Next Generation Farming

How One Kansas Family is Cultivating a New Legacy by Diversifying their Farm

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 02:52:31 GMT

In a state where wheat, cattle and corn fill the fields of Kansas, broccoli doesn’t typically make the list of farm favorites. But it’s Jacob Thomas’, the co-owner of Jet Produce and Meats , favorite food to grow. His family’s farm started as a livestock operation in the 1950s. Today, it’s making a way for the next generation by diversifying the operation and connecting to the personal side of producing food.

“When I pick a head of broccoli, I know exactly ... what’s going to happen to it. Somebody’s going to buy that to eat for dinner,” Thomas said. His passion for produce began at age 14 when he asked his dad if he could plant a garden. “I think the draw to it for me was that a lot of farms are growing corn, soybeans and even raising livestock. How does that actually feed a person?”

Jacob and his wife Jennifer, started their farm and business while Thomas was a junior in college at Iowa State University. Their venture began on a quarter of an acre. “It was like, wow, there really is something to this. People will stop on the side of the road and buy vegetables. This is interesting.”

The following year, their business model grew to selling food at the farmers markets. Today, the operation, spans nearly 17 acres, includes eight greenhouses, and operates its own storefront on the family farm. Jet Produce also sells its products to farmers markets in the Kansas City area.

(Jet Produce and Meats Facebook Page)

Jet Produce grows most vegetables, pumpkins, popcorn and flowers. Thomas said flowers account for nearly 20% of their sales and help them manage risk throughout the year. Jacob notes that the direct connection to the consumer changes the experience of farming.

“That’s something that’s just really nice for me,” he said. "[To] have all that positive interaction with customers that are just so thankful for the food.”

Back to the Roots

Jacob and Jennifer have help from their daughters Lisa and Sarah, ages 7 and 5. Jacob’s parents are also active in the operation. Dale Thomas, Jacob’s dad, can be found managing the storefront. He wasn’t originally sure about Jacob’s interest in horticulture, but he now sees the value of adding produce to their operation.

“It’s a lot more personable than the farming I ever did,” he said. Dale’s primary role on the farm is taking care of the livestock and hay. It’s a job that brought the family back to its roots. “The Leavenworth Farmers Market, just basically said to Jacob one day, ‘you know there’s nobody here selling beef, why don’t you grow beef or sell beef?’”

Now, Jet Produce sells beef, pork, chickens, and lamb directly to customers. But the family isn’t just building consumer connections; their focus is also at home.

“My girls were at that age where they just want to hang out with me all day and they want to learn,” Jacob said. “Every opportunity I can get to have them help me plant something, help me sorting, anything that they can do.”

Jacob, Jennifer, Lisa and Sarah Thomas.

(Credits: Jet Produce and Meats Facebook)

Overall, Jacob said the wide variety of crops and livestock has gained the respect of other farmers in the area, even if it started as a different model of farming. “They realize now that what I’m doing isn’t just like a really big backyard garden. That it is farming,” he said. “It’s just different farming.”

The Succession Gap: Why Two-Thirds of Farms Face an Uncertain Future

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:18:06 GMT

Farm Journal recently reported that 44 million acres of U.S. farmland are expected to change hands in the coming years - nearly 15% of American cropland by 2030.

That’s a staggering number. But what concerns me most isn’t just the acreage. It’s what that number represents: leadership transition, ownership transition and decision-making transition happening all at once across the country.

When I look at the accompanying data, I see both opportunity and vulnerability.

According to the Farm Journal Seed & Planting Survey and Consolidation Index Predictive Model Analysis, only 34% of growing operations have a formal succession plan. Among benchmark producers, that number drops to 29%. For operations identified as at-risk, just 21% have a documented succession plan in place.

Let that sink in.

Even among farms positioned for growth, two-thirds do not have a formal plan for how leadership and ownership will transition. And nearly four out of five at-risk farms are operating without one.

At the same time, consolidation risk is not limited to smaller operations. Farms under $250,000 in gross income show a 58% consolidation risk. Farms between $250,000 and $500,000 show 48%. But even operations in the $1 million to $2.5 million range carry a 32% risk. And those between $2.5 million and $10 million still sit in a baseline consolidation risk zone of roughly 27–30%.

In other words, income alone does not protect you.

Succession gaps, management transitions and strategic exits are driving consolidation regardless of size.

I’ve spent my career working with agricultural families navigating generational transition, and I can tell you this: consolidation rarely happens overnight. It happens when pressure meets unpreparedness. A health event. A lender conversation. A market downturn. A disagreement that was never resolved. A next generation that was never fully developed or clearly empowered to lead.

Agriculture has always been unpredictable. We all understand that. Weather changes. Markets move. Policies shift. But what feels different right now is how layered the uncertainty has become. Interest rates have restructured balance sheets. Input costs remain volatile. Capital demands continue to rise. Technology expectations are accelerating. And the average age of the American farmer keeps climbing.

Generational turnover is not something we can push off for “someday.” It is happening now.

So, here’s the question I would ask any farm leader reading this: If something unexpected happened tomorrow, would your operation be okay?

Would there be clarity about who makes decisions? Would ownership be clearly defined? Would compensation and reinvestment policies be understood? Would lenders feel confident in your continuity? Would your successors be prepared - not just present - to lead?

If you hesitate in answering that, you are not alone. But hesitation is a signal.

The data in the Farm Journal analysis tells an important story. Growing operations are more likely to try new technology. They are more likely to plan land investment. And they are more likely to have formal succession plans in place. That is not coincidence. It reflects intentional leadership.

The leaders that plan tend to think about the long term - not just the next growing season. They understand their profitability by enterprise. They are disciplined about capital allocation. They define leadership roles. They have hard conversations before circumstances force communication. They build clarity into the business so that transition strengthens it rather than destabilizes it.

Succession planning is often misunderstood.

It is not simply an estate planning document. It is not a will tucked in a drawer. It is not something you address only when someone retires. It is a business discipline.

It requires clarity about management transfer and ownership transfer - and those are not always the same thing. It requires fairness, which is not necessarily equality. It requires governance structure so family conversations don’t become a business crises. It requires intentional development of the next generation so leadership transition feels earned and prepared, not assumed.

And perhaps most importantly, it requires timing.

Consolidation favors clarity. It favors farms that reduce ambiguity before outside forces expose it. It favors operations that are structured - not just successful.

One of the most revealing pieces of the consolidation data is that even higher-income farms carry measurable risk. A $3 million or $5 million operation is not immune. Scale does not eliminate vulnerability if leadership transition is unclear or strategic direction is undefined.

The 44 million acres projected to change hands represent a defining moment for American agriculture. Some families will use this season to strengthen continuity and expand. Others will find themselves reacting - not because they lacked work ethic or competence, but because they delayed putting structure in place.

Planning does not eliminate uncertainty - but it does provide framework and stability.

It allows you to make proactive decisions rather than reactive ones. It gives lenders confidence. It gives the next generation clarity. It protects family relationships. And it preserves optionality.

If your farm is truly okay - strategically aligned, financially transparent, leadership-ready - then planning becomes a growth tool.

If it’s not, planning becomes urgent.

Either way, it matters.

Knowing the data should never create paralysis. Understanding your consolidation risk, your succession gaps and your financial position gives you something incredibly valuable: choice. When your business structure is clear and your succession plan is thoughtful but flexible, you can pivot as markets shift, opportunities emerge or circumstances change. You may not be able to eliminate uncertainty - but you can position yourself to move through it with confidence.

The Illinois Farm Family Who Inspired Lay’s ‘Last Harvest’ Super Bowl Commercial

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:51:34 GMT

It was a one-minute spot that captured hearts on Super Bowl Sunday. Lay’s “Last Harvest” commercial told the story of a farm family passing the torch from one generation to the next, rooted in memories, hard work and the bond between parent and child.

While the story in the Super Bowl ad was fictional, it was inspired by the real-life experiences of third-generation potato producer Tom Neumiller and his daughter Katie Floming, the fourth generation working alongside him at Neumiller Farms in Savanna, Ill.

A Story That Hits Home

Floming, operations manager at Neumiller Farms, recalls watching the commercial for the first time.

“I was so touched. It really hit home for me,” she says. “Growing up, if I wanted to see my parents, I had to go to the farm because they were always working. That’s where we spent our family time, quick meals, then back to work. I loved it. There are no complaints there. Being present at the farm was everything.”

The commercial’s depiction of a young girl chasing her parents through potato fields and learning the ropes mirrored Katie’s own childhood experiences. She laughs as she recalls one particular scene.

“When she came outside wearing white tennis shoes to work, that hit home. I remember showing up in sandals, and my dad would just shake his head. I had to go home and change,” Floming says..

For Neumiller, seeing their family’s life portrayed on such a massive stage was humbling.

“Farmers don’t usually end up in Super Bowl commercials, but this is very nice,” he says. “For that one-minute ad, they captured a farm family and our legacy all in one. It was just amazing.”

Floming adds that the story resonated with many viewers beyond their family.

“It’s very relatable. People would come up at the Super Bowl and say, ‘My grandfather was in that situation’ or ‘My family didn’t have the option to pass it on.’ It’s a story that connects with most people,” she says.

Farming in Northern Illinois: Unique Challenges

Neumiller Farms isn’t a typical potato operation. Neumiller explains growing potatoes in northern Illinois requires creativity, considering they are the lone family growing potatoes in northern Illinois.

“We’re the only ones in the area,” Neumiller says. “You need good water and light, sandy soil. Illinois has pockets of sand, so we’ve become a very mobile farm. We have one farm 150 miles away, another 30 miles south and another 15 miles north. It allows us to manage the light soils and adequate water we need.”

Floming now manages daily operations, but Neumiller remains deeply involved.

“I’m old school. I want to be involved in everything,” he says. “I talk to the managers every day. I get here early and stay around, maybe too long, but I stay involved in everything.”

The family works side by side, literally.

Floming says: “Our desks are right next to each other. We’re constantly feeding off each other, and we always know what’s going on.”

Neumiller smiles, adding: “My wife’s on the other side, and we’ve been married 54 years. She’s been involved in the business from way back.”

“He doesn’t get a break,” Floming quips.

Passing the Torch

Though Neumiller hopes for a few more harvests, Floming embraces the responsibility of continuing the family legacy.

“I’m very thankful to still be farming alongside my dad,” she says. “He’s grown the farm, but it’s my responsibility to keep it going, for our family, our employees and our community. I want to do the best I can to preserve our foundation while building for the future.”

A plaque on the wall of Neumiller Farms signifies seven decades of producing potatoes for Frito-Lay, a partnership that made their story perfect for Lay’s Super Bowl spotlight.

Neumiller reflects on the broader significance: “All of us farmers, we’re not usually in the spotlight. But it’s an honor to show the connection between soil, farming and the food we produce. Sustainability, passing on the farm, doing the job right — it all matters. Our story continues, and that’s what I hope to pass on.”

A Last Harvest That Connected Us All

As Lay’s “Last Harvest” reminded viewers on Super Bowl Sunday, the foods we enjoy come from real families working the land, generation after generation. For the Neumillers, that legacy is alive and thriving, one potato at a time, creating a story that connected us all.

If you thought the 60-second commercial was memorable, watch the full three-minute version on Lay’s YouTube page .

2026 Top Producer Next Gen Award Winner: Tim Nuss

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:13:14 GMT

Nestled on the very northern edge of California’s Central Valley, Nuss Farms grows a variety of specialty crops every year. But returning to the farm in Lodi, Calif., wasn’t always part of Tim Nuss’ plan.

“I was always out here as a kid. Our dad would bring me and my brothers out here, and we’d always do odd jobs on the farm. But once I got into high school, I kind of wanted to run away from the farm and made my way back. I joined and kind of came full circle back to the farm three years ago,” he says.

Today, Nuss is the farm’s fifth generation, along with his brothers, Tyler and Derek. Together with their dad, Dave, the family is focused on rejuvenating their farm through regenerative agriculture. But Nuss admits the toil he focuses on today isn’t in the San Joaquin Valley soil.

From Business to Agriculture

“I studied business in college and got a degree there and then went to work in the fresh produce industry. I spent about a decade working in fresh produce focused on international exports. So not quite farming, but it was farm adjacent working with grower-packer-shippers that export products overseas,” he says.

Nuss says he spent a lot of time in Asia, exporting table grapes, cherries and citrus. He worked with many farmers and laid a groundwork of knowledge he taps into today.

“I got really interested in ag tech and what was happening with venture capital flowing into agriculture. I worked for a few venture-backed startups in the ag space before coming back to the family farm in late 2022,” he adds.

A Pull Back to His Roots

That outside experience, combined with conversations with his younger brother, eventually sparked something new.

“It was probably eight or so years ago when me and my younger brother started talking more. We’re very entrepreneurial and started feeling the pull back to the family farm. It was my dad and my older brother who were managing the farm. We started talking to them more about how they were thinking about growing the business and how they’re thinking about scaling and just felt that pull back having grown up out here. I think it’s in your blood and you want to come back to it,” Nuss says.

Nuss didn’t come back to farm the same way his dad and older brother, Derek, do. With both still on the farm today, Nuss and Tyler knew they had to carve out something new while complementing what their dad and Derek were already doing.

“I gained experience in the business side of things where I could come on, take over the business side of the operation, handling our budgets, forecast sales, business development, all that kind of stuff. So, everybody can kind of stay in their lane, and it was a complimentary skill set. I think my dad was happy to pass that off to me, where he could focus on the farming side, which he enjoys more than running the paperwork and business side things,” he says.

The Nuss family grows everything from garlic and tomatoes to peppers, melons and herbs — a diversified operation that helps them weather the cycles of the fresh produce world.

The Modern Acre Podcast

But beyond the farm, Nuss and Tyler run The Modern Acre podcast , connecting farmers, startups and investors.

“On the podcast, it’s really talking about how people are building their businesses within ag. We talked to a lot of ag tech companies that are building technology businesses that are new and novel and kind of getting their stories out there. And we talked to a lot of legacy, agribusiness-type companies and how they’re thinking about using technology to build their businesses and a lot of innovative farmers that are adopting new technologies. So just trying to tell those stories from different perspectives,” he says.

The podcast has even opened doors to new markets, including one that took nearly a year to land.

“A new opportunity that developed this year was with Chipotle, where we had built a relationship with the CEO of a company called Local Line that we had had on the podcast. They have investment from Chipotle and manage Chipotle’s local grower program. Through that connection, we just started talking about our capabilities, what crops are grown on the farm. They’re actually really big on local sourcing, and Chipotle has a distribution center in Stockton, which is 20 miles from where we’re standing right now. So it’s a really good local story to tell. We’ve been working on getting set up as a vendor for close to a year. It’s a big hurdle to hit,” Nuss says.

Nuss says the steps to become a vendor, combined with seasonal crop production, made this market months in the making. Nuss Farms now supplies red bell peppers and jalapenos to Chipotle.

“It was a real big success,” he says. “It’s a little bit outside the normal of what we do, but could be something we can scale with next year. Just because we’ve never done it before, let’s be open-minded and see what the opportunity could be.”

Cutting Through the Noise of Biologicals

Innovation doesn’t stop there. A farmer-first mindset and hunger to innovate led to another idea: AgList , a platform designed to cut through the noise around biologicals while clearing up confusion.

“When I came back to the farm and joined full time, I was just hit up by every biological company trying to pitch their product. And it was overwhelming to navigate. Like biologicals, there’s a lot of tailwinds with the industry moving away from synthetics, but it’s still very fragmented where there’s hundreds and hundreds of companies, and there’s not really an independent place where a grower can sit down and look at companies and products that are applicable for them,” he says.

AgList creates a directory of all products and companies in the biological space, indexing them for growers, researchers and agronomists.

“It’s kind of an internet-based business that’s really cool. And having the podcast, we have this built-in audience that we can promote it to and build it out. We have 200-plus products on the platform and 30-plus companies on the platforms,” Nuss says.

They achieved 14,000 impressions on the website in just a month, another example of how the Nuss family diversifies beyond traditional farming while mitigating risk.

“A lot of farms vertically integrate, or they’ll have trucking businesses. We were coming at it from a little bit of a different angle, having the media side with the podcast and leading to white space that we see building companies in the ag space,” he says.

Innovation as a Strategy

For Nuss, innovation isn’t about chasing trends — it’s about creating new opportunities for a fifth-generation California farm.

“I think it’s, you know, a continuation of what we’ve been doing, trying to find better and better opportunities for the farm. How do we level up the operation, invest in infrastructure to do non-traditional programs like Chipotle, and how do we see an opportunity? With the podcast, we talk to a lot of companies and see where there might be an opportunity to build in the space, like what we did with AgList,” he says. “So it’s kind of a combination approach of growing the farm and seeing if there’s other complimentary business units that we can kind of put in parallel to the farm,” Nuss adds.

Entrepreneurial from the Start

Nuss isn’t your traditional farmer today. But he says he and his brother have been unconventional from the start.

“I’ve always been kind of like wired and hungry. Me and my younger brother are always going back and forth with ideas and just very entrepreneurial to make an endeavor successful. When we were little kids, we didn’t do the lemonade stand. We sold produce from the farm in our driveway. We have a picture of that where we’re selling bell peppers and stuff. So it’s funny to be here 38 years later doing the same thing,” he says.

By blending tradition with entrepreneurship, Nuss proves returning to the family farm doesn’t mean doing things the old way. It means finding new ways to move agriculture forward. That innovative spirit is why he is the 2026 Top Producer Next Gen Award Winner, sponsored by Pioneer and Fendt.

Top Producer of the Year Finalist: Splitter Farms

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:39:13 GMT

During the hustle of harvest in central Kansas, Matt Splitter pauses to take in what’s coming off his fields, and even he’s surprised.

“We’re seeing really good yields,” says Splitter, who farms across three counties but calls Sterling, Kan., home. “These are the best corn and soybean yields we’ve ever seen, and the wheat yields this summer were just phenomenal.”

The strong production comes as a welcome bright spot in a year when margins are tight and opportunities to lock in profits are scarce. For Splitter, yield alone isn’t enough to carry an operation forward.

“Usually there are times when you can capture margins with forward sales and things like that, but we’re just not seeing that this year,” he explains. “We’ve had to trim our input costs tremendously and think outside the box.”

That means rethinking everything, from products to application methods.

“Instead of using a certain product, let’s think about using product B,” Splitter says. “How do we apply it? Do we need in-ground injection, or can we go over the top with a sprayer? What’s the lowest cost of operation? Those are the things we’re constantly evaluating.”

Growth Without a Conventional Playbook

Splitter Farms grows corn, soybeans, milo and wheat, but it’s not the crop mix that makes the operation stand out. It’s how the business has grown.

In 2021, Splitter received the Top Producer Horizon Award . At the time, they were in the middle of a transition and expansion plan with the goal to farm 10,000 acres. Five years later, the operation looks dramatically different.

“We farm about 12,000 to 13,000 exclusive acres, and then we custom farm another 6,000 on top of that,” he says.

That scale-up happened quickly. Just five years ago, Splitter Farms covered roughly 7,000 acres.

“Relationship building is the biggest reason,” Splitter says when asked how he’s been able to achieve such growth. “Janna has done an incredible job creating relationships, fostering them and following through.”

Some of the growth came from family members retiring, others from neighboring farmers stepping away from agriculture altogether.

“With the economy the way it is, some farmers are just deciding to get out,” he says. “We’ve been able to take on some of that ground.”

Splitter admits growth felt inevitable, but the pace caught him off guard.

“I believed growth was coming. I just didn’t know to what extent,” he says. “And I’m not sure we’re done. We might be. But it’s been a fun ride the last five years.”

A Sudden Start and a Steep Learning Curve

That growth is even more striking considering where the operation began.

When Matt and Janna Splitter started farming full time, the operation totaled just over 1,000 acres. Their decision to farm wasn’t planned, though. It was sudden.

“In 2010, my father passed away very suddenly,” Splitter says. “I was working for the National Sorghum Association out of Lubbock, Texas, but living in Kansas. After he passed, we were given the opportunity to farm. We weren’t given a whole lot of assets,” he says. “But we were given an incredible opportunity to come back and take over.”

With 1,200 acres and three landowners, the Splitters farmed part time for several years before committing fully.

“When we came on full time around 2012 and 2013, it still took extra income,” Splitter says. “Those winters were spent doing repairs, fixing fence, cleaning pastures, really whatever it took.”

The work ethic was there. What challenged them most was the learning curve.

“We had to ask a lot of questions,” Splitter says. “We leaned on accountants, attorneys, agronomists— really focused on surrounding ourselves with people who knew more than we did.”

The Right Mentors

That willingness to learn led to one of the most pivotal relationships in Splitter Farms’ history. After making a poor wheat marketing decision early on, Splitter knew they needed guidance.

“We just needed a little push and some advice,” he says. “That’s when we found Lee and Margaret Scheifler.”

Splitter approached Lee at a local meeting.

“I told him my father had passed and that I had questions,” he recalls. “That conversation turned into a relationship where we never once felt judged.”

The Scheiflers recognized something important.

“They saw we were willing to learn and willing to take a chance on the next step,” Splitter says.

In 2016, the Scheiflers asked Matt and Janna if they’d consider taking over their farm.

“We didn’t know how to answer,” Splitter says. “We had just come out of a really tough time, and we were asking ourselves how we could grow and do it right without letting anyone down.”

Eventually, they said yes, and then orchestrated a carefully planned transition plan, taking over about 1,000 acres per year.

What they couldn’t predict was how quickly other opportunities would follow.

“Other people saw how we were developing and wanted to be part of it,” Splitter says. “Five years turned into six, seven, eight. That transition is now complete, and we’re just pedaling the bike.”

Relationships as a Business Strategy

Today, Splitter Farms spans three counties in central Kansas. Matt is quick to credit much of the operation’s success to his wife, Janna, who is the co-owner and controller of the farm.

“Every relationship we build, we want people to feel like they are our No. 1 relationship,” Janna says. “Whether it’s vendors or landowners, we want them to feel that we go above and beyond.”

That mindset has helped sustain long-term partnerships and fuel continued growth.

One of the toughest decisions the Splitters made was relocating their headquarters from land Matt’s family homesteaded in 1878 to a newer farm 30 miles away.

“I knew that to grow at the pace that we needed to grow to get ahead of the curve was not where I grew up. The growth just wasn’t there. It will be, and we will continue to grow there, but at the time for us to grow, for us be mentored, for us to learn, it required us to make this move and move our headquarters here,” Splitter says. “And the mentorship side, being close to Lee and Margaret, being right across the road as neighbors to him now as well, that was so important to just be in close proximity to him.”

Culture, Efficiency and the Next Chapter

From moving to 100% no-till during downturns to operating two farming entities with one equipment lineup, every decision is calculated.

“There’s no playbook,” Splitter says. “We just know what the end goal looks like. There have been lifts and plateaus along the way, and this is probably one of those plateaus, until the next opportunity comes.”

Inside the business, professionalism and culture are non-negotiable. That philosophy is visible in their “dream” farm office the Splitters built nearly two years ago .

“The office is really the framework of what makes everything happen in the field,” Janna says. “It elevates professionalism, and it’s something we dreamed about for years.”

As the operation grows, Janna has watched Matt’s role evolve.

“We used to be the young people in the room,” she says. “Now we’re becoming teachers instead of learners.”

That influence is part of what makes Matt Splitter a finalist for the 2026 Top Producer of the Year.

“His ability to connect with people is what stands out,” Janna says. “He does it humbly, and he never seeks attention, but the impact he’s had on others is really special.”

Splitter may credit luck for some of the success, but those who know the operation see something else: disciplined growth, relationship-driven leadership and efficiency-focused decisions.

Congratulations to Splitter Farms, finalist for the 2026 Top Producer of the Year, which is sponsored by BASF and Fendt.

Click here to register for the 2026 Top Producer Summit.

It’s Time For Next Gen Farmers To Adjust Their Game Plan

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:16:33 GMT

It’s time to write a new playbook for the next generation of row crop farmers looking to expand their businesses. Economics show expansion isn’t possible by being a high cash renter.

This is according to University of Illinois economists Gary Schnitkey and Nick Paulson, who say the current plateau projected for commodity prices ($4 corn and $10.50 soybeans) is out of line with input costs. This is particularly punctuated by cash rent trends (Illinois 2025 average is $264/acre).

High Cash Rents Equals Negative Margins

While in the past a successful strategy could be to optimize row crop operations by expanding acres with cash rent, the economists say those acres now experience some of the worst margins, and therefore have completely undercut that a strategy.

“Since 2022, we saw cash rents and non-land costs go up,” Schnitkey explained on a recent webinar hosted by the Illinois Soybean Association. “We don’t expect to see much more moderation in costs for the next year or the year after. Break evens in this situation are above what the market is offering.”

While ad hoc farmer payments are helping with some operating costs, the economists say they aren’t enough to make up the difference in production costs.

“A combination of lower prices and higher costs have pushed us into a very low return period,” Schnitkey says. “When we do budgets for ’26, we come up with a return of -$17/acre.”

The economic projections specific for rented acres are even worse.

While recognizing averages don’t represent any one individual farm, Nick Paulson says analyzing the average cash rents do provide important and useful trend data.

With statewide averages for Illinois, Indiana and Iowa reporting at $264, $227 and $274/acre, respectively, Paulson says those have steadily risen since 2020.
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The economists observe there’s not enough returns on corn and soybean production to provide both the landowner and the farmer with historical normal returns. Paulson adds there’s pressure for lower cash rents, but so far, most have only reported small adjustments. While there have been a few dollars shaved off the averages from ’24 to ’25, he says, from a farmers’ perspective, those need to decline even greater.

“If we bid above average cash rents, we’re just burning cash quicker,” Paulson says.

Looking at the University of Illinois crop budgets for 2026, Paulson reports on a 50% corn/50% soybean farm in central Illinois, the average margin on rented acres is -$32/acre.

“We’ve seen farmers, particularly family farms, since the 1990s expand their farming operations by renting more ground, especially as a way to bring back more family to the farm and gain efficiencies with machinery over more acres,” Paulson says. “It’s been a strategy to rent land and use the resources built up on that rented ground to build the land base. It’s a much more challenging and infeasible strategy compared to what that strategy has done in the past.”

Take a Hard Look At All Rented Acres

While University of Illinois data points to a long-term average of $100/acre return for 50/50 corn and soybean farms in central Illinois, the current cash rent figures paint a stark contrast. As such, he says farmers should evaluate rental decisions selectively.

(University of Illinois)

“It’s not even close to the $100 average,” Paulson says. “For the foreseeable future, that’s likely to be the case. We don’t see prices increasing. Costs are coming down slowly. I don’t know where farmers can find the difference anywhere in their production budget. And particularly, this will effect younger farmers. They can’t pay to farm those acres.”

Established farmers may have an advantage as low-debt owned farmland may be subsidizing rental farmland. Owned farmland, in the U of I 2026 crop budget, shows a positive return.

“For those established farms with a stable land base, it’s time to look at the cash rented parcels and ask why. It’s tough to let a farm go. You don’t know when an opportunity arises in the future under more profitable circumstances. That’s a tough trigger to pull. Given the size of the red numbers we’re looking at, it’s a question we need to seriously ask ourselves,” Schnitckey says.

New Strategy

Paulson says a strategy for next gen farmer revenue growth can come from two areas — generating revenue from on-farm businesses or off-farm income.

“We’ve got two problems. We don’t know when the high income years from farming will happen again — it could be next week or 10 years from now,” Paulson says. “And the other problem is, in the meantime, chances for profitability are extremely low.”

When reviewing data from Illinois Farm Business Farm Management participants, Schnitckey says it’s important to look at income versus living costs.

“Non-farm income is much more stable than net farm income over time,” he says. “And today, non-farm income is a significant part of funding sources for the farm operation — it’s probably growing in significance.”

Specific to 2024 data, living expenses exceeded net farm income. And while not the first time that imbalance has been seen, it’s important to note how that erodes equity on grain farms.

(University of Illinois)

Additionally, younger farmers are challenged in these times because they are less likely to have assets accumulated, and it’s harder in current conditions to acquire assets.

“Ideally, what you want is a household to have a six-figure off-farm family income — with health benefits,” Schnitckey says. “And have other farm businesses that generate cash. If you can farm, you have business skills and entrepreneurial skills to take advantage of.”

Examples shared by the economists of on-farm alternative enterprises include:

Decommoditizing commodity production (for example, organic or non-GMO), specialty grains, food grade, etc.
Direct to consumer/branded products
Seed sales
Custom farming

Moment of Truth: The Louisiana Farmer Who Captured Trump's Ear, Put Human Face on Ag Crisis

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:29:00 GMT

Rice country is hurting, badly.

Prices have collapsed to levels not seen in four decades, while production costs climb beyond $1,000 an acre. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, rice farmers are projected to lose more than $360 per acre this year. For many operations, that kind of math pushes losses deeper into the red and pushes tough decisions closer to reality.

That financial pressure was front and center at the White House last week as President Donald Trump unveiled his Farmer Bridge Payments, but what captured national attention wasn’t just policy — it was a farmer.

Her words, delivered candidly and unscripted on live television, put a human face on the crisis gripping America’s rice farms and mills.

That producer is Meryl Kennedy.

A Family Business Rooted in Rice

Kennedy is the youngest of four daughters, carrying forward a family operation that stretches back nearly six decades. Her father began farming rice in the late 1960s, and over time the family expanded beyond production into milling and value-added markets. That vertical integration gives Kennedy a front-row view of how price volatility affects not just growers, but entire supply chains.

“So I’m actually second generation,” Kennedy says. “My father started as a farmer back in the late 1960s, and we continue to take rice from the farm to a finished product today.”

After returning home from college, Kennedy helped oversee the startup of the family’s rice mill in 2012. The mill steadily grew, sourcing rice from roughly 60 farm families who relied on the operation as a stable market outlet. For those growers, the health of the mill is closely tied to the health of the farm economy.

“We actually mill rice, distribute it to many large companies throughout the U.S. and internationally,” Kennedy says. “But then my sisters and I have our own brand called Four Sisters that we launch about five years ago.”

As president and CEO of Kennedy Rice Mill and co-founder of Four Sisters Rice, Kennedy balances brand development, export logistics and farmer relationships. That role places her at the intersection of domestic agriculture and global trade, a perspective that proved pivotal when she was invited to Washington.

An Unexpected Moment in the Spotlight

Kennedy was one of eight farmers invited to participate in the White House roundtable on Dec. 8. Like many producers attending policy discussions, she expected a private conversation focused on data and feedback. What she did not know until moments before entering the room is that the discussion will be broadcast live.

“And my sisters and I, because there are four of us — I’m the youngest of four daughters — started our own rice brand a few years ago to just tell the story of American agriculture that hadn’t really been told before,” Kennedy told Trump and the White House Cabinet members who attended the farmer roundtable that day. “But I wish I was here under better terms.”

As the conversation turned to the financial outlook for rice, Kennedy did not sugarcoat the situation. Her remarks reflect what growers have been telling lenders and suppliers for months: Margins are gone, and losses are mounting.

“I know that prices right now are the lowest they’ve been in over 40 years, so we’re going to struggle,” she continued. “We’re going to max out on our payments probably, so that’s something that I know those in Congress can potentially help us with to change.”

Kennedy says the magnitude of the moment did not fully register until after the cameras are rolling. Sitting beside the president, she realized she was speaking not just for her own operation, but for growers across the country.

“In fact, it still seems like it is a dream, I’m going to be honest with you,” she says. “At the beginning of this year, I had a feeling that it was going to be a very difficult year. But it really wasn’t until midway through the year that we just saw a drastic drop in prices that has continued month after month.”

Farmers Asked Her to Speak Up

Kennedy says her decision to engage directly with the administration was driven by the growers who supply her mill. As conditions worsen, those farmers began urging her to use her industry position to push for action.

“And so it really is my farmers urging me a month ago to write a letter to the president,” she says. “To explain the situation to him, to urge him to help our farmers.”

That outreach, Kennedy says, marked a turning point. What began as a letter quickly became a national conversation.

“We wrote that letter, and look what the president does,” she says. “He responded.”

Kennedy explains the collapse in rice prices cannot be understood without looking beyond U.S. borders. Rice, she notes, is not just another commodity; it is a staple food for much of the world, making global market dynamics especially complex.

“Rice is a global commodity. It is the means of survival for most of the planet on a daily basis,” she says. “I truly mean it that rice is more of a currency than it is a commodity.”

While the U.S. ranks fifth in the world for rice exports, Kennedy says heavy subsidization and overproduction by major exporting nations distort markets and undermine U.S. competitiveness.

“And what has been happening is that really since COVID, there’s been truly an overproduction,” she says. “Then we over-subsidize in these nations and then dump rice globally across the world.”

A Candid Exchange With a Call to Action

That backdrop set the stage for one of the most striking moments of the roundtable, as Kennedy directly addressed concerns about dumping and unfair trade practices. The exchange unfolded live, capturing the attention of producers watching from home.

“And we do believe that countries are dumping rice into this country today,” Kennedy said during the roundtable at the White House. “We’ve never seen imports this great.”

When pressed for specifics, she named the countries she believes are contributing to the problem.

“India, Thailand, even China into Puerto Rico,” she said. “Puerto Rico used to be one of the largest markets for U.S. rice. We haven’t shipped rice into Puerto Rico in years.”

As Kennedy listed off the countries, Trump turned to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and asked him to write the countries down. Kennedy said the moment was monumental.

“None of it is scripted,” she says. “He really called me to action, and I responded.”

“When he turns to Secretary Bessent and asks him to write these countries down, it really is a powerful moment,” she adds. “It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Aid Helps — But It’s Not Enough

The roundtable featuring farmers on Dec. 8 was intended to announce Farmer Bridge Assistance Payment Program, for which USDA is expected to release payment rates next week. Ahead of that official announcement, University of Arkansas economists estimate rice payments could approach $115 per acre, though statutory payment caps will limit the amount many farmers actually receive.

“You know, I’ve seen some other figures kind of siding more like $50, considering that $155,000 payment cap,” says Mollie Buckler, CEO of U.S. Rice Producers. “While I think it will help some farmers, this is not putting huge profits in their pockets.”

Buckler says the assistance might keep some producers afloat short-term, but it does not address the underlying market imbalance. Without structural changes, she warns, the industry will continue to contract.

“Absolutely,” Buckler says when asked if farmers could be forced out of business. “Possibly even up to a quarter of farmers having to make tough decisions.”

Pressing Trump to Love Rice

Despite the seriousness of the discussion, Kennedy’s exchange with Trump also included a lighter moment that resonated with viewers. The humor underscores a broader effort to build demand for U.S.-grown rice.

“And you love rice, right?” the president asked.

“I love rice,” Kennedy replied. “I’m going to get you to love rice too. The next time, you’re not going to have a button for a Coke, you’re going to have a button for rice.”

It was another moment that stole the spotlight, as Kennedy’s quick-witted response garnered laughs. Kennedy says she even surprised herself in that moment.

“It just came out,” she says. “I encourage everyone that doesn’t eat rice on a daily basis to think about making rice part of your diet.”

A Voice for Farmers

For Kennedy, the experience reinforces the importance of connecting consumers with the people behind their food. She says telling that story is now more crucial than ever as farm families navigate financial uncertainty.

“This has given me a voice to encourage people to think about where their food comes from,” she says. “To think about supporting American farmers.”

As rice producers confront one of the toughest years in decades, Kennedy’s message reflects a broader industry plea for fair trade, market transparency and a future where family farms can continue growing a crop that feeds the world.

Farm Journal Announces 2026 Top Producer Award Finalists

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:32:12 GMT

Farm Journal has announced three finalists for the prestigious 2026 Top Producer of the Year Award, honoring some of the most progressive and successful farm operations in the country. The winner and finalists will be formally recognized at the 2026 Top Producer Summit , agriculture’s premier executive-level conference for elite farmers and ranchers, which is set for Feb. 9-11 in Nashville, Tenn. Also presented at the event will be the Next Generation Award and Women in Agriculture Award.

“The Top Producer Awards celebrate operations that are building resilient, innovative and future-focused businesses,” said Margy Eckelkamp, brand leader of Top Producer. “These finalists and award winners represent the very best of modern agriculture: strong family leadership, diversification, technology adoption and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”

2026 Top Producer of the Year Award Finalists:

Alsum Farms, Friesland, Wis. – A multigenerational family operation producing potatoes, pumpkins, hay, alfalfa and other rotational crops across more than 3,600 acres. The business is fully vertically integrated, overseeing production, packing and marketing. Leadership spans generations with the founder serving as CEO since 1981 now working alongside his two daughters who hold leadership roles in the business.

Dalton Farms, Wakeman, Ohio – A seventh-generation family farm led by Rebecca and Edward Dalton. The operation includes 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans, a 400-head cattle herd with direct-to-consumer beef sales and a growing on-farm market offering locally-sourced chicken, pork and maple syrup. Their story reflects both diversification and successful generational transition following a family split in the 1990s.

Splitter Farms, Sterling, Kan. – Led by Matt and Janna Splitter, this Kansas row-crop operation spans 1,400 owned acres with nearly 18,500 acres farmed annually through cash rent and custom work. After the sudden passing of Matt’s father in 2010, the couple returned to the farm and scaled the business using data-driven decision-making, strong landowner relationships and disciplined business management. Notably, this marks the first time a previous Next Generation Award winner has advanced to a Top Producer of the Year finalist.

The 2026 Top Producer of the Year award is sponsored by BASF and Fendt.

2026 Next Generation Award Winner

Tim Nuss, El Dorado Hills/Lodi, Calif., is the 2026 Next Gen Award winner. Nuss farms garlic, tomatoes, peppers, melons, herbs, pumpkins, cucumbers and grains with his father and brother while also building a powerful off-farm ag influencing business. He serves as CFO of Nuss Farms. He’s also head of business development at Polaris Energy Services, an ag tech irrigation company, hosts the “Modern Acre” podcast, and recently co-launched AgList, an online biologicals review and ratings platform designed to bring transparency to the ag inputs marketplace.

The 2026 Next Generation Award is sponsored by Pioneer and Fendt.

2026 Women in Agriculture Award Winner

Helle Ruddenklau, Amity, Ore., is the 2026 Women in Ag Award winner. Ruddenklau Farms in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, growing grass seed, wheat, vegetables, peas and hazelnuts. Originally from Denmark, she immigrated to the U.S. at age 15, later meeting her husband, Bruce, while on an exchange program in New Zealand. In addition to serving as CFO of their farming operation, she is deeply involved in ag advocacy and economic development, working through organizations such as Oregon AgriWomen, AgLaunch and SEDCOR to strengthen regional agriculture through supplier and industry partnerships.

The 2026 Women in Agriculture Award is sponsored by Pro Farmer.

All finalists and award winners will be recognized on stage for their excellence in the business of farming at the 2026 Top Producer Summit, where the nation’s best producers gather to advance leadership, management, technology adoption and succession planning in agriculture. Learn more about Top Producer Summit and Top Producer of the Year awards at tpsummit.com.

Where Hope Takes Root: The Grit That Saved a 90-Year-Old Family Farm

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:21:31 GMT

In the rolling hills of Napa Valley’s Los Carneros region, the scene often looks idyllic. Morning fog drapes the vineyards, and the quiet hum of farm life feels timeless. But behind the postcard-perfect setting stands a family that has survived nearly 90 years of grit, risk and reinvention — and a fourth-generation farmer who refused to let 2024 be the end of their story.

“I am the fourth generation carrying on this family legacy,” says grape grower Jennifer Thomson, walking the same ground her great-grandmother once chose with remarkable instinct.

A Legacy Born From the Dust Bowl

Long before Napa Valley became synonymous with world-class wine, the Thomson family put down roots here in 1938. Thomson’s great-grandmother, Jenny Ophelia Barnum Thomson — a descendant of the famed Barnum circus family — had the courage to pursue opportunity when most would have turned back.

“It was the Great Dust Bowl and the Great Depression driving many families west for new opportunity,” Thomson says. “As migration was happening toward the West Coast for better economic opportunities, they moved here and were able to purchase this land.”

What she bought wasn’t just acreage. It was a vibrant Carneros hub complete with orchards, worker housing and a blacksmith shop. Women couldn’t legally own land at the time, but the deed was placed in her name for only a day, a testament to the trailblazer she was. Then, the land deed was moved into her husband’s name. But the vision, Thomson says, was her great-grandmother’s.

“For her to have that foresight to take that risk and purchase land here — you think about that today,” Thomson says. “She was doing what any family does: contributing to the family. There was water in the Carneros Creek, there were prunes, pears and apples already planted, and they had the ingenuity and engineering to successfully farm. Sometimes you just have to lead with your intuition, and I think that’s what she was doing.”

A Daughter Returns Home — and a New Fight Begins

Four generations later, that same intuition runs deep. In 2009, Thomson left her job in San Francisco and came home to take over the ranch from her father, George.

“Did I ever think Jen would be the one to take over?” George says with a small laugh. “No. I am surprised. I am thankful.”

When she arrived, the wine industry was in the middle of the 2008–2009 recession.

“When I took over in 2009, my father says to me, ‘You picked the absolute worst time to get into farming,’” Thomson recalls. “And then 2024 and 2025 happened. Farmers ask one another, ‘Is this as bad as 2008 or 2009? Is it better? Worse? Did we just forget?’ Because I took over so young, I already was prepared more than my peers.”

But today’s pressures, she says, feel heavier.

“There are not as many channels for sales, not as many stable partners to work with. If I’m a betting woman, I do think 2025 and going into 2026 will be more of a struggle than ever before for the California wine industry.”

Read More: Grape Growers Desperately Need You to Drink More Wine as They Grapple With a Glut of Uncontracted Grapes

So, why is it so challenging for grape growers today? It’s complex. Not only has demand dwindled, with a Gallup poll showing alcohol consumption is at a 90-year low, but an abundant supply the past few years has suffocated the grape growing region. As more vineyards take vines out, that will help the supply situation, but it’s coming at a cost. The other issue is the sellers, like Thomson, and buyers, as in wineries, haven’t always come to the table to find a solution. Cheap imports have flooded the market, and it’s at a much cheaper price than what it costs to grow grapes in California.

Thomson’s father agrees with her, saying the California grape and wine industry is facing one of its most challenging chapters yet.

“It is very challenging,” George says. “The market is sort of against us. Tastes are changing. There are more government regulations on what you can do with your property to make a living.”

Still, he keeps believing.

“Do I think we’ll get out of this? I have my fingers crossed. With people like Jennifer, I believe they’ll keep working at it. They won’t give in easily,” George says.

The Year the Grapes Had No Home

But nothing prepared the family for what came in 2024.

“This home ranch produces a little over 300 tons of grapes annually,” Jennifer says. “And in 2024, nearly all of those 300 tons are dropped on the ground and go unharvested.”

All of them?

“All of them,” she says quietly.

Demand had plummeted. Oversupply strangled the region. And for the first time in the ranch’s nine-decade history, not a single cluster had a home.

It was a moment when most growers would consider walking away. But Jennifer didn’t.

Refusal to Quit

But this is where the story gets good, and where you’re reminded you can’t underestimate the determination of a family farmer, especially Thomson. After all, grit is woven into this family’s DNA. And she leaned on every ounce of it.

“In 2025, I make a true farmer with good ingenuity,” she says. “I make sure I shake hands. I talk with previous clients. I source new clients. I put a lot of hustle into exploring new relationships and cultivating the ones we already have. And we are fortunate this year to sell all of our grapes.”

Her father says the same drive is what transformed the ranch the moment she took over 15 years ago.

“We were able to make a living at it, at least pay the taxes,” George says. “But the property really never makes money until Jennifer says, ‘I think I can do that.’ I hand her the keys and the checkbook.”

George says he always had an off-farm job, but for this first time in his memory, Thomson’s keen business sense and intuition turned the family vineyard into one that could finally support itself.

“Jennifer turns it around for the first time in my life that the property actually supports itself,” he says, emotion thick in his voice. “How proud am I? Extremely proud. She has the foresight, the hunger, the passion. The intelligence. She had all the parts. She has them now.”

One of the Last Family Farmers Standing

In a region rapidly shifting toward corporate ownership, Jennifer is part of a shrinking group — farmers who still drive their own tractors, repair their own equipment and deliver their own fruit.

“I feel more of a pull to the land than I ever predicted when I first took over,” she says. “I took over to help my family and retain this ranch for future generations. But working alongside our crew for 15 years, working with winery partners who value our family legacy and this 90-year-old ranch — I certainly feel much more drawn to the land than I ever think I would.”

Some estimates point to less than 25% of the growers left in the region are true family farmers, a dwindling group that is fighting to remain rooted here.

Gratitude Amid the Hardship

Despite the hardships, Thomson carries deep gratitude — especially this Thanksgiving season.

“I’m really grateful my great-grandmother has the foresight in 1938 to buy a wonderful piece of land with wonderful water availability,” she says. “I have a great-grandfather and grandfather who worked with the Federal Soil Conservation Department and built an on-stream reservoir. It allows us to irrigate our crops and keeps our vines healthier.”

She is thankful for her community, too.

“I’m thankful for that core group of family farmers. We band together. We support one another. We share our successes and we share our failures. That camaraderie can’t be duplicated.”

A Story Still Being Written

The Thomsons’ story, once born out of Dust Bowl desperation, endures because each generation chooses resilience over retreat. And in 2024 — after a year when every grape fell to the ground — it was Jennifer’s resolve that carried the legacy forward.

Every grape has a home again in 2025. And because of her, the family’s story isn’t just continuing, it’s growing stronger.

The Miracle Season: Indiana Farm Family Gives Thanks For Teen's Miraculous Recovery From Bus Accident

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:59:40 GMT

For farmers, harvest season brings its own set of challenges. But for Indiana farm family Brad, Kelley, Caleb and Lucas Bradshaw, this year’s harvest stress comes with a side of gratitude.

“We’re just thankful we have something to harvest,” admits Brad Bradshaw, a farmer in New Carlisle, Ind. “If it wasn’t for the friends and families in this community and beyond, we’d be up a creek.”

The nightmare began on May 8, 2025, when Bradshaw, the assistant junior varsity baseball coach at New Prairie High School, loaded onto one of two mini-buses headed for an away game. Bradshaw was driving with Lucas and 6 teammates on board. While stopped at a traffic light just a few miles from home, their bus was violently struck from behind by a box truck traveling over 70 miles per hour.

“I happen to look up and think, ‘Oh my God, we’re about to get hit.’ All I remember was getting hit and I was out,” Bradshaw recounts.

The impact flipped the bus onto its side and threw Lucas onto the pavement.

“I got a call from a number I didn’t recognize but I missed it,” Kelley says. “The number called again and something just told me to pick it up. A gentleman explained that there had been an accident.”

Lucas was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Doctors were able to get him stable, but a traumatic brain injury led to a medically induced coma, then swelling, a craniotomy and breathing and feeding tubes. Bradshaw suffered a broken sternum and ribs, along with a host of other contusions. He was treated and released, but Lucas’ path forward remained cloudy.

Lucas suffered severe brain trauma following the accident

(Brad Bradshaw)

“We had hope,” Kelley shares through tears. “We always had hope.”

As he fought for his life, the New Carlisle community sprang into action. Friends and family helped get their crops planted and handle work on the farm.

“There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that just happened,” Kelley says.

While Lucas was hospitalized, his brother Caleb stepped up, managing the farm work and caring for their 4-H animals.

“It was pretty hard,” Caleb says. “I got home late every day, but it was okay doing it by myself.”

By June, the family, down a team member, reluctantly headed to the county fair knowing Lucas wouldn’t be there in 2025.

“We were at the county fair and my sister texts and says they’ve deemed Lucas medically awake,” Bradshaw says.

Good news amid the craziness of fair season. Friends stepped in to show Lucas’ livestock. When it came time for the sale, the community rallied behind him. His recovery journey then led him to Mary Free Bed, a rehab hospital in Grand Rapids, nearly two hours from the farm.

“When he got there, he just lay there,” Kelley says. “He couldn’t do anything else. His eyes weren’t even open. One eye was cracked and that was it.”

With each passing day, there was improvement. The small wins added up to big gains. After 125 days in the hospital, on September 10, Lucas took his next big step.

Lucas, helped by his brother Caleb, walked out of Mary Free Bed rehab hospital

(MaryBeth Griffiths)

“They said it was their number one graduation, and they wish all their graduations were like that,” Lucas proudly says, “When I saw the whole baseball team, I was like, ‘Wow.’ I was happy.”

With friends, family, staff and teammates cheering him on, Lucas walked out of the hospital where he was wheeled in.

As the fall baseball season concluded, the harvest season roared into full swing.

“He’s had a traumatic brain injury, so he has some damage and some things that he has to work on to get better,” Bradshaw says. “We have hope that he will get better. He’s determined to do that, and he has huge goals, which I love goals.”

There’s a renewed drive for this family to reclaim the seasons they lost and get back to the fields they love. Today, they understand each day is a gift.

Lucas is back in the combine helping with harvest

(Brad Bradshaw)

“The number of people that just happened to be in the right place at the right time truly is a miracle,” Kelley says.

Bradshaw echoes: “It’s just a miracle that seven players and two coaches are all walking today. We could have lost all of us. We were blessed that day. Everybody was blessed.”

As the combine races toward the end of harvest, those blessings are pouring out on those watching a son, a friend, a brother and a teammate return to the field.

“Farming has always been a thing to do and growing up that’s all there’s been,” Lucas says. “I pretty much need to find my way. If I want to do something, it’s going to involve farming.”

A determination to roll through this season and the next, ready to plant the gifts God so graciously spared.