r at job falls to mike helland. >> if the landown't working together with the tenant on conservation, it's probably not going to get done. >> reporter: bechase the tenant less interest in stewarding the land than the owner would. >> exactly. >> reporter: and this creates a huge barrier to change. since many farmers don't own the land, they don't feel invested enough to make long-term changes, especially ones that might impact their bottom line. and even if they wand to farm more sustainably, some landlords might not allow it. >> mike and i always say that e 're trying to be an exam the neighborhood, and that our neighbors are watching us. >> reporter: mike helland farms about 000 acres, renting 2,400he of tfrom various landlords. helland is open to trying more conservation techniques, but he already tried a diversified crop rotation of oats in the '80s. >> there's an old saying in ts: "it's one of the mos consistent crops in iowa; it'll lose money every year." >> reporter: he says it didn't work then and wont work now for him because big food companies have set up their systems to sou