Tomorrow's Top Producer

Top Producer Next Gen Award

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 21:32:11 GMT

The Top Producer Next Gen Award (formerly Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award) will be given to a grower under the age of 40, who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming, including:

Marketing
Farm finance
Family and employee relations
Technology
Environmental stewardship

Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%).

Any farmer, rancher or partnership that gets at least half of their income from farming and farm-related ventures may apply.

The winner’s prizes include:

A trip for two including hotel accommodations and a flat travel reimbursement stipend to attend the 2027 Top Producer Summit (Feb.15-17, 2027 in Nashville, TN)
Additional prizes provided by award sponsor(s)

Deadline: Sept. 1, 2026

For questions, contact meckelkamp@farmjournal.com.

Click here to download the Next Gen Award Application

Read about the 2026 winner, Tim Nuss, Lodi, Calif.
Read about the 2025 winner, Dalton Dilldine, Half Moon, Ark.
Read about the 2024 winner, Hallie Shoffner, Newport, Ark.
Read about the 2023 winner, Trey Wasserburger, North Platte, Neb.
Read about the 2022 winner, Brendan and Elaine Martin, Mt. Solon, Va.
Read about the 2021 winner, Matt Splitter, Lyons, Kan.
Read about the 2020 winner, Chase Dewitz, Steele, N.D.
Read about the 2019 winner, Tony Schwarck of Riceville, Iowa
Read about the 2018 winner, Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.
Read about the 2017 winner, Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.
Read about the 2016 winner, Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.
Read about the 2015 winner, Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.
Read about the 2014 winner, Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.
Read about the 2013 winner, Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky.
Read about the 2012 winner, Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Young Achiever: Michael Daniels Owes Success to Employees

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:44:35 GMT

Michael Daniels is the first winner of the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award, which recognizes outstanding young producers under 35 who demonstrate excellence in the business of farming. As winner of the SFP-sponsored award, Daniels will attend the Cereals Show in the United Kingdom with the 2012 Top Producer of the Year, Gregg Halverson of Black Gold Farms .

Wisconsin farmer credits his success to his employees and innovation

If you had to use only one word to describe Michael Daniels, it would be “humble.”

He is a mere 35 years old, but has already achieved his dream of owning and operating a family farm in the rolling hills of southeast Wisconsin. There’s no denying that Daniels’ success largely rests on his shoulders, as he’s now the sole proprietor of Crane Grain Farms in Salem, Wis. But if you ask him the secret to his success, he quickly responds, with a genuine smile, “My employees.”

Daniels’ 3,000-acre farm operation and custom farming business employs four full-time and up to 11 seasonal individuals, who range in age from 22 to 65.

“On the farm, I never use ‘I,’ I always use ‘we,’” Daniels says. “Being part of a team is not the same as being an employee.”

A self-described perfectionist, he says it was difficult to give up control of some decisions, but his capable workforce has made that easier over time. “You can’t get to the size of operation I want to be at without trusting your employees,” he says.

Creating a team atmosphere where employees know their role and realize their importance is an ongoing goal for Daniels. He works to keep morale high by providing Crane Grain Farms shirts to wear at work and treating his employees to several fun outings every year, such as bowling, golfing and catching a seed-company-sponsored Milwaukee Brewers game. Daniels also has a yearly steak dinner for employees and their families. During the busy season, his wife, Erica, provides a hot meal for everyone most nights.

This past fall, Daniels’ father-in-law led the effort to build a new office center that includes a lunchroom. Now all employees can dine together, and Daniels and Erica can use it as command central for the operation. Erica works off the farm four days a week in the pharmaceutical industry and one day a week on the farm, where she assists with paperwork, bills and payroll.

The new office center also allows the couple to separate the farm from their family, which includes two energetic boys, Noah, 5, and Jacob, 2.

Family Support

Crane Grain Farms’ name comes from Daniels’ father, Bob Crane. In 1993, the operation included 250 acres and was run by Crane, Daniels and his brother Rob Crane. Daniels attended the University of Wisconsin Farm and Industry Short Course for two years and then returned to the farm. In 1998, the brothers took over the operation and began expanding acreage and the custom farming operation.

In 2004, Daniels bought out his brother and continued expanding to the current level, which consists of 40 acres owned and 2,960 acres rented in Wisconsin and Illinois. His custom farming business includes 1,800 acres of planting, 2,400 acres of harvesting and 10,000 acres of spraying each year. Crane Grain also provides trucking services for grain, a Precision Planting dealership, custom forage chopping and baling, and excavating.

Daniels says the custom side of the operation has grown rapidly because he doesn’t say no to potential customers. “If someone wants us to do something, we do it,” he says.

After Daniels earns a custom job, he makes sure he’s always available and treats his clients with the utmost respect. “When you’re hired to produce someone’s crop, you want to make sure it’s done correctly,” he says. “Besides our employees, our second priority is our clients. We treat their farms as if we owned them and treat them as if they’re family.”

In his part of Wisconsin, which is less than two hours north of Chicago, available land is scarce and in small chunks. When an 80-acre field goes up for sale, it can easily turn into two 40-acre fields. “You have to be able to adapt to that,” Daniels says.

This go-get-it attitude is something he learned early on. “When we were growing up, our parents were firm believers that if you want to do something, do it on your own,” he says.

That motto encouraged Daniels to rent his first piece of ground when he was 15 and also motivated him and his brother to purchase a second combine for his family’s operation when Daniels was 18. “What’s the point of buying a kid a new combine? All you’re doing is moving up the size of the toy,” he says.

Cutting Costs

By knowing the true value and costs associated with farm machinery, Daniels strives to control costs as much as possible. “We use our manpower and employee knowledge to rebuild equipment and fix what we have versus buying new equipment.”

Having such a large custom business also helps with machinery costs, as the costs can be spread out over more acres. Additionally, he says, his clients can benefit from the same high level of technology he uses, even if they own a smaller tract of acreage.

As the size of his operation has grown, Daniels’ responsibilities have moved away from most of the production tasks to the business side.

He controls the day-to-day activities, finances, buying and selling and serves as a mentor and team leader.

In addition, he is solely responsible for marketing the operation’s grain. “A few years ago I was listening to a market adviser and got burned,” he says. “So I took a completely different approach.”

He now takes the total average number of bushels produced by the farm and divides it by three.
He hedges a third of the crop by the time he starts planting, then sells another third on a weekly
basis from planting to harvest.

After harvest, he sells the rest.

“We’ve done quite well with this strategy,” he says. “When you take all the emotion out of it, you let the market do its job.”

The growth Crane Grain Farms has experienced during the past decade is proof that the operation has the support of local financers.

“Our banker believes in us, which means a lot. They have allowed us room to expand and are always there to answer questions,” Daniels says.

Scott Squire, ag relationship manager at Talmer Bank and Trust in Burlington, Wis., has been working with Daniels for 13 years and says he’s proven to be a great investment. “Michael has a good handle on his cost of production for every part of his farming operation,” Squire says. “He has a strong will to succeed and do a good job.”

Living a Dream

Daniels is quick to say he’s blessed. “I’m 35 years old and I’ve built a successful business.”

That level of success can only be achieved by hard work. “My wife says I’m a workaholic,” he says. But when you love what you do, he says, it doesn’t feel like work. “Since I can remember, I have always wanted to be part of agriculture,” says the man who has a painting of a red tractor he made when he was 5 years old hanging above his office desk.

Chris Gorman, owner of Racine Grain Company in Union Grove, Wis., has been one of Daniels’ mentors for years. “When I first met Mike, it was quite apparent that between his thirst for knowledge and work ethic he would accomplish any and all goals set before him,” he says.

Gorman says Daniels’ skills and willingness to take risks has been an asset to all who partake in his services. “To put it simply, I know no other young farmer who has accomplished so much so quickly in such a professional manner.”

In the near future, Daniels says, he wants to maintain a good quality of life for his family and employees while growing his land base and diversifying. Ultimately, he wants his operation well-established so that 20 years down the road he can be the tractor driver and his sons the managers. But they won’t get to do that right away. Daniels wants his kids to work off-farm for two to five years before returning to farm.

If they don’t want to return, he’s OK with that too. “If my kids find their passion is for something other than farming, I’ll support them. That’s what life is about, finding your passion.”

Crane Grain Farms Snapshot

Family: Michael and Erica Daniels have two boys, Noah, 5, and Jacob, 2. Daniels’ parents, Bob and Susan Crane, and his brother Rob Crane were originally part of the operation. He bought his parents out in 1995 and bought his brother out in 2004.

Business Structure: Daniels is the sole proprietor of the operation in Salem, Wis. In total, he farms 3,000 acres, 40 of which he owns and the remainder rents.

Custom Work Opportunities: A rapidly growing portion of Crane Grain Farms is custom services. It plants 1,800 acres, harvests 2,400 acres and sprays 10,000 acres. Additionally, it trucks commodities, provides forage services and operates a Precision Planting dealership. Daniels says it’s a challenge for young producers to maintain a good debt-to-asset ratio. “This is where the custom work helps out a lot; we have a constant cash flow.”

Strength From Others: Crane Grain Farms consists of four full-time and up to 11 seasonal employees, who range in age from 22 to 65. Daniels says the operation receives its strength from his employees. He also credits his success to his many mentors, who include his parents, neighboring businessmen, the local elevator owner, landlords and his banker.

Success By the Dozens

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:40:01 GMT

Indiana farmer expands one acre of sweet corn to a booming, diversified business

It’s 5:30 a.m. in July, and the sun’s glow across the horizon starts to raise the temperature of the flat, rich land around Needham, Ind. This is Jeremy Weaver’s recipe for a perfect day as he heads out to fields of sweet corn.

For most people, picking sweet corn is not on their list of favorite things. But Weaver is almost antsy during the winter months as he counts down the days until he can plant his next crop. “I live for getting up early and picking sweet corn,” he says with a candid smile.

When Weaver was 15, his father put him and his brother in charge of one acre of sweet corn. The goals: Keep the boys out of trouble and let them earn some money for college. That small business venture quickly turned into a much bigger dream.

Nearly 20 years later, that one acre has grown to more than 40 acres of sweet corn, along with five acres of green beans and smaller patches of tomatoes, pumpkins, zucchini and other produce.

For a little perspective, one acre of sweet corn yields about 18,000 ears. Multiply that by his more than 40 acres, and he’s producing enough sweet corn to provide an ear to nearly every person in Indianapolis. That’s a lot of sweet corn.

So how did Weaver grow his farm from scratch? He’s creative, hardworking and a natural at networking. Weaver’s diversified approach to farming and calculated risk-taking are just a few of the reasons he was named the 2014 Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award winner.

Family Ties. Weaver married into a farm family. He had only been dating his future wife, Christa, for a few months when her father, Kevin Carson, asked for help with harvest since her grandfather was in poor health. Being a farm kid and not wanting to disappoint, Weaver jumped right in. As Weaver says, he stepped in to help out and has never really left that role.

In 2009, Carson took Weaver on as a farm partner. Weaver rents his vegetable acres from Carson, and together they farm 2,400 acres, of which 450 acres are rented.

“I have grown to love the land that their family has owned for almost 200 years,” he says. Carson and Weaver make a strong team, which might sound surprising since in-law relationships can be challenging. But they both run at turbo speed and are open to new ideas.

When Weaver was starting to expand his vegetable business, Carson provided support financially and as a mentor. “He has helped me tremendously in every aspect of my farming career,” Weaver says of Carson. “He’s been my biggest champion.”

Today, Weaver is responsible for all of the bookkeeping, and the two split marketing. Carson also works as a crop insurance agent for Farmer’s Mutual. During most of the year, they have two part-time employees and up to six during peak times.

Competition for land is fierce around their area, which is just south of Indianapolis. Since expanding row crops would be difficult, Weaver has developed a quality-over-quantity view of farming. His goal is to grow vertically instead of horizontally. “We focus on how to make the land we have really work for us,” he says.

As the ag economy shifts down, Weaver is confident that his operation can handle a grain-price dip. He has spent the past few years building connections and developing specialized and creative market options.

“With the grain side of the farm, there is always a willing elevator to receive grain,” Weaver says. “Whereas with the produce operation, there is a tiny window in which the crops have to find their market.”

Market Maker. Weaver’s produce is sold at farm stands, farmers’ markets, through his personal website and a virtual farmer’s market—all under the Weaver’s Produce brand. While his bachelor’s degree is in history from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Weaver minored in marketing.

He has applied several of the branding techniques to his produce and built a cult-like following for his sweet corn, especially.

In the beginning, Weaver pounded on doors to peddle his produce. But, today, consumers want to know their farmer. The push for local food has provided a boon to Weaver’s business, especially during the past few years, he says.

As of 2013, consumers could buy Weaver’s sweet corn in the frozen section of supermarkets across the Hoosier state. He was one of the first growers to partner with and supply sweet corn to Husk—an Indiana sweet corn processing company.

Not only does Weaver provide high-quality sweet corn to Husk, but Nick Carter, company president, says Weaver aggregates product from other growers to fill contracts.

“We rely on his ability to innovate to help us further develop our supply chain,” Carter says. “He is working on a production model that maximizes his profitability, as well as other farmers whom he will help train to grow product for us.”

Husk’s processing facility is 30 miles away from Weaver’s farm, where corn is picked from the field, delivered to Husk and cut off the cob in less than six hours. “Having these markets allows me to mitigate the risk of losing product due to it sitting on the shelf,” Weaver says.

After sweet corn, Weaver’s next favorite crop is pumpkins, which are double-cropped after wheat. Since wheat harvest can run late, Weaver and Carson started brainstorming other crops to grow ahead of the pumpkins. That led them to barley.

Always wanting to capture a good opportunity, Weaver began exploring markets for barley. He took a week-long course at North Dakota State University, where his wife and daughter accompanied him under the guise of a vacation to learn about the different barley varieties and how to build a malting system.

It didn’t take long before Weaver connected with the owners of Sun King Brewing, an Indianapolis-based craft brewery. Their goal is to make a true “Indiana-local” beer, and Weaver is able to supply them and home brewers with the barley. “Most in the craft brewing industry are willing to take chances, just like me,” he says.

Weaver continually thinks about what he can do next, and his farm continues to grow in both quality and diversity, says Scott Gabbard, a Purdue University Extension educator in Shelby County. “Weaver creates new opportunities and capitalizes on them,” he says. “Some people talk about being entrepreneurial; Weaver and his family live it.”

While some farmers grumble about Indianapolis’ sprawling edges, Weaver is not only creating opportunities for others; he is showing others how farming can be embraced on the urban fringe, Gabbard explains.

Last year, Weaver’s Produce participated in a farm-to-fork food festival where a top-notch chef transformed a few dozen ears of Weaver’s sweet corn into chocolate custard.

“We’re not foodies by any stretch of the imagination,” Weaver says. “But it was an honor to network with producers and chefs. We want to continue to take advantage of our proximity to Indianapolis.”

Connecting Consumers. As for the future, Weaver hopes to continue to connect consumers with their food. In 2013, Weaver put up a high tunnel greenhouse to give his seeds a head start. He’d love for his farm to become a destination for families to pick their own produce and experience a real working farm. He aims to keep diversifying his farm to handle the volatile times ahead.

“It takes thinking outside of the box to make it in this day and age,” Weaver says.

Weaver’s Producer and Meadow Valley Farms

Operations: Since 1995, Jeremy Weaver has been growing and selling sweet corn. Today Weaver’s Produce includes sweet corn, pumpkins, straw, green beans and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

Weaver is also a partner with his father-in-law, Kevin Carson, in Meadow Valley Farms—a row-crop operation that comprises 2,400 acres, of which
450 acres are rented.

Conservation and Technology: The Carsons bought the family farm more than 200 years ago, and they still have the original sheepskin deed to the land, signed by John Quincy Adams. Land that has been in the family for two centuries is a prize possession.

To help conserve their land, Weaver says they have converted most of their acres to no-till and are incorporating cover crops. Additionally, fertilizer is applied using variable-rate technology to help reduce waste.

Business Minds: Weaver and his wife, Christa, have a 2-year-old daughter, Ella. Christa owns a bridal and formalwear store in Shelbyville, Ind. The couple continually bounce business ideas off each other. Christa’s farm roots are a great asset, as she is quick to help plant, run a grain cart and drive the combine.

Leadership: Weaver is a natural networker and leader. He has served as president and a board member for his local Soil & Water Conservation District, president of the Shelby County Ag Promotion Committee, was a founding member of the Hoosier Harvest Market and is a member of the Boggstown Presbyterian Church.

A Cornucopia of Crops

Diversification is the name of the game for Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind. Between his two operations, Weaver’s Produce and Meadow Valley Farms, Weaver and his family grow the following crops in central Indiana:

Row crops: corn, soybeans and winter wheat
Vegetables and fruits: tomatoes, green beans, carrots, onions, potatoes, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, celery, zucchini, beets, turnips, cabbage, eggplant, squash, pumpkins, Indian corn, gourds, strawberries, peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe
Sweet corn
Malting barley
Straw

....................................

Register now for the 2016 Tomorrow’s Top Producer business conference happening June 16-17 in Nashville!

Innovation Meets Tradition

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:31:08 GMT

Young farmer adds value to 100-year-old operation

Farming in southwest Oklahoma is not for the faint of heart. Clouds can roar over the prairie and drop 6" of rain hard and fast—or disappear for months. Relentless sunshine and wind sizzles and scatters soil, and herds of up to 60 feral hogs nose through freshly planted milo fields, eating every seed and leaving ruts that can hardly be conquered by a sprayer.

Farmers here must be flexible, financially minded and creative. A big helping of grit helps, too. That’s what Cody Goodknight, the 2017 Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award winner, brings to the table.

Goodknight is the fifth person in his family to hold the reins of Goodknight Farms, established in 1911 near Chattanooga, Okla., by his great-grandfather, Albert Victor Goodknight. Building on the traditions and firm foundation set by his predecessors, 31-year-old Cody has expanded the business, created new income streams, built a strong team and increased professionalism in the century-old operation.

Today, Goodknight Farms includes 3,200 acres of wheat, cotton, sesame and grain sorghum; 1,600 acres of range and grassland; and a cattle operation including 200 bred heifers and 800 stocker calves. All wheat acres are dedicated to production of certified seed wheat, which is sold to local customers. The team, which includes two full-time and several part-time employees, also does custom farm work on 3,000 local acres and harvests wheat and cotton for customers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas.

Dad and Son. In 2008, Goodknight joined the farm full-time after earning a degree in agribusiness from Oklahoma State University. It fulfilled a dream he’d had since elementary school. His father, John, led the operation.

“We get along great,” Goodknight says. “A lot of people struggle with a dad who is old-school, but my dad has always been innovative. I would not be as good of an operator without his innovation and ideas.”

John taught Goodknight the ins and outs of the business. He provided deep-dive instruction on finances, the importance of improving and protecting farmland and ways to build a professional network. The two formed a partnership and made plans to gradually shift Goodknight into the role of manager, allowing John to step back in his responsibilities and travel more with his wife, Maggie.

But the timeline abruptly veered into the fast track. In early October 2013, a pickup truck driver pulling a stock trailer T-boned John’s pickup. The crash broke John’s neck and left him unconscious for four weeks.

“That was our busy season for seed-wheat sales, and we were planting,” Goodknight recalls. “At the time, it was just me and dad and one other full-time guy. My dad was in Oklahoma City two hours away, so I was trying to go see him and run the operation. We were making plans for the worst because the doctors didn’t think he’d make it.”

Yet John recovered. After two more months in the hospital, he returned home. The wreck left him unable to continue working, and it placed management of the operation on Goodknight’s broad shoulders.

“He has been more than up to the challenge,” explains J. David Schumpert, the operation’s CPA. “The upside of this adversity has been to accelerate new and innovative practices at Goodknight Farms.”

Return on Investment. By hewing to his father’s mantra, Goodknight has added value to every crop and animal they produce, whether by growing specialty crops, raising award-winning livestock or trucking grain hundreds of miles to capture the best price. “We want to be an above-average producer,” he says.

The philosophy starts with their certified seed-wheat business, which has been a segment of the operation for more than 25 years. Annually, they sell about 40,000 bu. of seed to 50 growers, 75% of whom are repeat customers. Those customers come back because the Goodknights care about customer satisfaction. They grow multiple varieties, offer seed-treatment options and provide seed delivery. Additionally, they are regularly recognized as one of the top certified seed-wheat providers in the state of Oklahoma.

Because of harsh regional weather conditions, conservation practices are essential. The Goodknights adopted no-till practices in 2000. They grow cover crops on all production acres to boost soil health and provide winter pasture for cattle.

“Our goal is to never have our land bare,” Goodknight says. “I want something growing on that soil to protect it and keep it from washing away. Every bit of light that hits bare soil is wasted.” Because drought conditions are common in the area, Goodknight also wants to use every drop of rain. Two years ago, the operation installed a rainwater capture system on a barn. The setup includes three 3,000-gal. tanks. A 1" rain can generate 6,000 gal. of water for watering cattle, washing equipment or spraying, he says.

Goodknight carefully weighs these types of innovative farming practices against the need to ensure they have clear ROI. It’s a mindset his ag lender respects and appreciates.

“He likes to apply modern technology but does so in a way that keeps his financial ratios in a healthy position,” says Gary Kafer, vice president of Oklahoma Ag Credit.

Goodknight’s leadership is most evident in the operation’s cattle business, which has evolved rapidly under his watch. He knew the farm could make better use of its native grasslands, so he migrated the farm’s small cow herd into an Angus replacement heifer development program.

“The heifers have allowed me to improve our rotational grazing system and to easily change cattle numbers during times of drought,” he says.

Each year, Goodknight shows heifers at the Southwest Expo Fort Worth Stock Show, which is one of the oldest livestock shows in the U.S. and attracts participants from 40 states. His animals have placed in five of the past six years, and he’s even won a Reserve Grand Champion title.

The notoriety and strong customer service has paid off for his business: This year, Goodknight didn’t advertise any heifers for sale because previous customers already had spoken for them. “Our reputation is building,” he says. “The people who have bought from me are telling their neighbors.”

Another reputation-building tool the operation uses is a farm website, www.goodknightfarms.com , which Goodknight’s fiancée, Kara Eschbach, recently completed. The site prominently features the company’s service-oriented ventures of seed wheat, custom farming and cattle.

Eschbach posts photos on the website and the farm’s Facebook page to build brand awareness and showcase life on the farm.

Personal Development. Although Goodknight thrives in the business and production elements of running the operation, his steepest learning curve has come from leading a team of employees.

“He’s such a perfectionist and really particular,” Eschbach explains. Goodknight acknowledges even though he’d like to do every job on the farm, it’s not his role.

“The biggest challenge I have faced is the growth of our company and my personal desire to micromanage every task,” Goodknight says. “I have learned that though I may have the final say, employees who feel they have a voice will be more vested in their work. The best thing I can do for the company is surround myself with the best employees I can hire, train them well and reward good work.”

Goodknight aims to keep growing the operation, but that doesn’t just mean adding land.

“I’ve never wanted to be the biggest farmer in the county,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to increase production on the land we have. That’s all land, crop and pasture.”

He strives to never be complacent or satisfied, which in turn means long hours of hard work. It’s an approach that has kept the family operation thriving for five generations and, Goodknight hopes, one that will continue to do so for many more.

A Snapshot of Goodknight Farms

Operation: Goodknight Farms is a fifth-generation farming operation in Chattanooga, Okla. Cody Goodknight and his father, John, have an equal partnership. Goodknight is the manager of the operation, which includes 3,200 acres of wheat, cotton, sesame and grain sorghum. It also features a cattle operation with 200 bred heifers and 800 stocker calves. Goodknight custom farms an additional 3,000 acres locally, including 1,200 acres for his mother, Patricia Goodknight. His brother, Charles, also provides part-time help to the operation.

Custom Farming: The team provides custom planting, spraying, seed cleaning, trucking and harvesting for local farms. To build a niche for wheat harvesting, Goodknight purchased a stripper header so straw can remain standing in the field. This results in cleaner grain and fuel savings.

Team: Goodknight provides general farm management, business planning and oversees new ventures. The farm has two full-time team members, Mark Prater and Clint Braly; a part-time bookkeeper, Cindy Speer; and seasonal help. John Goodknight retired in 2013. Goodknight’s fiancée, Kara Eschbach, recently joined the team.

Leadership And Community: Goodknight serves on the boards of his local Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers and the Comanche County Cattlemen’s Association. He also donates time to his local FFA chapter, 4-H program and the Saddle and Sirloin clubs.

The team at Goodknight Farms in southwestern Oklahoma includes full-time employee Clint Braly (left); business partners John and Cody Goodknight; full-time employee Mark Prater; and Kara Eschbach, Cody’s fiancée.

How to Provide Positive and Negative Feedback

Management of employees and expectations is an ongoing challenge, says Cody Goodknight, 31, manager of Goodknight Farms in Chattanooga, Okla., and a self-described perfectionist. His goal is to provide feedback to team members after they complete tasks and to go over what went well and what can be improved.

Managers should strive to offer effective and valuable feedback to employees, says Michelle Painchaud of Painchaud Performance Group, a human-performance consulting firm in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. “We in agriculture are really bad at giving feedback,” Painchaud says of farmers and ranchers. “We need to use feedback to ignite high performance.” Follow her advice on how to provide feedback in any situation.

Reinforcement: Use this approach for behaviors you want to repeat

Describe the specific positive behavior, such as a team member’s strong attention to detail.
Explain how the behavior will create positive results for the operation.
Credit the employee for the behavior.
Thank and encourage the employee.

Redirection: Try this framework for behaviors you want to avoid

State the inappropriate behavior, such as showing up late for work.
Wait for the response and listen effectively.
Remind your employee of the expected behavior.
Ask them to come up with a solution.
Identify a solution, document it and follow up.

From Seedstock to Meat Case, A Vision Becomes Reality for Nebraska Rancher

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 20:26:36 GMT

Each year, Top Producer recognizes a producer under the age of 35 who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming, specifically marketing, finance, technology and family and employee relations. Congratulations to Trey Wasserburger, the 2023 recipient of the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award. He will be recognized at a ceremony held Feb. 24 during Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

Trey Wasserburger always wanted to be a cowboy, but that opportunity didn’t exist through family ties.

In 2016, Wasserburger met Bill Rishel, a legend in the Angus breed, thanks to their mutual banker, Greg Wilkie.

When the two met at the ranch near North Platte, Neb. Rishel quickly saw Wasserburger’s passion for the cattle business and within a matter of weeks made him his protégé. Wasserburger never owned registered stock prior to that but he and his wife, Dayna, jumped in with both feet.

By Jan. 1, 2017, Wasserburger owned a seedstock business, TD Angus . Two months later, he had his first bull sale featuring 112 bulls. This year, Wasserburger will offer about 400 bulls at its March 17 sale. To show accountability, commercial customers can sell or consign their feeder cattle to the first-of-its-kind TD Angus Calf Feed Test .

“We’ll give out $20,000 for calves we pull into our feedyard from customers based on rate of daily gain, highest yield, conversion feed efficiency and total prime percentage,” he says. “Customers can stay in at a 50% partner or retain total ownership all the way through and market as they wish.”

TD Angus owns 1,200 registered cows. To accelerate genetic improvements, they put 300 to 400 embryos in their own herds as well as customers’ herds. They also conduct DNA and genomic testing on all offspring.

“I want to DNA that calf at birth and have him registered with his DNA,” Wasserburger says. “If I like what happened genetically, I might do it again.”

TD Angus specializes in cattle procurement and heifer development and runs 4,500 yearlings on grass and develops 400 to 600 commercial bred heifers a year.

“We try to buy back those steer calves specifically. We also have a heifer development program, so we have an avenue for both sets of calves and then usually try to get them back here to our family feedlot,” he explains.

Sustainable Beef Was Born

The pandemic showed Wasserburger just how fragile the food supply and the cattle market are, and from that Sustainable Beef was born.

“For the first time ever, we actually have under one roof and under one team at Sustainable Beef, a seedstock producer who’s going to provide a high marbling, high tenderness product through our calves that will come back to our family feedlot, Sustainable Beef and then go into Walmart’s food supply.

This is a one-of-a-kind supply chain partnership with Walmart that stems from shared sustainability goals.

“What’s really cool is our carbon footprint is limited to within 15 miles of each other,” Wasserburger says. “These bulls, our feedlot and our packing plant and the Walmart distribution center are all within 15 miles of each other. That’s huge, and we’re proud of that.

The nearly $400 million plant is currently under construction and will be ready for business in 2024. Wasserburger says it’s the last step in their conception-to-consumer model. And it’s just one of the reasons this visionary leader is Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award winner.

Get to know the other 2023 Top Producer award winners:

Marcia Ruff, Executive Women in Agriculture Trailblazer Award

Silent Shade Planting Company, Top Producer of the Year

Engel Family Farms, Top Producer of the Year finalist

MoDak Dairy, Top Producer of the Year finalist

Horizon Award Honors Husband-and-Wife Team for Their Drive and Focus

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:59:42 GMT

Each year, Top Producer recognizes a producer under the age of 35 who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming, specifically marketing, finance, technology and family and employee relations. Congratulations to Martin Angus, the 2022 recipient of the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award. Brendan and Elaine Martin were recognized at a ceremony held Feb. 14 during Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

Brendan Martin learned early on that cows equal cash flow. He started building his herd in high school with the goal of one day owning his own farm.

Growing up in the Shenandoah Valley near Mt. Solon, Va., Brendan began building equity and his farming dream through heifers, custom hay bailing and hard work. His reputation attracted the attention of a neighbor who was looking to slow down. The neighbor wanted a young, energetic farmer to purchase his cow herd and lease his 280-acre farm. Brendan stepped up to the plate.

Today, Brendan’s diversified and multi-faceted operation is a team effort with his wife, Elaine. In addition to their 280-acre home base, they lease around 600 acres of pasture and farmland. They raise corn, alfalfa, small grains and hay, and their cattle operation includes a registered Angus and commercial Angus herd, 210 fed cattle and 1,030 feeder calves. In the past couple of years, they have invested in their cattle facilities to increase cow comfort and feeding efficiency.

In 2019, the Martins added Blue Cedar Beef, a direct-to-consumer beef business. They ship beef all over the nation every week of the year. They also do custom mowing and litter spreading and recently added a trucking business. Their team includes two full-time and two part-time employees. Brendan also owns a large animal mobile veterinary practice, Valley Herd Health. Elaine specializes in record keeping, payroll and financial management for the farm, as well as keeping a close eye on the cattle herd.

As the Martins look toward the future, their goal is not to have the most cows or acres. They are motivated by their return on investment and creating generational impact in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.

Take a trip to Martin Angus with this video from AgDay.

The Horizon Award is sponsored by Corteva and Pioneer. The winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Top Producer Summit; virtual mentoring sessions from Kristjan Hebert, the 2020 Top Producer of the Year; and a DJI Phantom 4 Drone, courtesy of Corteva.

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Top Producer of the Year Finalist: 'In Farming and Life, the Greatest Challenges Often Bring the Greatest Rewards'

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:58:34 GMT

Finalists for the Top Producer of the Year award represent the best in the business of farming, specifically entrepreneurial originality; financial and business progress; and industry and community leadership. This is not an award about size or scope. Instead, it focuses on professionalism, sophistication and innovation. Congratulations to Clearwater Farms, a 2022 Top Producer of the Year finalist. Christopher and Nate were recognized at a ceremony held Feb. 14 during Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

One of the biggest challenges a family farm faces is the transition from one leader to the next. But a thoughtful and purposeful plan, along with communication and respect, can build a bridge to business success. At least that was the case for Clearwater Farms in Nezperce, Idaho.

Christopher Riggers knew he wanted to play a key role on his family’s farm. After college, based on advice from his parents, he spent two years as a grain merchandiser in the Midwest to gain experience elsewhere.

In 2017, Christopher’s uncle wanted to retire, which opened a pathway for Christopher to join his father, Nathan, on the farm. Christopher and his wife, Natalie, moved to Idaho and he started as a full-time employee.

A year later, Nate was diagnosed with cancer. The father and son fast tracked their original transition plans to reduce the impact on the business and its employees. By leaning on a network of farmers across the country, Christopher took the helm as CEO. Nate, now cancer-free, serves as the CFO and business manager.

Today Clearwater Farms includes 8,800 acres of wheat, barley, canola, grass seed and fallow ground. In addition to Christopher and Nate, the team includes three full-time and three-part time employees.

They have diversified their operation by marketing grain directly to craft malt houses in the Northwest and across the country, as well as creating their own brand of finished malt.

As the Riggers look to the future, making plans for growth for their multigenerational business, Christopher says he realizes that in farming and life, the greatest challenges often bring the greatest rewards.

Travel to Idaho by watching this video produced by AgDay to visit Clearwater Farms.

The Top Producer of the Year award is sponsored by BASF, Case IH and Rabo AgriFinance.

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Top Producer of the Year Finalist: Enterprises Come and Go As Market Demands Dictate

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:57:47 GMT

Finalists for the Top Producer of the Year award represent the best in the business of farming, specifically entrepreneurial originality; financial and business progress; and industry and community leadership. This is not an award about size or scope. Instead, it focuses on professionalism, sophistication and innovation. Congratulations to Seven Springs Farms, a 2022 Top Producer of the Year finalist. Joe Nichols was recognized at a ceremony held Feb. 14 during Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

At Seven Springs Farm in Cadiz, Ky., the calculator drives decisions. As a first-generation farmer, Joe Nichols has seen the highs and lows of commodity cycles and family business. But he knows a relentless focus on the financials creates long-term success.

In 1994, Joe planted his first crop. Through calculated decisions and relationships, he has grown his operation. It now includes 25,000 acres of corn, wheat, barley, soybeans and tobacco, cattle, crushed rock sales, crop insurance and an erosion control blanket business.

Joe leads a team of 46 full-time and 45 part-time employees. Several employees have been with the team for nearly two decades. The farm team also includes Joe’s daughters and several other family members.

Joe says he looks to hire talented people and then build the job around them. To help with employee retention, he pays above-average rates for his area, gives bonuses and provides constant feedback and appreciation.

With an acute focus on ROI, Joe has expanded and contracted his operation’s size and scope through the years. He does not fall in love with assets. Enterprises come and go as the market demands dictate. He measures nearly every metric on the farm, which helps him with business decisions.

From humble beginnings to a large sophisticated business, Joe continues to dream and plan how to create a business that will stand the test of time.

Now, let’s take a trip to Seven Springs Farms courtesy of AgDay.

The Top Producer of the Year award is sponsored by BASF, Case IH and Rabo AgriFinance.

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Young Farmers Build Dream Farm, One Piece At A Time

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 17:56:35 GMT

Look around the cattle facilities at Martin Angus and you see attention to detail, creative thinking and ambition. Every piece, from the automatic curtain system to the overhead fans that dry out bedding to the underground drainage system, increases cow comfort, feed efficiency and farm profitability.

Brendan and Elaine Martin are building their dream farm — one piece at a time.

The couple are multigenerational farmers. Brendan’s farming roots run deep in the Shenandoah Valley, while Elaine grew up on a central Missouri row crop and cattle operation. Now the pair have created their own first-generation farm near Mt. Solon, Va.

BUSINESS NO. 1: Registered and Commercial Cattle Herd

As an early age, farming was Brendan’s ultimate goal. His plan: skip college and start buying cows and land.

“I didn’t see the need to waste four years and the dollars on tuition to delay my dream,” he says, “but I realized, you can’t graduate high school and go buy a $1 million farm.”

In researching career paths, Martin shadowed a local large-animal veterinarian during his high school years. The experience fueled a fire within Brendan. He became the first person in his family to attend college, earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

In 2017, Brendan opened Valley Herd Health , a mobile and full-service large-animal practice.

BUSINESS NO. 2: Direct-to-Consumer Beef Business

Simultaneously, Brendan began building a framework for his farm through heifers, custom hay baling and hard work. His reputation attracted the attention of a neighbor who was looking to slow down.

The neighbor wanted a young energetic farmer to purchase his cowherd and lease his 280-acre farm. Brendan stepped up to the plate. What started as a lease morphed into an owner-financed purchase of the farm.

“That was a win-win for us and the landowner,” Brendan says. “He had steady income for a set amount of time, and we were able to use our loan availability for equipment and cattle versus just the land.”

Martin Angus now includes their 280-acre home base and 600 acres of leased pasture and farmland. Their operation includes registered and commercial Angus cattle, as well as cattle donor services.

BUSINESS NO. 3: Large Animal Mobile Veterinary Practice

To add a new marketing opportunity for their cattle, the Martins created Blue Cedar Beef , a direct-to-consumer business, in 2019. The name is inspired by the cedar trees that dot their farm tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Elaine completed a course to learn the ins and outs of starting a small business. She selects the cattle and delivers them to a local USDA-inspected processor. After they process them, the beef is dry-aged for 21 days and packaged in 50 lb. boxes. She sorts the pieces by the cut and ships to customers.

“The East Coast is my main customer base,” she says. “Most of my customers have a little freezer at home, so they want 15 lb. of beef at a time to feed their family.”

Elaine uses a website and social media to market her products.

“People want a connection — to see you raised their beef,” she says. “It is amazing to me I can post on Instagram, people like the post and then buy something. I don’t buy groceries like that, but it’s been fun to connect with my customers.”

TWO-WAY STREET

The Martins want each of their businesses to complement, not hinder, each other. For example, Brendan’s expertise as a veterinarian has attracted customers for their cattle boarding and breeding program. In return, he is a student of his veterinarian customers.

“I learn every day by being at somebody else’s farm,” he says.

The Martins have borrowed and combined technology, infrastructure and ideas for their cattle facilities that increase productivity. In addition, they built an office and kitchen that adjoins their facility. This offers a professional and dedicated space for shipping the retail beef.

Brendan says he’s also learned a few profitable tips for marketing cattle.

“You need to market cattle, not just sell them,” he says. “If you haul cattle to the sale barn and just unload your trailer, they will send you a check. But if you didn’t check with them for a time to bring them, tell them what you have, etc., you’re just going to be a price taker.”

Beyond learning from customers and peers, Elaine and Brendan credit their internships for opening doors. The two met while working at Gardiner Angus Ranch in Kansas. The couple’s ambitions are remembered almost a decade later.

“Their shared interest in improving beef production from the beginning to the end of the supply chain is remarkable,” says Mark Gardiner, of Gardiner Angus Ranch. “I know of no other couple who graduated from college and almost immediately began to pursue their dreams.”

ORGANIZE, PRIORITIZE

The Martins are routinely asked: How do you do it all?

“Planning ahead helps,” Brendan says. “We try to never put ourselves in a jam. We do a lot of preventative maintenance. Elaine can do just about everything I can do on the farm, so we divide up a lot of the work.”

“A lot of vet and farm work is predictable,” Elaine adds. “So, we try to use those windows of opportunities for our farm work, so it doesn’t negatively impede the vet business.”

In all of their roles, the Martins stay focused on their priorities, finding little ways to make big strides.

“If you do an extra project every day, you make progress,” Brendan explains. “If all you do is feed your cows each day, you haven’t done anything extra, and you get behind.”

LASTING IMPACT

The Martins know dedication is essential in business success, especially as young farmers.

“We’re young and our businesses are young,” Elaine says. “So, we lack some boundaries, but we have fun when it’s just us farming, and Sundays are a good time because the phone is not ringing.”

“We love agriculture, so that’s our fun,” Brendan adds.

As the Martins look toward the future, their goal is not to have the most cows or acres. They are motivated by their return on investment and creating generational impact in the Shenandoah Valley.

The Martins have a clear goal for their three businesses. “We focused on finding ways to build them together to generate income in related but separate ways,” Elaine says.

The Power of Diversification

Brendan and Elaine Martin own and operate three multifaceted businesses, which allow them to diversify income and maximize their connections.

Martin Angus: Registered Angus and commercial Angus herd, which includes 450 cows and 400 cattle on feed. They also offer donor cattle boarding and flushing. They raise corn, alfalfa, small grains and hay on owned and rented farmland.

Blue Cedar Beef: A direct-to-consumer business, offering steaks, roasts and ground beef. They ship beef across the country every week.

Valley Herd Health: A large animal mobile veterinary practice serving farmers and ranchers in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding counties.

How to Build Consumer Connections

In launching Blue Cedar Beef, a direct-to-consumer business, Elaine Martin knew an inviting website and social media strategy were essential. The website, BlueCedarBeef.com , is easy to navigate and offers a simple process for purchasing products.

“Your website is the billboard for your business,” she says.

With each post on Facebook and Instagram, Elaine aims to educate, inspire or encourage: “I try not to be too salesy. We focus on that we’re a family farm. It is humbling that our beef ends up on so many dinner tables.”

Young Farmers: Win A Trip to Nashville, Apply by Sept. 30!

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:47:30 GMT

Top Producer will be honoring one outstanding young producer at the 2023 Top Producer Summit , which runs Jan. 23-25 in Nashville, Tenn. The winner will receive a trip for two to the Summit, as well as other prizes.

The qualifications are that a producer, under the age of 35, should demonstrate excellence in:

Marketing
Farm finance
Family and employee relations
Technology
Environmental stewardship

Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%). Any farmer, rancher or partnership that gets at least half of their income from farming and farm-related ventures may apply. Family members or business partners can apply together.

Fill out the application.

Deadline to enter is Sept. 30, 2022.

Read about the 2021 winner, Matt Splitter, Lyons, Kan.
Read about the 2020 winner, Chase Dewitz, Steele, N.D.
Read about the 2019 winner, Tony Schwarck of Riceville, Iowa
Read about the 2018 winner, Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.
Read about the 2017 winner, Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.
Read about the 2016 winner, Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.
Read about the 2015 winner, Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.
Read about the 2014 winner, Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.
Read about the 2013 winner, Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky.
Read about the 2012 winner, Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Questions about the award? Contact Top Producer’s Sara Schafer at sschafer@farmjournal.com or 573-581-6387.

Young Farmers: Win Trips to Chicago, Nashville

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:44:12 GMT

TTP_Horizon_Award

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Top Producer will be honoring one outstanding young producer this year at its Tomorrow’s Top Producer event, which is set for July 20-21 in Nashville, Tenn. The winner will also be recognized during the 2017 Top Producer Seminar, which runs Jan. 24-27 in Chicago, Ill.

The winner will receive a trip for two to both events, as well as a DJI Phantom 3 model drone, courtesy of DuPont Pioneer.

The qualifications are that a producer, under the age of 35, should demonstrate excellence in:

Marketing
Farm finance
Family and employee relations
Technology
Environmental stewardship

Download the application.

Deadline to enter is Nov. 15, 2016.

Read about the 2016 winner, Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.

Read about the 2015 winner, Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.

Read about the 2014 winner, Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.

Read about the 2013 winner, Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky.

Read about the 2012 winner, Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Questions about the award? Contact Top Producer’s Sara Schafer at sschafer@farmjournal.com or 573-581-6387.

Create A Brand That Builds Business

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 14:16:07 GMT

A farm’s brand affects everything from input costs to the ability to acquire farmland and employees. Creating a brand for the farm is an important business decision.

“Your brand is reputation capital,” explains Brett Oelke, a University of Minnesota Extension agricultural business expert. The question for producers, he says, is whether they manage and intentionally create their farm brand or let it occur on its own.

“Everything and everybody is a brand,” says Oelke, who also owns Innovus Agra LLC—a farm and agribusiness marketing and management consulting firm. “Brand marketing is part of an overall business plan.”

Growth-oriented producers have a stake in the image they choose to present to their customers, both internal and external. Internal customers include employees, business partners and family members, while external customers include landlords, suppliers, seed customers, grain buyers and other farmers for whom you provide custom work.

One benefit of a positive brand is the ability to get a low price for inputs fast. It’s important to focus on developing a positive brand because “businesses talk to other businesses about customers,” Oelke says, noting that it’s in your best interest to be highly regarded by suppliers.

Farmers aren’t the only ones who are cost conscious. Suppliers also want to keep their transaction costs low; they don’t want 40 phone calls to discuss price. While loyalty to suppliers is good, Oelke says sometimes it makes sense to deal with more than one. Take bankers—if one decides to pull back on ag loans, you need to have a backup, Oelke says.

In creating a positive brand, don’t neglect the importance of being organized. This will help you and your suppliers be as efficient as possible, he says.

With buyers of your commodities, “you want to be the go-to person, or at least a strong No. 2,” Oelke says. For example, one producer was able and willing to deliver 15,000 bu. of corn to an ethanol plant in January when it was –15° and a blizzard. “Basis had been 25¢ to 35¢ under the board, but he got 15¢ over,” Oelke says. Differentiate yourself from the competition.

Once you’ve got a strong positive image, you have to promote your brand. Show that you are valued and trusted to non-farm siblings, Oelke says.

“They need some of your time and understanding,” he says. “The people we need the most, we sometimes neglect the most. Many farmers do a poor job of sharing information with those who can make their lives miserable later.”

Brand yourself with landlords and prospective landlords, he recommends. While money is important to them, it’s not always at the top of their list, he adds. Through actions and your communications, create the image that you are a good steward by taking care of their resource.

Equally—if not more—important is trust. “If you want to find out how important trust is, start talking to landlords about flex-land leases,” Oelke says. “That takes a great deal of trust on the landlord’s part.”

Communication is crucially important with landlords, yet many landlords only hear from tenants one or two times a year, he says. However, landlords say they would like to hear from tenants four to 10 times a year. To help keep landlords informed, Oelke is a big believer in newsletters. But there are other options. For some, it might be as simple as sending a text in the spring saying you’re ready to go to their field next. For others, in-person meetings might be more appropriate. “It’s called public relations,” Oelke says.

Farm Diversification Tips From Three Entrepreneurs

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 20:10:12 GMT

The spirit of agricultural entrepreneurship is alive and well, embodied in the business ventures of hard-charging producers. Three such farmers are stepping back from a complete focus on bulk commodities and carving out personal brands to directly connect with consumers.

During the 2017 Tomorrow’s Top Producer conference in Nashville, Tenn., Anna Brakefield, Chris Noble and Jamie Walter detailed the drive and design behind their remarkable versions of agricultural diversification.

Brakefield is the founder and co-owner of Red Land Cotton . A red-dirt girl from Moulton, Ala., Brakefield is producing heirloom cotton linens from family farm to home and protecting the purity in every link of the production chain. Red Land Cotton is a marriage of farm and business, encompassing planting, growing, picking, ginning, spinning, weaving and blasting over social media.

Any producer considering a business move beyond the rows should note personal strengths and weaknesses from the start, says Brakefield, who works alongside her father, Mark.

“Recognize the areas where you lack proficiency,” Brakefield says. “I bring marketing and advertising expertise, and my father brings farming knowledge. Any farmer wanting to expand needs to take a look beforehand and fill in those blanks.”

Read more about Brakefield: Cotton Just Went Farm to Home

Noble is part owner of Noblehurst Farms , a seventh-generation operation in western New York that includes 1,750 dairy cows and 3,000 acres of alfalfa hay, corn, triticale and wheat. Yet Noble, the 2016 Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award winner, has expanded far beyond the farm’s traditional base. Noblehurst Green Energy is a complete-mix anaerobic digester system; Natural Upcycling is a fast-growing food waste collection business; and Craigs Station Creamery processes up to 1 million pounds of milk per day for Northeast distribution. The farm is also the site of a soon-to-open $58 million cheddar cheese facility in partnership with other local dairies, Dairy Farmers of America and Denmark-based Arla Foods.

The initial push is the hardest part of branching beyond traditional a farming business, Noble says.

“Farmers already know their core business and learned so much from their fathers and grandfathers,” Noble explains. “But once over the learning hump, diversified opportunities are similar to farming businesses, and it can be a natural fit. For anyone considering a farm-related business, I’d advise them to find something they are passionate about and match opportunity with talent.”

Read more about Noble: Dairy Innovator Powers Farm With Food Scraps

Walter is a fifth-generation producer from Dekalb, Ill., growing corn, rye, soybeans, wheat—and whiskey. He is the co-founder and CEO of Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. , one of the only certified on-farm craft distilleries in the U.S. Located in Chicago’s backyard, Whiskey Acres distills year-round, crafting a unique product from “seed to spirit,” as the company’s tagline says.

“Know your core competencies and don’t chase a business opportunity beyond those,” Walter advises. “Don’t chase things that take away from a good farm. Instead, pick something that augments and strengthens your operation.”

Read more about Walter: Proof Positive

Brakefield, Noble and Walter all share a mindset based on customer connections. “As producers, we need to go direct to consumers and make emotional connections,” Walter says. “In the past, that’s something our agriculture industry hasn’t done particularly well.”

For complete coverage of the 2017 Tomorrow’s Top Producer conference, visit TomorrowsTopProducer.com.

Top Producer would like to thank the sponsors of the 2017 Tomorrow’s Top Producer conference.

Premier Sponsors: AgriGold, AgYield, Anuvia, Bayer, Case IH, Channel, CropZilla, Dow AgroSciences, Growmark, K-Coe Isom, Pioneer, PotashCorp, Top Third Ag Marketing, Verdesian.

Co-Sponsors: ADM, ESN Smart Nitrogen, AgroLiquid, Farm Credit Mid-America, Harvest Returns, Silveus Insurance Group, SoybeanPremiums.org.

Nominate the Nation's Best Young Farmers

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 04:25:34 GMT

Do you demonstrate exceptional marketing, technology or finance skills with your farming or ranching operation? Are you under the age of 35? If so, apply to win the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award. Or encourage a deserving farmer to apply.

Top Producer will be honoring one outstanding young producer this year at its Tomorrow’s Top Producer event, which takes place Jan. 15-17, 2019 in Chicago, as part of the Top Producer Summit .

The award, sponsored by Pioneer, recognizes farmers 35 and under who represent the next generation of esteemed farm leaders. Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and leadership (20%).

The winner receives a trip to the Summit for two, a drone and other prizes.

View the application .

Deadline to enter is Nov. 5, 2018!

Read about previous winners:

2018: Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.

2017: Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.

2016: Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.

2015: Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.

2014: Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.

2013: Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky.

2012: Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

For details or questions, please email Top Producer Editor Sara Schafer at sschafer@farmjournal.com .

Join Top Producer at the 2019 Top Producer Summit, which takes place Jan. 15–17, Chicago, Ill., and includes the Top Producer Seminar, Executive Women in Agriculture, Tomorrow’s Top Producer and Legacy Project Conference. Learn more and register at TPSummit.com .

Nominate the Nation's Best Young Farmers

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 04:07:35 GMT

Do you demonstrate exceptional marketing, technology or finance skills with your farming or ranching operation? Are you under the age of 35? If so, apply to win the Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award . Or encourage a deserving farmer to apply.

Top Producer will be honoring one outstanding young producer this year at its Tomorrow’s Top Producer event, which takes place Jan. 28-30, 2020 in Chicago, as part of the Top Producer Summit .

The award recognizes farmers 35 and under who represent the next generation of esteemed farm leaders. Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and leadership (20%).

The winner receives a trip to the Summit for two, a drone and other prizes.

View the application .

Learn more about the award.

Deadline to enter is Sept. 5, 2019!

Read about previous winners:

2019: Tony Schwarck of Riceville, Iowa

2018: Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.

2017: Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.

2016: Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.

2015: Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.

2014: Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.

2013: Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky.

2012: Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

For details or questions, please email Top Producer Editor Sara Schafer at sschafer@farmjournal.com .

Join Top Producer at the 2020 Top Producer Summit, which takes place Jan. 28–30, in Chicago, Ill., and includes the Top Producer Seminar, Executive Women in Agriculture, Tomorrow’s Top Producer and Legacy Project Conference. Learn more and register at TPSummit.com .

Meet the 2014 Tomorrow's Top Producer Horizon Award Winner

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 01:22:36 GMT

The Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award recognizes a producer, under the age of 35, who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming. This includes marketing, farm finance, technology, as well as family and employee relations.

The 2014 Horizon Award winner has been farming for nearly 20 years, an amazing feat considering he’s only 33. Since he was 15, Jeremy Weaver has been raising, selling and picking sweet corn under the Weaver’s Produce brand.

His sweet corn patch has grown from a single acre to more than 40 acres. To give you a quick snapshot of how much work involves, one acre of sweet corn yields around 18,000 ears. He also grows several other vegetables, such as green beans, tomatoes, pumpkins and zucchini. All of these products are sold through farm stands, his personal website and a virtual farmer’s market.

In addition to his vegetable business, Weaver began row crop farming after meeting his wife, Christa. Her grandfather was in poor health and her dad needed help with harvest. As he says, he stepped in to help out and has never really left that role. Today, Weaver rents his vegetable acres from his father-in-law Kevin and together they partner on the rented farm ground.

Competition for land is fierce around Weaver’s hometown of Needham, Ind., which is just sound of Indianapolis. His goal is to grow his farm vertically, instead of horizontally. That philosophy has resulted in specialized crops and creative market development.

Weaver was one of the first sweet corn growers to partner with and supply sweet corn to Husk , a new Indiana sweet corn processing facility that supplies grocery stores across the state. He’s also entering the micro-malting arena. Weaver is raising malting barley, which will be sold to home brewers and nearby breweries to make a completely Indiana-local beer.

Weaver truly has the key characteristics to be a successful young farmer today. He’s creative, calculative, an extremely hard worker and a natural networker. As his local extension educator said in a reference letter: Some people talk about being entrepreneurial, Weaver and his family live it. His story is infectious and is makes you want to farm.

Weaver and his wife, Christa, have a two-year-old daughter named Ella. You’ll be able to read more about Jeremy in the March issue of Top Producer.

About the Horizon Award

The winner of this award had expenses paid to attend the 2014 Tomorrow’s Top Producer conference in Chicago, Ill. In June, Weaver will travel to the United Kingdom for seven days, with the Top Producer of the Year to attend the Cereals Show.

The award is sponsored by SFP.

Weaver is the third winner of this prestigious award. He joins last year’s winner, Joanna Carraway of Murray, Ky. and the 2012 winner, Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

For more information on the Top Producer Seminar or Tomorrow’s Top Producer events, visit www.TopProducerSeminar.com .

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Thank you to the 2014 Tomorrow’s Top Producer sponsors:
Bayer CropScience, Case IH, John Deere, Koch Agronomic Services, SFP

Upcoming Farm Journal Media Events

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:53:26 GMT

Mark your calendar and plan to attend these great conferences.

Elite Producer Business Conference
Be challenged, gain a competitive edge and connect with other dairy business owners and managers at this unique education and networking event. Dairy Today’s Elite Producer Business Conference will offer expert insight on the constantly changing and challenging dairy industry.

Nov. 11-13, 2013
Las Vegas, Nev.

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Farm Journal Forum
This year’s event will explore food system innovations, discuss opportunities to foster ingenuity and identify barriers to access. Hosted in partnership with Informa Economics, join us for intelligent discussion and insight relative to critical food and farming issues and, through that conversation, advance education and more enlightened decisions on U.S. food, agricultural and environmental policies.

Dec. 4-5, 2013
Washington, D.C.

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Executive Women in Agriculture
As we transition the next generation of women farm managers and owners, the need to provide education on farm business practices has never been greater. Top Producer is proud to offer an event dedicated exclusively to women in agriculture.

Dec. 5-6, 2013
Chicago, Ill.

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Farm Journal Legacy Project Workshops
Building on the success and popularity of Farm Journal Legacy Project workshops, Farm Journal offers farm and ranch families an opportunity to take their succession planning a step further. Led by succession planning expert Kevin Spafford, you’ll leave encouraged and confident to begin or continue passing on your legacy.

Monday, Dec. 9: Lincoln, Neb. (201 workshop)
Friday, Dec. 13: Indianapolis, Ind. (201 workshop)
Wednesday, Dec. 11: Peoria, Ill.

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Corn College in the South
Corn College in the South will feature Farm Journal Associate Agronomist Missy Bauer. This event will help farmers understand the Systems Approach and how it’s the path to higher yields. Bauer will share her in-the-field data to help farmers grow more bushels and better manage corn growth and development, soil density, and soil fertility.

Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
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Corn College Planter Clinic
Corn College Planter Clinic can change how you put your crop in the ground–and help lock in top yields. Draw from the extensive field experience of Farm Journal Associate Field Agronomist Missy Bauer to learn how to get your crop off to a strong start. The day is packed with practical information you can take home and apply to your planter–and your fields. All leading planter brands will be included.

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
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Tomorrow’s Top Producer
This one-day event is focused on younger growers who are looking to become tomorrow’s top producers! Hear from leading industry speakers. Geared towards the age 35 and younger farmer, this event is held the day before Top Producer Seminar begins.

Jan. 28, 2014
Chicago, Ill.

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Top Producer Seminar
It’s a competitive world out there, and dramatic changes are happening in agriculture. The market is nipping at your tail. Land values are creeping higher. You have to be smarter, stronger and faster in decision making to keep your operation running smoothly.Join Top Producer and the nation’s best agribusiness minds for the 2014 Top Producer Seminar.

Jan. 29 - 31, 2014
Chicago, Ill.

Kentucky Farmer Named Horizon Award Winner

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:47:27 GMT

The Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award recognizes a producer, under the age of 35, who demonstrates excellence in the business of farming. This includes marketing, farm finance, technology, and family and employee relations.

Every corner of farm country has its own unique challenges. In Murray, Ky., the hometown of this year’s award recipient, the biggest challenge has been no rain, something most of us can now relate to. Joanna Carraway and her husband Craig bought into his family’s farm, which includes Craig’s parents, Steve and Freda, in 2006.

They had a banner year growing corn, soybeans, winter wheat and tobacco. It was such an encouraging year that Joanna left her job at a software development company to also join the farm, full-time.

In 2007, it quit raining, and hardly rained since. Corn yields on Carraway Family Farms have come in under 100 bu. per acre five of the last seven years due to drought. In 2012, corn yields were a devastating 31 bu. per acre.

Yet, these young farmers have been able to not only survive, but thrive under very adverse conditions.

Joanna says that nothing teaches you to manage money better, than not having any. She says in 2007 they were facing a trying financial situation, because the corn, soybean and tobacco crops were all a disaster. She knew it was time to make some management changes to create a better future.

Joanna grew up the youngest of five girls in southeast Missouri. She says after many hours on the tractor, starting at age 8, she had no plans to be a farmer. She enrolled in Murray State University, wanting to find a career in business administration. Yet, after only six months, she missed agriculture and farming. It was just in her blood. She switched her major to agronomy and started an internship at a local agriculture retail store, where she met Craig.

Joanna says as a child, farming was long, hot and hard days. Now she knows farming is more than just driving a tractor, even though she still does plenty of that. She has taken on the role of record keeping, setting financial goals and making plans to execute them.

Joanna and Craig are both seventh-generation farmers. Or as they say, their families have been farmers for as long back as they can track. The couple has a have a son, Preston, and daughter, Hannah.

About the Award

2012 was the first year for this prestigious award. Michael Daniels , an impressive farmer from Salem, Wisconsin, received the award last year.

By winning this award, the young farmer receives a trip for two to the Tomorrow’s Top Producer conference in Chicago, as well as a 7-day trip to the Cereals Show in the United Kingdom, which takes place in June. This award is sponsored by SFP.

See full coverage of the 2013 Tomorrow’s Top Producer event .

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Thank you to the 2013 Tomorrow’s Top Producer sponsors:

Agrotain, Farm Credit, SFP

Top Producer Events Break Record Attendance

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:30:17 GMT

On the heels of a record profit year for many in U.S. agriculture, Top Producer will host its annual Top Producer Seminar and the Tomorrow’s Top Producer programs January 31 through Feb. 3.

More than 1000 people – including 730 of the nation’s leading business-minded farmers – are registered to attend the seminar, which is the nation’s largest and longest-tenured agriculture business seminar.

Titled “Farming in the Fast Lane – Marketing, Money and Management”, this year’s seminar will focus on the business skills needed to help producers continue the profits they saw in 2011. The seminar is also known as a key event where producers can hear about local, national and international issues that will shape agriculture now and in the future.

“Given the situation around the world with growing populations and an increasing standard of living in developing countries, and couple that with scrutiny on how food, fuel and fiber are produced, and U.S. farmers face incredible challenges to their business,” says Top Producer Editor Jeanne Bernick.

“This is happening at the same time we see unprecedented market opportunities and profit potential on farms. It’s going to take a sound strategy and business thinking to help farmers take full advantage of the opportunities in today’s market. The Top Producer Seminar agenda helps expose them to the issues that will be important to U.S. agriculture for decades.”

AgWeb.com will have exclusive coverage from the event including videos and photos. You can keep up with the Seminar from home on the coverage page . You can also follow along on Twitter by following @FarmJournal, @AgWebEditor and the official hashtags #TTP12 & #TPS12. You can also see more coverage of the week on Facebook.

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2012 Tomorrow’s Top Producer
See all of the news, photos, videos and more from the 2012 Tomorrow’s Top Producer event in Chicago, Ill.

Top Producer Seminar Hosts Record Crowd

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:25:01 GMT

With a record crowd, the 2011 Top Producer Seminar has officially kicked off in Chicago, Ill. More than 700 hundred of the country’s largest farmers are attending the event, which lasts from Jan. 26 to 28. This marks the 4th straight year for record attendance at the annual event.

See coverage from Tuesday’s Tomorrow’s Top Producer event here.

Some of the speakers for the event include:
Sterling Liddell, Rabo AgriFinance

Kip Tom, Tom Farms LLC

Allen Motew, QT Weather

Gregg Hunt, MF Global

Dave Kohl, Virginia Tech

Brett Oelke, University of Minnesota

Danny Klinefelter, Texas A&M University

Annette Duignan, JP Morgan

Darren Frye, Water Street Solutions

Diane E. Johnson, CMP

Paul G. Neiffer, CPA, Hansen NvO

Mark Gold, Top Third Marketing

Mike Steenhoek, Soy Transportation Board

Allen Lash, Agrisolutions, Inc.

Mark Mueller, Mueller Farms

Jamie Wasemiller, Silveus Insurance Group

Kevin Spafford, Legacy by Design

Roger Bernard, ProFarmer and Farm Journal Washington Editor

Jerry Gulke, The Gulke Group

The 2011 Top Producer of the Year banquet will take place on Thursday evening. Stay tuned to www.TopProducerSeminar.com for coverage of the event.

You can also follow Twitter for tweets from the event. The hash tag is #TPS11.

Embrace Marketing to Brace Against Change

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:14:17 GMT

Jeanne Bernick , Top Producer Crops & Issues Editor

Yesterday marked a moment of monumental change in America with the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and there is huge change ahead for agriculture, says Bill Biedermann, Allendale, Inc. Biedermann spoke at Top Producers Young Farmer Program this week in Chicago.

The current economic crisis, lower corn exports, a peaking ethanol policy and the potential for inflation that could change the corn market all signal challenges for agriculture in 2009.

“But if farmers have a strong marketing plan, and manage for risk, all the changes in the world can’t touch them,” Biedermann says.

Read more about how Biedermann suggests farmers can manage risk in coming issues of Top Producer magazine.

For More Information
Read more from the Top Producer Seminar.

You can email Jeanne Bernick at jbernick@farmjournal.com .

New-Crop Corn Caution

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:14:17 GMT

Linda Smith , Top Producer Executive Editor

Use any price rallies this spring on planting delays to sell two years’ corn crops, Bill Biedermann of Allendale. He reminded attendees at the Top Producer Young Farmer Seminar that 4 million acres are coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program in fall 2009, in time for 2010 planting, and about the same number each year for the next four years.

He also suggested buying a $4.10 December put option to put a floor under the market (cost: 60¢), selling $3.40 puts for 30¢ and selling a $5.40 call for 31¢. “This means a zero cost to protect your corn on the downside from $4.10 to $3.40.”

Producers need to learn to use futures and options, he declared. “The Court’s Dec. 4 ruling in the VeraSun Bankruptcy case changed the world. When it said VeraSun doesn’t have to honor contracts, it raised the issue that with cash contracts you may not really have the protection you think you have. Only with exchange-traded contracts do you have that assurance.”

For More Information
Read more from the Top Producer Seminar.

You can e-mail Linda Smith at lsmith@farmjournal.com .

Advice for the Young

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:14:13 GMT

Sara Muri , Top Producer Business & Crops Online Editor

What does a young farmer need to know to be successful? How can they prepare for the future?

During the first-ever Top Producer Young Farmer Program, previous and current finalists for the Top Producer of the Year award shared their insight to a group of young producers.

The three speakers, Lon Frahm of Frahm Farmland, Rob Barley of Star Rock Farms and Chad Olsen of Olsen Custom Farms provided valuable first-hand accounts of what it takes to survive and thrive.

Listen in as Jeanne Bernick, Top Producer editor and roundtable moderator, asks the participants about their business models and practices.

For More Information
Read more from the Top Producer Seminar.

You can e-mail Sara Muri at smuri@farmjournal.com .

Young Farmer Program in Photos

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:14:13 GMT

Photos by Charles Johnson and Sara Muri.

For More Information
Read more from the Top Producer Seminar.

2010 Top Producer Young Farmer Program Set

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:07:18 GMT

For the second year, Top Producer is providing the opportunity for young farmers to meet, network and learn the steps to be successful. The event will be held Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010.

Hotel Information:
InterContinental Hotel, Chicago
505 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL 60611
(312) 944-4100, (800) 327-0200

Register Now!

Young Farmer Agenda

6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Registration: Please pick up your registration packet and updated agenda
7:00 – 8:00 a.m.	Breakfast Meet and Greet
8:00 – 12:00 p.m.	General Session
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.	Kickoff/Opening session: Does Your Management System Get a Passing Grade? - Dick Wittman, Wittman Consulting
9:30 – 9:45 a.m.	Break
9:45 – 10:45 a.m.	Practices of Previous Top Producer of the Year Finalists—Panel Discussion
10:45 – 12:00 p.m.	Case Study Workshop - Using Professional Strategies to Resolve Transition Challenges - Dick Wittman, Wittman Consulting
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch
Breakout Sessions Select Two Sessions	• How To Talk to Dad About Succession Planning - Kevin Spafford, Legacy By Design • Cultivating Life Outside of Work - Lon Frahm, Frahm Farmland, Colby, Kan. • Conflict Management – Hubert Brown, Kennedy & Coe, LLC • Building Business and Social Networks – Brett Oelke, Extension Education, University of Minnesota • How Young Farmers Can Build Credit – Jacob Chapman, 1st Farm Credit, Ottawa, IL • Experiences in Family Business Transition – What Works and What Doesn’t – Joe Kluender, Larson Allen, LLP
1:15 – 2:00 p.m.	Breakout Session 1
2:00 – 2:15 p.m.	Break
2:15 – 3:00 p.m.	Breakout Session 2
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.	General Session: “This is Not Your Father’s Marketing Plan” – Scott Stewart, Stewart Peterson, a commodity marketing and consulting firm
5:15 – 7:00 p.m.	Cocktails and Keynote Speaker: “He Said, He Said” – John Phipps, Farm Journal columnist and host of U.S. Farm Report, along with son Aaron Phipps, who farms with John in Chrisman, IL

For More Information
Read the coverage from 2009 Young Farmer Program.

Growth Can Take Many Forms

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 07:06:48 GMT

Mark Moore, Top Producer Contributing Editor

Developing a strong farming enterprise doesn’t always mean adding acreage. It sometimes includes a healthy dose of looking at the current operation and improving internal efficiencies.

Pat Duncanson, from Mapleton, Minn., was a featured speaker at today’s Top Producer Young Farmer Program. Duncanson is also a 2009 finalist for the Top Producer of the Year.

A deciding factor to the farm’s growth in the late 1980s and early 1990s was taking a hard look at the farm’s infrastructure to determine where they could farm more profitably and efficiently. “We decided to improve within rather than increase the number of acres,” Duncanson says. “That was key in helping our farm improve.”

For More Information
Read the complete 2010 Young Farmer Program coverage.

Tomorrow's Top Producer

Top Producer Next Gen Award

Click here to download the Next Gen Award Application

Young Achiever: Michael Daniels Owes Success to Employees

Wisconsin farmer credits his success to his employees and innovation

Family Support

Cutting Costs

Living a Dream

Crane Grain Farms Snapshot

Success By the Dozens

Indiana farmer expands one acre of sweet corn to a booming, diversified business

Weaver’s Producer and Meadow Valley Farms

A Cornucopia of Crops

Innovation Meets Tradition

Young farmer adds value to 100-year-old operation

A Snapshot of Goodknight Farms

The team at Goodknight Farms in southwestern Oklahoma includes full-time employee Clint Braly (left); business partners John and Cody Goodknight; full-time employee Mark Prater; and Kara Eschbach, Cody’s fiancée.

How to Provide Positive and Negative Feedback

From Seedstock to Meat Case, A Vision Becomes Reality for Nebraska Rancher

Sustainable Beef Was Born

Horizon Award Honors Husband-and-Wife Team for Their Drive and Focus

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Top Producer of the Year Finalist: 'In Farming and Life, the Greatest Challenges Often Bring the Greatest Rewards'

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Top Producer of the Year Finalist: Enterprises Come and Go As Market Demands Dictate

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Young Farmers Build Dream Farm, One Piece At A Time

BUSINESS NO. 1: Registered and Commercial Cattle Herd

BUSINESS NO. 2: Direct-to-Consumer Beef Business

BUSINESS NO. 3: Large Animal Mobile Veterinary Practice

TWO-WAY STREET

ORGANIZE, PRIORITIZE

LASTING IMPACT

The Power of Diversification

How to Build Consumer Connections

Young Farmers: Win A Trip to Nashville, Apply by Sept. 30!

Fill out the application.

Young Farmers: Win Trips to Chicago, Nashville

Download the application.

Read about the 2016 winner, Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.

Read about the 2015 winner, Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.

Read about the 2014 winner, Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.

Read about the 2012 winner, Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Create A Brand That Builds Business

Farm Diversification Tips From Three Entrepreneurs

Nominate the Nation's Best Young Farmers

2018: Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.

2017: Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.

2016: Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.

2015: Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.

2014: Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.

2012: Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Top Producer Seminar Presentations

Select Top Producer Seminar Presentations

Select Tomorrow’s Top Producer Seminar Presentations

Nominate the Nation's Best Young Farmers

2018: Maggie Holub of Scribner, Neb.

2017: Cody Goodknight of Chattanooga, Okla.

2016: Chris Noble of Pavilion, N.Y.

2015: Matt Sims of State Line, Ind.

2014: Jeremy Weaver of Needham, Ind.

2012: Michael Daniels of Salem, Wis.

Meet the 2014 Tomorrow's Top Producer Horizon Award Winner

About the Horizon Award

Upcoming Farm Journal Media Events

Mark your calendar and plan to attend these great conferences.

Kentucky Farmer Named Horizon Award Winner

About the Award

Top Producer Events Break Record Attendance

Top Producer Seminar Hosts Record Crowd

Embrace Marketing to Brace Against Change

New-Crop Corn Caution

Advice for the Young

Young Farmer Program in Photos

2010 Top Producer Young Farmer Program Set

Growth Can Take Many Forms