants in Sheffield.
I recommend Sukup aeration and drying fans and steel bins when a fan system is needed in my consulting because their fans have certified capacity ratings. I trust their ratings.
They are a great family. I would expect that Eugene and his wife have a roll-over family living trust, which should provide a lot of protection to their family. They should not need to sell their business when Eugene and his wife go on to join Billy Graham.
Glad you enjoyed Iowa.
I’m semi-retired and try to work as a grain storage missionary internationally. My next project is helping Ukraine Government develop grain fumigation legistlation/regulations this fall.
Sam Hall passed me your article.
Ron (retired OSU agricultural engineer)from Stillwater, Oklahoma.
[Ron, thanks commenting and your personal testimony of the Sukup family. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them. I know they are deeply concerned about the issue, though. There is no silver bullet. dt]
Good Morning,
I was wondering if you ever make your way to the New England states. With the great success of the Truth Project in our church. Many of our folks are interested in hearing you speak in person. Do you have any speaking engagements upcoming in the Northeast?
Thanks,
jack
[Thanks, Jack. I am excited to hear that the Lord is blessing TP in the northeast. I rarely accept speaking engagements just because I’m not really interested in “speaking”. I would rather have the time to teach and get involved with people so that we might see a real “transformation” in them. However, I do, on occasion, meet with Truth Project leaders and attendees to hear from them what God has done in their lives and to answer questions they may have about the Truth Project. Maybe that could work out in New England. We’ll see. Thanks for commenting. dt
Loved the sheriff story and thanks for the out-loud laugh this beautiful morning! Your photo is amazing!
[Laughter is good for the soul, no? Thanks! dt]
Well…the sheriff is right (again)…we Iowan’s do take the scenery for granted. We are from SE Iowa and get to enjoy the beautiful scenery daily but I’d have to say that we spent our honeymoon in Colorado and you have some beautiful scenery there as well! By the way, if any of you are interested there is a magazine [Our Iowa] all about Iowa with more of those beautiful pictures and stories about us Iowans.
[Thanks, Vicki. Iowa is a neat place. I enjoyed my time there. P.S. We had to remove the advertising lines to be consistent. dt]
Del,
What a wonderful story. I thought that I had seen a big cornfield in Maryland, when it was a “huge” 800 acres. In New Mexico, the biggest field of grain that I have seen so far, is six, (not a misprint), acres.
If you would accept an invitation to come to Albuquerque to teach, I could share with you the best homemade cheesecake you will ever eat.
Thanks for all that you are doing, sharing His glory.
[Mmmmm, that's tempting!
dt]
Del,
I really appreciate your ministry and enjoy reading your newsletter/blog. I live in Pueblo, Colorado, and paying for television just isn’t in my budget. However, I really would like to view your new TV program Cross Examine. Do you know of any TV station I can get that airs this program? I do have internet, so I was wondering if I could access it on the internet. I would appreciate any help with this.
Linda B.
[Linda, if you go to the webiste (www.crossexamine.com) there is a place there to enter your zip code and it will give you the times and stations. However, you can watch the entire show online there as well. Thanks for writing in! dt]
Del,
Thanks for the story.We farm in Southwest Iowa and yes it is a beautiful State. We own a few of those Sukup bins. We also are dealing with the inheritance tax. Three generation farmers in my husbands family, with the 4th up and coming soon. Century farmers for my folks. I will be waiting for the rest of the story.
[Thanks, Rebecca! I pray your "4th" will be free to do so. dt]