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2018 America’s Best Young Farmers and Ranchers Awards Program


DTN/The Progressive Farmer has a nationally recognized reputation for its support of young farmers and ranchers, dating back to our early support of 4-H, FFA and other young farmer organizations.

The America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers Awards Program is an extension of our appreciation for the innovation of our next generation of farmers and ranchers. They are a rare breed, just 120,000 men and women make up the entire group. These farmers and ranchers spend $12 billion a year to produce commodities — a sales effort that generates $15 billion in income.

America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers perform their work with a keen eye toward conserving the natural resources that keep them in business. They deploy sophisticated technologies, are involved in their communities, and bring their talents for farming and ranching to the challenges facing the rural communities where they make their homes.

Young Farmer Photo

Quint Pottinger

Affinity Farms
New Haven, Kentucky

Age: 29
Married to Leah
Acres: 1,501
Corn, soybeans, cover crops

 

Facebook Live

"The decision to add more grain storage and a drying system has had a significant impact on our farm. With the drying system we are able to shell our corn a month earlier. It has also dramatically improved our grain quality and helped us step into new markets we did not realize were even possible."

Community involvement: In 2013 one of nine producers chosen as a White House Champion for Change for production practices and ability to connect consumers to the farm; serves as a board member of the Kentucky FFA Foundation as chair of fundraising; serves as the Agriculture Ambassador to the Kentucky-Haiti Partnership mentoring young producers in Haiti.


Young Farmer Photo

Jamie Blythe

Blythe Cotton Company
Town Creek, Alabama

Age: 40
Married to K.P. Arnold
One child, Gracie
Acres: 3,600
Cotton, corn, wheat, soybeans, cow-calf

 

Facebook Live

"Changing our management style has been one of the most important decisions we have made as a family partnership. We evolved from a top-heavy management style to a more streamlined approach. We perform most of the fieldwork ourselves with only a small team. We try to match our equipment and agronomy to what four people can accomplish. I don't want to get over-extended or perform a sloppy job due to our lack of time and labor."

Community involvement: Joined the Board of Directors, Easter Seals of Northwest Alabama, which provides therapy, job training, and job placement services for people with disabilities and special needs.


Young Farmer Photo

Adam Wilson

Wilson Farms
Abingdon, Virginia

Age: 38
Married to Sarah
Two children, Clint, Madalyn
Acres: 2,015
300 cows, grass hay, alfalfa hay

 

Facebook Live

 

"Feeding areas for our calves consist of concrete pads and feed bunks, keeping our calves comfortable and clean. We have seen daily weight gains increase by 35 percent — and we control runoff by capturing 90 percent of the manure on the pads which we apply to our rented pastures."

Community involvement: Spearheaded a five-year effort to put vocational agricultural classes back into Russell County, Virginia, high schools. The programs had been eliminated 25 years ago in two of three county schools, but with local and state support students are again engaged in ag-related course work and career training.


Young Farmer Photo

Tyler and Page Turecek

Stacked Lazy 3 Ranch
Agate, Colorado

Age: 23 (both)
Acres: 79,000
500+ cows/replacement heifers, native grassland, owned and leased, winter wheat, triticale, millet, cane

 

Facebook Live

 

"We decided it would be more efficient and safe to calve in corrals instead of open pastures. So, as our cows calve they are in close range to the house and to our facilities in case of trouble. Our death loss has decreased from eight percent to three percent."

Community involvement: Produce a blog named "The View From Under a Cowboy Hat" through which Tyler and Page build a bridge to the public about ranching, Colorado agriculture, and food production.


Young Farmer Photo

Wade Wilhour

Wilhour Farms
Beecher City, Illinois

Age: 40
Married to Emily
Four children, Laney, Elly, Andrew, Carly
Acres: 6,000
Corn, soybeans

 

Facebook Live

"I lease ground from several dozen landlords, from 3 acres to 300 acres. We visit in person, bring the grain check and talk to them about the year. We also mail newsletters. A spring newsletter talks about the crop, how the season began. A fall newsletter lets them all know how the season ended. Good communications with the family is a blessing to our farming operation."

Community involvement: Member of the Fayette County Board for 11 years; deacon and missions committee at Beecher City Church of Christ.

 
 
 

Find out more! Call 888.576.9881

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