Next-Generation Farmers
A true family affair, the Rathjens combine agronomy, management and teamwork into a winning formula that pushes seeds to their biological limits and delivers record-breaking yields.
Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality, financial and business progress and industry or community leadership.
By diversifying into specialty crops and direct-to-consumer sales, the Thomas family is connecting the next generation to the soil and their community.
Consolidation risk is not limited to smaller operations. Succession gaps, management transitions and strategic exits are driving consolidation regardless of size.
The Neumillers, an Illinois potato farm family, share a 70-year legacy of farming, family and passing the torch to the next generation.
Whether it’s growing specialty crops, running a podcast or launching AgList, fifth-generation farmer Tim Nuss blends tradition with innovation, earning him the 2026 Top Producer Next Gen Award.
Kansas farmers Matt and Janna Splitter built their 13,000-acre operation through calculated risk, strong relationships and relentless efficiency, earning recognition as a 2026 Top Producer of the Year finalist.
Economists say cash rent acre expansion comes at too high of a cost with low commodity prices and high input prices.