We asked you to nominate people in agriculture who are making history. Many deserving people were nominated. But only a few could be named winners. These are those people. Thank you to all the nominees and congratulations to all the winners.
We asked you to nominate people in agriculture who are making history. Many deserving people were nominated. But only a few could be named winners. These are those people. Thank you to all the nominees and congratulations to all the winners.
We opened the polls and asked you to help us select an additional winner in each of the five #BestIsYet categories. The people have spoken, and you didn’t disappoint.
Sawyer Whisler is a 21 yr. old, 6th generation farmer from SE. IA. He farms full time. He chores 10,000 head of pigs (2500 of his own); he farms crop acres with his dad; creates, shoots and edits a YouTube channel (This’ll Do Farm) dedicated to promoting agriculture in a positive light. He also just launched a video and audio podcast called BarnTalk shot in the hayloft of a barn on his family farm with the goal of telling the story of American agriculture. I’m his dad so I know I’m biased but he is the most passionate, hard working person I know. Super proud.
Jeff is an area farmer that wears many hats in our small Monroe, WI community. From farmer to Santa Claus this man does many things for this community. He took a dark and troubled past and turned it into a mission to help farmers combat mental health issues. He has started his own nonprofit to further the removal of the stigma of mental health. (T.U.G.S.)
He also promotes agriculture anytime and anywhere. And last but not least Jeff also plays Santa on several occasions each and every fall/winter regardless of weather his crops are out of the field or not. He even has taken Santa virtual with all of stress this pandemic has created this last year.
A fifth generation Iowa farmer, Dan Voss has been utilizing no-till and strip-till farming for almost 30 years. Beyond this method of sustainable farming, Dan has utilized precision management techniques, waterways, and cover crops. Dan has worked with the local NRCS office to use saturated buffers in certain areas of his land. A local leader in conservation techniques, Dan has encouraged other farmers to utilize conservation methods such as cover crops. In addition, he has also hosted meetings with various stakeholders about conservation methods and has been involved in local water quality plans for several years. He remains one of the only individuals in Linn County, Iowa, to grow oats and also has hay each year, serving a local niche market and also improving the crop and economic diversity of his operation. His forward-thinking optimism has been a benefit to his operation each year. The crop diversity has helped both the soil, and the bottom line, especially during years of droughts and last summer's derecho.
Averie Brown is dairy farmer. Strong willed and hopeful to keep our industry going. She is going to University of Connecticut majoring in Animal Science. She is interested in every aspect of farming. From milking, to giving cows IVs to tedding hay and driving dump truck. She’s always been a huge Pioneer fan as that has been the corn and soybeans they have planted her whole life. She came from a large dairy in Vermont Fairmont Farm milking 1,500 cows. She recently moved to NY to Lantland Farm to see dairy farming on a smaller scale milking 180 cows in a tie stall. She has taught herself how to breed the cows and is always open to learning each and everyday. I am excited to see the work she will do for the dairy industry.
Mary Trossbach: co-founder of Trossbach Family Meats.
In 2021, Pioneer turned 95 years old. And we've been leaders in corn hybrid development since the beginning.
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