New Century Farmer

2015 Current Class of Participants

Who’s Who of NCF

NEW CENTURY FARMER IS SPONSORED BY THE FOLLOWING AS A SPECIAL PROJECT OF THE

NATIONAL FFA FOUNDATION:

Media Partner

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Name: Jared Baird Hometown: Scottsburg, Ind. School: Purdue University Major: Agribusiness Management Current farming/ranching operation: I currently operate a small fruit and vegetable operation with the help of my brother. We raise strawberries, sweet corn, and tomatoes, as well as other vegetables in smaller quantities. A high tunnel is used to extend our growing season earlier in the spring, which allows tomatoes to be the first ones on the market in the area. U-Pick is now becoming a larger part of the operation. I also help my parents on their farm. We row crop corn and soybeans on about 400 acres, and raise pumpkins on 10 acres. The pumpkins are sold retail through our agritourism operation that has approximately 6,000 visitors each year. We also offer many other different farm products for sale. Customers can also go through our corn or soybean mazes, or do some of the other activities that we offer at the farm. Over the past few years, my parents have added more responsibilities to my task list, which varies depending on the season. I am now trusted to make some

decisions on my own for the operation, and have a say in some of the larger decisions that must be made. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would like to return to the farm in the near future. However, multifaceted growth needs to occur before that can happen. I would like to add a few additional enterprises to the operation and increase the number of acres that we farm and do more business through the agritourism operation. Name: Justin Bartholomay Hometown: Sheldon, N.D. School: North Dakota State University Major: Animal Science Current farming/ranching operation: We grow on approximately 1,400 acres of small grains and row crops. This consists of spring wheat, corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. We also raise about 170 cow/calf pairs consisting mainly of Simmental genetics for a commercial standpoint. My role on the operation is more managing and helping with the beef cattle side. I recently graduated with a degree in animal science so I enjoy incorporating my education within our herd and trying out new techniques. My dad and uncle own the entire operation as a partnership. With their age increasing, I hope to gain responsibility and assets within the next five years. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would like to grow our operation so that my brother and I can both be a part of it. That consists of both increasing crop land and also herd size. I would also like to build a feedlot to bring in extra revenue. I have looked into doing embryo transfer and invitro fertilization work on beef cattle, as I hope to move our herd from commercial to purebred. I would like to host a production sale one day selling bulls and females from our operation.

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Name: Jordan Borkoski Hometown: Baltimore, Md. School: University of Baltimore Major: Environmental Sustainability Current farming/ranching operation: My farming operation is in the beginning stages. It is being designed to support my family's farm to table restaurant. As of now, we have about 20 acres with a menagerie of animals and crops. I am designing a business plan for the farm in relevance to the farm to table restaurant. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I want my farming operation to be fully self sustainable and environmentaly friendly. I hope to expand it to several other locations, all under 20 acres with diverse plant and animal species, to create a reputation as a sustainable and small family farm.

Name: Monica Campen Hometown: Canton, Mo. School: University of Missouri Major: Plant Sciences – Agricultural Crop Management Current farming/ranching operation: Our family farm is called Campen Family Farms Co., where I am the owner and manager of operations. We currently farm 1,500 acres of row crop. These include corn, soybeans, wheat and milo. We also run 125 head of Black Angus cow/calf pairs in our herd. They graze on 700 acres of pasturem hay, and specialty crops. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I plan to use my passion for agriculture to operate and continue the tradition of Campen Family Farms. I paln to develop the farm to become more efficient, higher yielding, systematically more functional as a farming and livestock operation, more economic stability and a profitable lifestyle, though implementing technology-based systems to improve production, on-target accuracy, organic agronomic solutions and A.I. genetic herd management. I strive to build a stronger operation to become a premier quality producer, to better serve my community and do my part to feed the world.

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Name: A.J. Carlson Hometown: Clay Center, Kan. School: Kansas State University Major: Agronomy Consulting and Production Current farming/ranching operation: On our farm we raise corn, wheat, soybeans, and grain sorghum as well as 120 cow/calf pairs along the Republican River Valley in Clay County, Kansas. Our ground is primarily dryland, but we also have some riverbottom, irrigated ground. Our farming operation could be considered average size for the area. I was raised on the original farmstead that my relatives settled on when they moved here from Sweden. I plan to be the 5th generation to farm this same fruitful area. I personally am responsible for the scouting, irrigation scheduling, fertility recommendations, and the in crop management decisions on our rowcrop acres. I am also responsible for determining stocking rates on our native and annual grass pastures as well as the rangeland management of these pastures. In addition to this, I work alongside my dad to pick genetics for our cow herd and the crop varieties to be planted on our farm.

Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for our farming and ranching operation would be one of expansion. I feel like to make a living in agriculture in the future, one will either have to get big in conventional production agriculture or find a niche market for themselves. To achieve this expansion I would like to rent farm ground from older farmers in the community that don't happen to have anybody in their family returning to the farm. Aside from increasing our numbers in the cow calf side of the operation I would also like to start a small feedlot. I would probably start by strictly being a farmer feeder and raising calves up to 850 pounds but I would like to grow into retaining ownership of the calves that we raise until slaughter. I would like to see our farm utilize more of the current agriculture technology, on both the cattle and crop side of things, and manage what we have the best the best of our abilities. Name: Jake Chisholm Hometown: Gary, Minn School: North Dakota State University Major: Agricultural Economics Current farming/ranching operation: For more than 115 years, my family has been farming in the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota. As the fourth generation farmer, we annually produce 2,000 acres of hard red spring wheat, 1,000 acres of sugarbeets, 1,000 acres of light and dark red kidney beans, and remaining one thousand acres as soybeans and corn. For the past 41 years, my family has been growing sugarbeets for the American Crystal Sugar Company, which is largest farmer-owned sugarbeet cooperative in the United States that utilizes innovative farming practices, low-cost production methods, and sales and marketing leadership to produce and sell about 15 percent of America’s sugar. Today, my family’s farm produces wheat, soybeans, dry edible beans, corn, and sugarbeets using conservation, production, and technological innovations with respect to the environment on about 4,000 acres of cropland. In 2009, I established my own farming operation by renting some farmland from my father to grow wheat. Since then, I have expanded my operation to 320 acres of wheat, dry edible beans, and sugarbeets with a planned increase in acreage in 2016. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future, my vision for continued success on my family's farm operation will be our commitment to adding value to the commodities. In the early 1980s, my grandfather and father built our own grain handling and cleaning facility to market our spring wheat seed. This business continued to expand to marketing and spreading bulk fertilizer, chemical, and seed to farmers. In the early 2000s, they further expanded our business to clean and process our dry edible beans. Through all of these business endeavors, we have increased our market share and financial returns by becoming vertically integrated. Like other farmers, I plan to continue expanding our farm's acreage. Of the 4,000 acres my father farms, my grandfather farms an additional 2,000 acres on the side. Once he retires, I will add those additional acres to our existing acreage. I also plan to begin purchasing real estate spread throughout the Red River Valley to lease to other farmers.

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Name: Cali Christensen Hometown: Big Timber, Mont. School: Montana State University Major: Agricultural Education Current farming/ranching operation: My century family farm and ranch currently operates on about 8000 acres. Twenty eight hundred acres of this is used for dry land farming (both wheat and hay). We run about 250 Black Angus cow calf pairs and the supporting stock including replacement heifers and bulls. An attribute of our ranch includes providing replacement heifers for sale to start or increase other people’s herds. My responsibilities include any and all daily tasks needing to be done. I am actively involved in all decisions, tasks, and record keeping that take place on the ranch. I independently own 50 cow calf pairs that I run with my parents herd. AUM's for my herd are calculated and deducted from my wages. We currently use GPS and auto steer in almost all of our farming which increases our accuracy and efficiency. Due to our extremely remote location we have more than 50 internal combustion engines that we have to maintain. We are very selective about our EPD's and disposition when choosing bulls for our herd. We have an individual number and lifetime record of each cow on our ranch. We strive to use the least stressful practices when

working our cattle. Careful stewardship of our land and livestock is the key to our operation. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I am passionate about the quality of products produced on my family farm/ranch. My goals include continuing to raise cattle and hay as well as wheat and any other crops that would fit my operation. Technology will play a key role in designing and running my operation. I am open to the idea of pulse crops, irrigation and anything I see necessary. I hope to eliminate erosion and weeds and have well fed, comfortable livestock. My vision is to use best management practices to continually improve my operation. My goal is to be careful in management and stewardship on my operation as well as being a pioneer for communicating agricultures positive message to all. As the 5th generation on my century family farm/ranch I hope to work with the highest integrity to provide quality products to feed the world and inspire the next generation of agriculturists. Name: Dalton Clabaugh Hometown: Keymar, Md. School: Michigan State University Major: Agri-Business Management Current farming/ranching operation: I am currently working on my family’s 400-acre dairy and crop farm, S.C. Willow Lane Farm, in Frederick County, Md. On our farm, we milk 63 Holstein cows twice a day and raise an additional 40 heifers on average. Forage for the cattle is grown on the farm and consists of corn silage, alfalfa and mixed grass hay bales, haylage, and rye silage in addition to high moisture corn. Soybeans, barley and wheat are also grown and sold on the grain market. Our farm is also in the process of adding a new operation to the mix. We currently malt barley and rye for a local brewery in Frederick, and are looking to launch our very own brewery on the farm. In our overall operation, I have my hand in a little bit of everything. General field work, assisting with herd management, working in the “malt house”, and managing my own herd of show cattle keeps me very busy on the farm. Farm/ranch vision for the future: The future of my family farm will not rely on the dairy operation, but instead on the farm brewery. Unfortunately, the dairy industry is unstable and very difficult for small herds like our farm to remain profitable. This uncertainty is what led my father to pursue the start of a farm brewery. With the brewery on the farm, we can grow the grain on the farm and increase the value through the malting and brewing process. At this point in time, I see this operation as the backbone of both the farm, and my family. I feel much safer as a future business owner knowing that the brewery will keep the farm profitable and in our family for future generations. However, the farm will not forget or loose its roots. I plan to continue to raise my small herd of registered Holsteins and exhibit them at shows and fairs as long as I am physically able to do so, leaving the option of a creamery another possibility.

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Name: Ryan Goddard Hometown: Urbana, Ohio School: The Ohio State University Major: Agriculture Undecided Current farming/ranching operation: Our family farm is mainly a corn and soybean operation, that utilizes about 200 acres of our farm. We also make about 40 acres of hay annually. The majority of our land is currently farmed using a minimum till system. My father, who works for the Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District, has implemented conservation practices including grass waterways and filter strips to control gully erosion and improve water quality. In addition to farmed cropland, we have about 20 acres enrolled in CRP (Conservation Reserve Program). We also have also enrolled in the EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentive Program) focusing on the eradication of bush honey suckle and grape vines in the woodland. Our farm responsibilities are shared between my immediate family which includes my parents, three brothers, and my grandparents. We also raise 25 head of dairy steers annually. With this included in our operation we are fortunate enough to always Farm/ranch vision for the future: We hope to improve our soil quality as we make the transition from tillage to a no-till practice over

the next five years. We are also looking to expand our operation with the purchase of more land. With this land our hope is to implement needed conservation practices as well as needed subsurface drainage. In addition to the installation of drainage tile on new land, we hope to install subsurface drainage on land that we already own. Our family also hopes to continue with the eradication of invasive species until the existing seed source is not such a severe threat. We feel that we have a responsibility to continually provide wildlife habitat, and also continue to decrease our farm’s carbon footprint. We understand that farming is an important industry in today’s world, but we also have a desire to practice this in a way that is sustainable to the echo system and to the world. Our hope is that we are able to protect our natural resources in order ensure our farms productivity for generations to come. Name: Geordan Hanson Hometown: Elgin, Iowa School: Iowa State University Major: Agricultural Business Current farming/ranching operation: Currently my family's farming operation includes around 400 acres of which 220 acres are tillable. Around 100 acres is usually pure alfalfa and the rest of the crop acres are usually in corn. The land is very hilly. The rest of the land is pasture and timber. Our operation used to milk around 40 dairy cows, in a tie stall barn, up until the spring of 2013 when my dad got injured and I left for college. We currently have around 40 stock cows. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I hope to bring dairy back to the operation with a larger herd than before, this expansion would require a new barn and a large investment. I would also like to expand crop acres. We are currently expanding the cow/calf herd and expect to continue to do that in the future.

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Name: Dalton Hard Hometown: Quincy, Mich. School: Michigan State University Major: Agri-Business Management Current farming/ranching operation: Currently my corn and soybean operation in south central Michigan is around 800 acres. My father, grandfather, brother and I all maintain this hobby farm where the majority of the land is rented and is non-irrigated. We maintain a small herd of cattle and hogs for the family and raise hay, sweet corn and wheat on a smaller scale. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future, I hope to continue to expand my acreage and explore other crop opportunities such as seed corn and potatoes. Eventually I would like to turn Hard Farms into a full time operation. I would like to purchase more ground and increase the amount of irrigated land that I have. I want to invest in livestock production in order to diversify my operation as well.

Name: Emilee Haubner Hometown: Auxvasse, Mo. School: Texas A&M University Major: Animal Science: Production Option Current farming/ranching operation: My family has a small farm, running commercial cattle, growing crops, and hay. The farm is a second generation farm. Our crops include corn, soybeans, milo, wheat and oats. Hay includes straw, alfalfa, fescue, and clover. I currently do not have my own farming/ranching operation. Our farm is family run and owned. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My plan is to own and operate my own ranch; raising cattle, training horses, and producing crops to feed the world. I want to be a leader by producing crops and raising cattle with superior genetics and quality grades for consumers. I will work hands on with beef, producing from the field to the table. I will work in the meat industry, producing quality carcasses and cuts that society likes to eat. I want to not only be a farmer, but to be an educator, teaching the ethics and importance of agriculture to everyone, locally and internationally.

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Name: Ethan Haywood Hometown: Hastings, Mich. School: Michigan State University Major: Animal Science; Emphasis in Dairy Cattle Current farming/ranching operation: I am the 6th generation to live and work on our 100 year old dairy farm. We currently milk 1,200 cows with a herd consisting of Holsteins and Jerseys. Our family has a rich tradition in the dairy industry, and we take pride in having one of the top DHIA herds in the state. We raise and feed our own forages including 1,600 acres of corn and hay. As a farm we work to maximize our productivity by focusing on growing high quality and highly digestible forages to maximize feed intake and milk production. We also emphasize our management on cow comfort, and strive to use the latest technologies to maximize efficiency. Recently, we have branched in to dairy genetics and have placed a number of our bulls into AI stud organizations including Accelerated Genetics, Genex, Semex and Sexing Technologies/Taurus while also providing quality herd bulls for other dairies in the area. We also partner with Michigan State University by hosting research projects at our farm on cutting-edge technologies. I am currently spending the summer working on our family farm while studying dairy management, animal science and crops and soil science at Michigan State University. In addition to the dairy operation we also own a small artisan cheese business where we make local

Havarti cheese from Jersey milk, and then market it in local stores and our own road-side store. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would like to continue our tradition of excellence in the dairy industry by continuing to focus on efficiency, sustainability and quality. We will continue to raise the bar on our dairy herd's milk production level, milk quality level and genetic potential. I would like to potentially expand our operation in the future, specializing in animal genetics while establishing our name in the genetic market. I would also like to expand our cheese business, increasing the size of our market and potentially making other processed dairy foods. I would also like explore the opportunities of on farm dairy processing plant, processing and marketing our own milk as well as possibly researching and bottling A2 milk. I would also like to examine the potential of coupling our dairy operation with possible renewable energy technologies including methane digesters. Name: Kellsie Hodges Hometown: Salmon, Idaho School: University of Idaho Major: Agricultural Education Current farming/ranching operation: Currently, we run about 400 cow/calf pairs and are going to start leasing some Angus heifers soon. From May to September, pairs go out onto range and calf from January through March. We are located in Salmon, Idaho, which is 75 percent agriculturally focused in industry and that is mostly in beef and hay operations. We grow hay and get about two cuttings in July and August. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision is to start my own operation as well as teach agricultural education. I want to branch away from family and neighbors to operate prurebred and some commercial cattle. I wish to be a steward and sustainable producer that keeps the consumer in mind when producing my product. I also want to be more open to the public and show them my industry and how we operate.

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Name: Brad Jaeger Hometown: Newton, Wis. School: University of Wisconsin - Madison Major: Agricultural and Applied Economics / Agronomy Current farming/ranching operation: We currently raise 240 dairy replacement heifers and farm a little more than 300 acres of land. About half of land is used for haylage and silage for the heifers, while the rest is cash grain such as wheat, corn or soybeans. We also do custom grain drying and perform about 500 acres of custom combining. My father runs a small trucking company, to go along with the farm. I have helped out in all of these areas, including feeding animals, performing field work, monitoring the dryer and driving truck. In addition to helping with all of the above, I also rent three forage bagging machines out to local farmers for custom hire. I am responsible for delivering and setting up the machines for the farmers, performing any maintenance on the machines, and all the billing and other paperwork associated with running a custom operation. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would really like to expand our acreage in order to increase the cash grain side of our farm. I

know that with the strong dairy presence in our area, that this will be extremely difficult to do. I hope that I can build relationships with some of the older farmers, who run smaller operations, in order to explain my goals. I feel this could help me gain some land despite the high bids that will come from the large dairies. Additionally, I really enjoy and would like to continue all the custom services we provide to local farmers. I think it is important and provides a great feeling to be able to help those around you. I would also like to continue my grandfather's work as a seed and forage bag salesman. Selling the forage bagging materials would go along great with the bagger rental business, and both would make for another great opportunity to help farmers. Name: Harrison Jenkins Hometown: Stony Point, N.C. School: North Carolina State University Major: Agriculture Busienss and Agriculture Education Current farming/ranching operation: Westward Farms is the name of our family farm. It is operated by myself along with my dad, sister, mom, two of my cousins, and our three hired employees. We operates one 400’ and four 500’ breeder houses that are contracted through Mountair Farms. The 500’ houses have around 12,500 chickens that lay close to 10,000 eggs in each house everyday during peak time, with the 400’ house having 10,000 chickens and lay around 8,000 eggs at peak. We also operate around 400 acres of soybeans and wheat. Most all the land we operate for crops is rented land that is in nearby proximity to our home. On the side, my sister has recently started a small specialty animal operation where she raises Alpacas to create products from their fiber that is sold at local shops and from her website. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for the farms future is to expand and diversify. It is my hope to build more chicken houses, some more breeder houses, as well as start up some pullet houses. I also want to expand our crop operation, increase land we work and scope of what we plant. Corn and canola are some things that we do not currently grow that I would like to look into possibly starting in the future. My dad and I have also entertained the notion of diversifying our operation to include hops and other produce vegetables. With my sister’s alpacas, I would like to see the number of venues she sells at expand and also build what she started into a type of agritourism; which has been growing in our area.

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Name: Cody Jones Hometown: Fulton, Mo. School: University of Missouri Major: Agriculture Business Management Current farming/ranching operation: On my family farm we have about 300 head of Registered Black Angus Cows of which we breed and sell herd sires mostly to commercial breeders in Missouri. We produce about 500 acres of row crops which rotate between milo, wheat, and soybeans. We also have about 400 acres of alfalfa orchard grass mixed hay to put up each year, as well as several hundred acres of grass hay. Most of our hay is sold in the state of Missouri and in drought years it is sold to other drought prone states. My responsibilities are currently as a hired hand and assisting with management decisions. I have been focusing on our long term goals and creating a strategic plan. I complete day to day tasks on the farm and manage our small work crew throughout the summer. I recently graduated from the University of Missouri and am getting back into the farm routine. Farm/ranch vision for the future: The vision I have for my family’s farm is that we continue to grow and improve upon our

reputation as a quality Angus genetics producer and grow the farm to meet and exceed our growing family’s needs. I would like to increase our cattle herd numbers back up to about 500 head of cows, and improve our marketing and sales operations to compete in this competitive market, and get our cattle herd up to the level we have always dreamed it could be. I see the farm growing naturally to meet new and emerging market demands in the conventional farming side such as milo, soybeans, and wheat. I also want to explore and integrate new and emerging markets and profitable pursuits such as goats, organics, and non-conventional crops. Expanding the farming operation may also include vertically integrating another business such as a grain elevator, trucking, or feed store that my area needs. Name: Patrick King Hometown: Oneida, Ill. School: Iowa State University Major: Agriculture Studies Current farming/ranching operation: On our operation my family raises wean pigs and sells them independently to other growers in the Midwest. We maintain a herd of 3,800 sows on our farm and last year farrowed more than 75,000 head of piglets. Our piglets are sold at 18 days of age minimum and then transported to other producers who will feed them to market weight. We operate our own feed mill, as well as do some of the manure application ourselves. I am involved at every level of the operation. If it is needed of me I can feed sows, help with daily chores, move sows, make feed, haul manure and do repairs or construction work on our facilities. Our operation also consists of 675 acres of corn and soybeans. I assist in any area of this operation as needed including planting, tillage, grain cart, and combine operation. I also hold a Class A CDL and can drive truck to haul feed, manure or grain for our operation. Our farm is ran by my father with some assistance from my grandfather who is nearing 80 years old. I help whenever time off from school allows. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for the future of our operation is that we can continue to grow both areas of our operation, while becoming as efficient and financially stable as possible. I hope to do this in a number of ways. I hope to implement practices using GPS technology to ensure manure is applied at proper rates across crop land so that crops can efficiently use the nutrients available and limit the possibility of runoff. I would like to use hedging and futures trading to help make our business more financially stable to prevent surges in input costs. This will help to control feed costs for the swine operation and make it easier to be profitable in the long run. Overall I hope we can continue to grow and survive the changing climate of agriculture. Long term, I would like to find another business venture to branch into and make our operation more diversified.

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Name: Adam Krause Hometown: Clear Lake, S.D. School: South Dakota State University Major: Agricultural Business Current farming/ranching operation: We are in an operation that farms roughly 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and oats. We also are involved in a corporation called "Supreme Pork, Inc." where piglets from a 2,000 sow farrowing unit owned by the company are contracted out to various nurseries and finishers owned by the partners within the corporation. We have capacity for roughly 7,200 head. Right now I'm doing tasks such as helping with planting and harvest, doing chores when needed, and helping doing various summer jobs and projects. Eventually, I hope to take a more active roll in the marketing process in hogs and crops, as well as the pork production process. My father is also a dealer for DeKalb corn and AsGrow soybeans. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for my future farm would be working with my father for a while, but ideally

I'd like to farm with my brother. Right now, chores in the hog barns are done by a hired employee by the company. He does chores for several other owners as well. Eventually, I would like to be able to take the role of doing all of our own chores and barn maintenance. I hope that my brother will be able to take over the seed business, as well as be our own personal scout and agronomist. This way, my brother and I can work on the same operation while still having our freedom in our own areas of expertise. Name: Erica Larson Hometown: Sonoma, Calif. School: University of California, Davis Major: Managerial Economics Current farming/ranching operation: The land we farm has been in our family for more than 120 years. It is a 70 acre parcel in southern Sonoma Valley and has transitioned into many uses over the years. It is now a working vineyard and a family run winery. Ours is an integrated farming operation that incorporates both organic and sustainable wine grape growing practices. Varieties include Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. There are 40 acres of Sonoma vineyards and we are located in the Carneros appellation. Spacing is eight feet between rows and four to five feet between vines. Twenty acres are California Certified Organic (CCOF) and the remaining are conventionally farmed using sustainable practices. Vines range in age from ten to twenty years old. All the vines are planted on 101-14 rootstock. Due to the richness of the soil and deep roots of the vines, irrigation is minimal, and used only when we deem necessary. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for our farming operation is to continue to incorporate sustainable wine grape growing practices along with CCOF practices to find a happy medium of farming for flavors, while still being an economically viable business. The biggest challenge to growing organically is controlling weeds. We are in the process of phasing out herbicides that contain glyphosates, while still keeping the vineyards aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I see us doing this also, because we want to decrease any chemical build up in the ground. We are close to wetlands, and I recognize the fragile habitat surrounding us. Being socially equitable, economically feasible and environmentally sound are three principles of sustainable wine grape growing. I see these as beacons to follow now and in the future. I believe it is my responsibility to farm responsibly and have respect for the vineyards and surrounding environment not only to produce the best product, but to maintain, protect and nurture the land, so t it can keep on providing an income for my family.

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Name: Calee Lott Hometown: Oakley, Utah School: Utah State University Major: Plan Science/Horticulture Emphasis Current farming/ranching operation: When my great-grandpa passed away, he left my family a small beef cow-calf operation of 25 head in North-Eastern Utah with BLM grazing allotments and private ground for grazing in Central-Eastern Utah, which is currently leased out to other ranchers. I manage the fall gathering, spring branding, and summer checking. When I'm home from school in the winter (most weekends), I am responsible for monitoring calving. Fall, spring, and summer feed protocol are also a part of my responsibility. We lease 100 percent of the land that we utilize for our cattle. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I plan to purchase land to be utilized for winter feeding and calving and expand our herd by 100 percent in the next five years. I also plan on implementing modern practices to improve herd genetics, increasing calving percentages, and creating a more sustainable

operation. I hope to implement more efficient grazing practices on our land to increase animal units on the landscape. In the next ten years, I plan to utilize our private ground and BLM allotments for my own cattle and increase my herd to 150 head. We will see what happens after that. The future is unclear, but it is bright. Name: Brianna Mann Hometown: Stoneham, Mass. School: Stockbridge School of Agriculture Major: Sustainable Horticulture Current farming/ranching operation: For nearly 30 years the Mann Family owned and operated Mann’s Garden Center located in Malden, Mass., just a short 10 miles north of Boston. Mann’s Garden Center was a seasonal company that provided local products for the spring, fall and holiday seasons. Such products purchased from local greenhouses and farms included vegetable and flower plants; pumpkins, mums and cornstalks and my personal favorite balsam fir Christmas trees, wreaths and Kissing balls. These balsam fir product were delivered all the way from Nova Scotia, Canada from two properties owned by the Mann Family with a total of 98 acres, 56 of which was in tree production. My responsibility level within the company was general manger working toward ownership post graduation. However on May 20, 2015 the property Mann’s Garden Center was located on was sold by my grandmother, closing the business. Since May, I have been selling a small amount of popular products at a local market which is located two miles from the old property until funding becomes available to purchase a permanent location. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for the operation is constantly changing; however, right now my goal would be to purchase property by October 2015 to re-open Mann’s Garden Center. Doing so, I hope old customers can return and continue to support the company that I have worked my entire life at. Ten years down the line my vision for the company is to have one location that offers all three seasons to customers. Spring plants and vegetables, fall/ Halloween decorations and holiday decorations and Christmas trees. Besides this location I would also in vision three “satellite” locations within a five mile radius that just offer the holiday decorations. Within the tree land in Canada some major work would need to put in now in 2015 for these goals in 2025. Such work would include turning some “blocks” into brush land and even planting some White Pine trees to supply a growing interest. Each year the Providence of Nova Scotia selects and sends the city of Boston a 40-45 foot Christmas tree to be placed in front of the state house as a 75 year tradition. In ten years I want to be able to supply the city of Boston a tree from our land in Nova Scotia.

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Name: Logan Martin Hometown: Salamanca, N.Y. School: Morrisville State College Major: Animal Science – Dairy Emphasis Current farming/ranching operation: Our current farm is a 90 cow dairy farm with approximately 100 replacement heifers being raised. The cows are milked two times a day and produce, on average, 90 pounds of milk each. Cows are fed a total mixed ration (TMR) containing 35 percent concentrates. Corn and alfalfa based silages complete the TMR, and are grown on the 280 acres of crop land that is owned and rented by the farm. Manure from the farm is spread daily, as we are not a large enough operation to warrant any type of manure storage system. The farm is managed by my father, Brenden, and our neighbor, Dana. Along with these two, all of the labor on the farm is done by farmhand Todd and myself, when I am home from college. Because of the small scale of the farm, everyone takes turns milking and doing other chores, depending on what is going on at the farm. Farm/ranch vision for the future: The farm has milked the same number of cows for the past 20 years, but with the need to support a second generation there is going to need to be some sort of expansion.

This expansion could come in the form of adding cows, niche marketing, on farm processing, or any combination of the three. In the short run, I see the installation of a flat barn parlor with the construction of a barn to house enough cows to reach 130-160 milking cows, as a transition phase. More of a long term goal that I myself have, is to eventually have a free stall barn and a parlor that can handle between 300 and 500 cows. On farm processing is another option that I personally would like to explore. I believe that the market for locally produced goods is only going to increase, allowing for a sustainable profit margin if I were to make cheese or yogurt on farm. The biggest challenge with on farm processing is the high startup costs. Name: Sam Mellgren Hometown: Cologne, Minn. School: South Dakota State University Major: Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Current farming/ranching operation: My current operation consists of complete ownership of one Registered Angus cow that is with my family farms 30 cow herd. We finish out all of our own animals, as well as sell a few bulls as breeding stock. We also run about 180 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and grass hay. We are currently transitioning about half of the cows to be registered Angus cows to emphasize more on the seedstock side of things. My involvement in the operation consists of input on capital purchases along with procurement and customer relations for the registered animals and breeding stock. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for my farming operation is to increase our cow numbers to approximately 200 head of cattle with about 50 percent of them being Registered Angus cows. The other 50 percent will be heavily used as recipients for embryos from the registered animals. I also want the ability to buy back calves from customers to feed out/finish to enhance my operation as a value added operation. This will also allow me to work with my customers in getting sires that they desire, but also ensures that they have good genetics. I will benefit from the bulls progeny because I will be buying them back. In order to feed this amount of cattle, I will also need to acquire more land to grow crops and use for pasture. My goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible to minimize feed cost fluctuations along with being a customer driven business.

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Name: Jade Morgan Hometown: Lamar, Mo. School: Crowder College Major: Agricultural Business, Marketing/Management Current farming/ranching operation: Currently, my family and I farm 1,700 acres of row crop ground. We raise corn, wheat and soybeans. We do all field work ourselves, from putting on fertilizer to harvest. We practice no-till planting and vertical tillage practices. We rotate between the three crops to ensure we aren't abusing the soil. We are able to store about one half of our grain which allows us to market our grain and increase profits the best we can. We also run 250 cow-calf pairs and background a large part of our own cattle. We work our cattle twice a year with our vaccination program to insure healthy cattle. We buy the best Angus influence bulls that we can find to help maintain and improve the genetic makeup of our herd. We only leave our bulls with the cows for about 90 days with the intentions of keeping the best cows and keeping our calf crop at a uniform size and appearance. We soil sample and fertilize not only our farm ground, but also our pastures and hay ground. Our operation requires three of us full-time to get everything done year round. Farm/ranch vision for the future: One of my goals is to grow our operation in terms of size. I would like to be able to rent or purchase more

acres to where we would be row cropping 3,000 acres. I believe covering more acres would give our operation more security and increase profits. I would also like to grow our cattle herd to 350 head with the use of rotational grazing. I believe with better pasture management we can produce a lot more beef in the future. On the cattle side of things, I would like to be able to update our processing facilities so that we can work more cows in less time. Eventually, I would like to have the facilities available to precondition and background all of our own cattle and possibly buy cattle to background. Since a young age, I have had a dream to make our operation one that stands out in terms of production and best practices. In the foreseeable future, the only full time workers will be my father and I. We will need to get larger equipment while cutting down on the total amount of equipment owned so that we can get more use from the equipment in the same amount of time, without having machinery set in the barn. Name: Cara Ruth Pace Hometown: Clayton, N.C. School: North Carolina State University Major: Agricultural Business Mangement Current farming/ranching operation: My family farm is truly a family farming operation. My dad and uncle are the main owners of our farming partnership but that doesn't mean that everyone in the family doesn't contribute. My sister works on weekends when she is not busy serving as an FFA advisor to the local high school chapter. Her husband is a full time firefighter, but on his days off he can typically be found somewhere on the farm. My mom is a constant for my dad, whether it is at the tobacco barns working alongside our workers or cooking his lunch and supper every day. My cousin lives beside us and hopes to farm full time after college as well. As for my role in the operation, I can usually be found in a truck or the farm office. Whether it is GAP paperwork, payroll or running farm errands, I'm all over the place. Being a full time college student keeps me away during the week and school year but summer time is our busiest season. When tobacco season is on in full force, it is all hands on deck to get the crop done. We currently farm around 700 acres of tobacco, wheat, soybeans and grain sorghum. The farm keeps everyone busy year round but the summer time is when family means more to us than ever. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My plans for our farm include diversification. We currently grow tobacco as our cash crop; however, I think there are other markets that we could easily fit into. I hope to introduce fruit and vegetable production into our farming operation one day to offer streams of income year round rather than just at the end of tobacco season. We have great access to water and great soil for various produce including sweet potato production, which North Carolina is known for. I hope to add that crop and others to our commodity list and hopefully continue it as family run business.

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Name: Tara Parmely Hometown: Miller, S.D. School: South Dakota State University Major: Agronomy Current farming/ranching operation: My parents own approximately 800 acres and rent 200 acres. We also are sharecropping with a couple that owns about 3,000 acres that want to retire. We are in the process of buying their machinery and sharecropping the farm ground. I am renting 40 acres, which I have corn and soybeans planted on. I am in charge of scouting our fields to determine when they need to be sprayed and with what and keep track of plant health. I also determine the fertilizer applications. I perform planting and harvesting duties, along with other chores that need done on the farm. I selected my own seed varieties for my crops. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would like to see us purchase some more farm ground. Keeping up to date with new technologies, such as variable rate planting, fertilizing, spraying, seeding, and mapping technologies. I would like to start my own

custom food plot planting business for next spring. I would use a four or six row corn planter which I could change plates easily between corn, soybean, and sorghum. I also would like to add cattle and possibly pigs and/or goats to my own operation. Name: Brett Petersen Hometown: Murdock, Minn. School: Ridgewater College Major: Farm Operations & Management Current farming/ranching operation: I work and am a part owner of Petersen Farms, Inc., in Murdock Minn. We farm approximately 6,000 acres where we grow sugarbeets, corn, soybeans, alfalfa and peas. We grow a lot of specialty crops on our farm, so we stay very busy with production throughout the year. My responsibility level is shop manager where I manage four people all year long and about 13 in the fall havest season. I also am a farm laborer at our farm, so I am out in the fields and also do paper work in the office. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I hope to build up our operation to about 10,000 acres by the time I retire from farming. I hope to make our business financially stronger and manage my inputs better throughout my farming career. Also, I want to make our operation a low over head operation, but do not want to cut corners in my operation to achieve that.

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Name: Cole Ramsey Hometown: Waynesboro, Va. School: Clemson University Major: Agricultural Education Current farming/ranching operation: We are a commercial cow/calf operation comprised of about 300 head of Angus cattle. We make our own hay and grow our own grain crops to feed our cattle. Most of our time is spent working to feed our cattle. We make more than 400 acres of hay a year and around 40 acres of various grain crops. Our farm is involved in youth projects through both 4-H and FFA. We provide a location for exhibitors to house their show animals. The responsibility of the farm is divided between my grandfather, father, uncle, and myself. The farm is truly run by the family as no one is employed outside of the family. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would like to increase the size of our operation, but I feel that before we can grow we have to better manage what we already have. I would like to implement more technology into our record keeping through the use of electronic tags and their corresponding software. I would like to

make our operation run more efficiently, thus allowing us to be able to improve our equipment and facilities through better financial management. I would also like to switch from a commercial cow calf operation to a purebred seedstock operation. All of these ideas will hopefully work together to make our operation more efficient and profitable. Name: Kady Rath Hometown: McClusky, N.D. School: North Dakota State University Major: Veterinary Technology Current farming/ranching operation: Our current ranching operation consists of 60 head of Simmental/Black Angus cross cows bred by Hereford bulls. Our cattle graze on 160 acres of owned pasture ground and on 190 acres rented. We collaborate with our business partners to help put up hay, fix fence, calve out, and various other tasks for each of our herds. Our cattle are calved out at our business partner's place right outside of town. In our cattle operation, my responsibilities consist of working the cows, feeding, running the double mower and rake, tagging calves, fixing fence, moving cows, and helping out with other jobs as needed. Even though our operation consists of ranching, we also have 160 acres of crop land. We hire the county for seeding and harvesting as we don't currently have the equipment for the farming part of our operation. We have been able to take our cows off of shares and fully run our ranching operation. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I am very excited to see where my ranching operation goes in the future! My vision is to continually expand my herd each year until reaching a herd size of 80 head. I want to continue a joint operation with my dad and business partners. Although I want to continue the partnership, I do eventually want to purchase my own land and calve myself. Once my cattle operation grows and is stable, I want to help my dad keep heifers from our herd to raise and sell. To accomplish these goals, I want to maintain my herd with the most beneficial vaccinations, medications, and equipment. I want to incorporate medication that will prevent any kind of disease from impacting my herd and keep their health and performance growing. I plan on purchasing a calf catcher and setting up panels so I can get calves away from the cow so that one person can work a calf without getting injured. I also want to continue helping with any part of planting or harvesting that I can. I want to learn more about the farming side of the operation and be able to run some of this equipment in the near future. As far as our pasture land and crop land go, I plan on purchasing what I can from my parents and renting the rest of it from my brother to continue our family tradition of ranching.

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Name: Jackson Remer Hometown: Omro, Wis. School: University of Wisconsin – Madison Major: Agricultural Business Management Current farming/ranching operation: Our family farm is a 3,500-acre operation of corn, alfalfa, soybeans and wheat. In 2000 our family sold our 80 dairy cows and committed solely to crop production and expanding farm size. Our farm has a unique market opportunity with dairy operations in our area. We created relationships with these operations to sell corn silage and alfalfa to their farms. In return, our land is included in their nutrient management plans and manure is applied as needed. This relationship has provided an avenue to expand and improve the production of our farm. Our farm has been able to diversify our crop rotations and rely less on synthetic fertilizers in this system. My responsibility on the farm is to help when I can and continually learn more about the operation. I’ve had jobs on different farm operations and summer internships to help grow my knowledge. I always try to be available during planting and harvest to help out with a wide range of tasks throughout the farm. I primarily assist with tillage, field improvements, grain harvest, and straw bailing. I hope to continue to learn and bring my outside knowledge back to our farm.

Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future I hope to continue to run a successful farming operation that focuses on the environment and economics of its operations. I have a vision to expand our operation, when possible, and do so in an economically feasible manner. It has been a staple of our family farm to continue to improve the land and leave it better for the next generation. This will continue to be an important part of the future of the operation. I hope to be on the cutting edge of sustainable technologies and practices. Some examples of these practices could include cover crops, variable rate technology, improved drainage and much more. I hope to evaluate changes in cropping systems in the future and continue to experiment with new technologies as they become available. I vision having increased awareness of soil compaction and implementing practices to reduce the effects of this. I hope to keep our operation a family business, which would allow future generations to see the rewards of being a farmer. Overall, I want to continue to build off the growth our operation has experienced in recent years and keep our land productive for years to come. Name: Logan Russell Hometown: Wapakoneta, Ohio School: University of Northwestern Ohio Major: Agribusiness Current farming/ranching operation: Our current operation primarily consists of three segments; crops, livestock, and custom farming. The crop segment of the operation consists of 1,000 rotating corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and wheat. For livestock, we focus on Holstein beef. We focus on selling beef direct to consumers to retain as much profit possible from each animal. We also practice sell buy marketing, which consist of reading the market to scope out overvalued and undervalued animals of all classes, and selling and buying accordingly. Using these strategies we have been able to greatly increase positive cash flow and grow the overall profit margin of our beef business. We try to sell 100 head of steers direct to customers per year and buy and sell 200-300 feeder cattle. In the custom farming segment of the business we operate a round baler and inline bale wrapper as well as custom combining. We have found the custom wrapping business to be very lucrative with low startup capital requirements and low overhead. It has also gained us more baling business because when we come to a farm we can offer complete package forage harvesting. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision of our operation in the future consists of increasing the efficiency of our current businesses and growing to a sustainable size in order to farm full time. I would like to really maximize the facilities and current capital our business possesses while facilitating long term growth. Specifically in the next five years I would like to see our crop operation increased to 1,250 acres. Our cattle business increased to 200 head consumer direct sales and 400-500 feeder cattle marketed, and our custom farming business profiting enough to replace equipment and provide a consistent cash flow into the farm. In addition to increasing the current cattle numbers I would like bring in specialty livestock such as goats, broilers, and swine to sell direct to consumers. I would also like to add in a few specialty crops and begin building in an aquaculture segment into the farm.

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Name: Ryan Schwyn Hometown: Marysville, Ohio School: The Ohio State University Major: Agricultural Engineering Current farming/ranching operation: My family’s farming operation, Schwyn Farms, currently consists of 100 acres of tillable ground used to grow corn, wheat, and soybeans. An additional six acres is enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program and 75 acres is enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Program. With desires to build soil health and lessen our impact on the environment, we utilize no-till technology for planting all of our crops. We also practice crop rotation to replenish soil nutrients and help prevent the spread of pests and diseases. As farm coordinator, I take the bulk of the responsibility for buying inputs, maintaining equipment and selling grain. My father’s job that requires him to travel a majority of the time, therefore not leaving him much time to invest in the farm. I manage relationships with our input suppliers, and stay up to date on current issues that affect our farm. We have a passion for conservation, love the outdoors and enjoy wildlife. With the help of federal conservation programs, we are able to devote 81 acres to conservation efforts that help preserve wildlife habitat, reduce erosion, and improve water quality. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for the future of my farming operation is to farm 500 acres by the time I am 40. I desire to pursue opportunities that will enhance my ability as a farmer to produce food more

sustainably and more efficiently. To succeed at this I envision my operation adopting technology that will allow more accurate application of inputs as well as tracking inputs on a grid style system to better assess requirements and effectiveness. To attain the acreage I desire, it will be necessary to start renting land. I intend to build relationships with as many landowners as possible and to begin marketing myself when I am ready. I envision pursuing ways to develop myself professionally within the agricultural industry through involvement in agricultural organizations. To support the farm in periods of low markets, diversification will help sustain our operation. With a degree in Agricultural Engineering and a major interest in precision agriculture, I expect to diversify my operation by starting a precision agriculture service and support business to help other farmers improve their practices. Adding livestock to our operation is another diversification option. I plan to take advantage of the programs offered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Their programs that benefit young farmers, as well as the other incentive programs, could help advance our farming operation and aid us in continuing to grow. Name: Ryker Smith Hometown: Manlius, N.Y. School: Cornell University Major: Agricultural Science Current farming/ranching operation: My family farm has 170 milking Holsteins, and we raise our own replacements on a total of 600 acres of corn and hay. In addition to the dairy, we have a u-pick strawberry patch which is open in June. I am responsible for all aspects of the dairy, from feeding and milking to crop production and general upkeep of equipment and the farm itself. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for the farm in the future is to convert the dairy to robotic to reduce labor, increase quality of life, and increase the production of small fruit crops such as more strawberries and adding other berry crops such as raspberries and blackberries and possibly further diversify into high tunnel vegetables to increase the productivity of the farm stand we currently have. Organic is also a possibility in the future for the farm.

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Name: Austin Sprecher Hometown: Sauk City, Wis. School: University of Wisconsin – Madison; Short Course Major: Dairy Farm Management Current farming/ranching operation: My parents had to sell the cows in 2009 due to financial troubles. I have started to work on making a plan to start my own farm at my family’s farm. I currently work on a 170 cow dairy farm that also runs 900 acres of land. Job responsibilities include anything and everthing. I work very closely with my boss to manage the cows and the crops. We grow corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa. I raise a few Holstein steers at my home farm also. Farm/ranch vision for the future: Within the next two years I plan to start buying heifer calves from the farm where I'm currently working. My boss and I will work out a deal to raise those calves into heifers until they are ready to start calving. By that time I will have the home farm ready for cattle. I plan to start up with 50 cows and grow to around 100 milking cows.

Name: Dustin Stanton Hometown: Centralia, Mo. School: University of Missouri – Columbia Major: Agricultural Business Current farming/ranching operation: I live on and help on our family farm which consists of a 60 head cow/calf operation on a few hundred acres of pasture and approximately 800 acres of row-crops. The row-crops we grow are soybeans, milo, and wheat. We also do a few hundred acres of hay every year. I also co-own and operate an egg operation with my younger brother. We raise 20,000 free range layers and sell and market the eggs to around 40 different outlets in the Mid-Missouri region. Farm/ranch vision for the future: We love the traditional aspect to farming, but with the volatility of prices we plan on growing our egg business more. We want to continue to diversify our egg operation into other areas of agriculture and market our products all over the country. It's always hard to predict a number because rather than purchasing birds and then finding demand, we find demand and then purchase birds.

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Name: D.J. Steele Hometown: Amanda, Ohio School: Wilmington College Major: Agri-Business Current farming/ranching operation: Currently, as a family, we farm roughly 900 acres of cash crops within a small local area. The main crops we grow are corn and soybeans, but wheat and hay also make up substantial acreage. To better market our crops, we also have a 150 head cattle feedlot we use to fatten dairy beef feeders. My responsibilities include helping with all day to day activities, from feeding and caring for the cattle, to maintaining and operating equipment, as well as assisting in major decisions involving things like marketing and management. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future I hope that our farming opperation will maintain its focus on cash crops but will grow in size and diversity. I would like to see our cattle feedlot grown substantionally in size to increase the profiit margin of our cash crops. Along with an increase in size I have a more important goal to increase our efficiency in the things that we currently do,

and to maintain that efficiency in new things that we do. Name: Cassidy Steenbock Hometown: Romoland, Calif. School: Modesto Junior College Major: Agricultural Science / Animal Science Current farming/ranching operation: My ranching operation takes place on a 10 acre ranch located in Southern California. In 8th grade, I decided that I wanted to start my own equine operation, which started with a small boarding operation and escalated to a very high-tech ranch. I hold the title of ranch manager, and care for all of the boarded horses on the ranch. To improve our facilities, we installed heaters and fans in the barns, a pool, and a water treadmill for the horses to exercise. We began to run the fans, heaters, and pool temperature off of a laptop which could be run from the house, and set up webcams that wirelessly connected to cell phones and laptops to keep an eye on the horses while away from home. Owners of the animals loved this because they could see their horses, even when the ranch was closed. I also started a pomegranate tree business on the side to gain a little more profit, and use the horse manure in a more productive way. Farm/ranch vision for the future: By my senior year of high school, my boarding operation that started out with two horses, became a ranch with a waiting list to board. With the new technological advances that my ranch has to offer, I hope to continue expanding. Now that I am in college, most of my operations have come to a standstill so that I can complete my education, and jump right back in after graduating. I plan to continually improve my agricultural operations and find new and innovative ways to run my projects. By attending a highly agriculturally inclined college, I have already learned several new techniques that I plan to introduce into my operation at home. My vision for my equine operation is to continue improving the boarding business, and develop new technology to make it the best it can be. I would eventually like to purchase the property next to mine which is an eight acre flat field to expand into with more barns and outdoor stalls. I would also like to take about half of the new land to plant tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, corn, strawberries, and potatoes. This crop operation would help provide funds for more improvements in my barns. If I do purchase this extra land and expand the business, I would also like to hire more employees to help on the farm.

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Name: Mallarie Stookey Hometown: Milford, Ind. School: Purdue University Major: Agriculture Education Current farming/ranching operation: Growing up on an eighth generation farm has been an incredible and life changing experience. I have been able to not only have the experience of working with dairy cows, but also many different aspects of a diverse farming operation. We milk around 55 cows and farm roughly 600 acres of farm land. My responsibilities on the farm vary with each of the activities, however I am expected to know how to do each task and participate in all parts. This includes everything from the milking of the cows, heifer chores, breaking the cattle to lead, feeding the animals, working the farm land, planting, harvesting, as well as all the tasks involved in making hay. There is always something to do on the farm. I have come to enjoy all tasks and embrace all challenges that come my way and face them with a good attitude in order to continually improve the farm. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I have many different goals

for our farm in the future. One of the first things that I would like to do is continue to increase the genetics of our cattle. I love receiving national recognition for cattle that we have bred and raised. I take great pride in our herd’s genetics and I would love to continue to increase this. I have been looking into bottling our own milk, so I would like to eventually start bottling and selling our own milk brand. I have also considered processing our milk and making cheese. These two processes will take more planning, but I would really like to implement them throughout our farm. I have high hopes this will be a successful venture with the correct marketing and planning. People are now preferring to buy food products locally, which makes me believe my future goals are not too far out of scope. Name: Joshua Stutrud Hometown: Barton, N.D. School: North Dakota State University Major: Crop and Weed Science with Agronomy Option Current farming/ranching operation: I currently have 700 acres of cropland that I am responsible for all the management decisions and financial investment. I have also taken over my grandfather’s role in a joint venture with my father, which consists of 2,600 cropland acres. My father and I make the management decisions together and split the financial responsibility. I own one third of our 160 head Black Angus cattle operation that is a cow/calf operation. My father and grandfather own the remainder of the herd and we all split the expenses in thirds. We make the management decisions for the cow/calf operation as a group. I also own a couple pieces of equipment by myself and small shares in other pieces of equipment. I have a labor exchange agreement with my father and grandfather for the use of their equipment in exchange for my labor. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I would like to increase my cropland acres to a minimum of 10,000 acres and a minimum of 250 head in the cow/calf operation. I want to continue to invest in the most up-to-date technology to increase my operations efficiency and profitability. I want to invest in tile drainage and irrigation, which will allow me to create ideal growing conditions for any of the crops I raise. This will essentially eliminate most of the risk of too much or too little moisture. I also want to explore the potential for raising more specialty crops to increase my operations profitability.

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Name: Tyler Swan Hometown: Newell, S.D. School: South Dakota State University Major: Range Science Current farming/ranching operation: Our current ranching operation is focused around the management of 150 Black Angus cows. Each year we calve out, brand, vaccinate, and wean the calves. When the calves are weaned, we select the top heifer calves to keep and sell the rest. We then feed out those heifers until they reach a mature weight for breeding the next spring. Our livestock is supplemented by haying in the summer, where we harvest grass and alfalfa hay from our creek bottoms, irrigated land at the ranch, and at our home place near town. As our herd has expanded in the past five years, we have expanded to harvesting hay for neighbors in dryland and irrigated locations. This has grown to the point that we now on average harvest more for others than we do on our own land. We do most of the maintenance work on our own; with only one part time employee and my siblings helping with fencing and branding on occasion. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future, I would like our ranch to look more into sustainability on our own land. People often change their minds as to what they want planted in their fields from year to year and can be an unsteady source of hay from year to year; this also fluctuates with the price of hay and other crops in the area. By fertilizing the creek

bottoms, as well as potentially our summer pastures; we would be able to harvest more hay and have grass extra to use and be able to fully support our herd again. Another area that we need to improve in is updating and revamping our current setup. Several of our older buildings need concrete work done with the foundation so that they can be fully functional again and not have walls slumping. Several of our pens and alleys are also in rough condition as they were new when my grandparents first moved there, nearly 60 years ago. Our access road also needs some work; part of that is the county’s job, but our own road needs some work too, as it quickly turns to a 4-wheel only trail after a heavy rain and remains so for several days. On a positive note, our fences have been improved recently, as well as some of our handling facilities. We installed a new Powder River chute and alley system a couple years ago, which now are really in need of some concrete to sit on for better function and to last longer rather than residing in the gumbo (heavy clay soil). Most of this just needs time and money, mostly money. Sustainability and efficiency may be our best avenue to come closer to these goals. Name: Lee Turner Hometown: Waynesfield, Ohio School: Wilmington College Major: Agronomy Current farming/ranching operation: I grew up on the family farm that was started in 1992 that is a total grain crop operation in northwest Ohio which primarily raises popcorn and soybeans. My family also owns a custom agricultural spraying company that involves the trucking of grain, general excavating work, lawn care service, snow removal, and spraying. We own and manage a custom nitrogen application service that specializes in sidressing 28 percent liquid nitrogen for area farmers. I manage the day to day operations on farm, as well as assisting with the business in anyway possible. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My goal would be to continue growing the operation just as my parents have over the years. I would like to continue to add more technology and new farming techniques to our operation, such as variable rate seeding placement, cover cropping, new tillage and reside practices, or new grain handling facility, etc. I would like to make sure the next generation has had the same opportunities I have had at my young age, and leave the land in better shape then when I started.

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Name: Ashley Vogt Hometown: Shelby, Ohio School: University of Findlay Major: Animal Science Current farming/ranching operation: R&R Niese Farms is a family run grain crop operation, owned by Robert and Roger Niese. We run about 2,500 acres of soybeans and corn. The farm has been growing with new technology and bigger equipment. Going out to the farm with my dad, I’ve been learning about all of the benefits of new technology in agriculture. I have also been learning about how farm management works. Lil Niese has taught me many things as far as marketing grain and how she deals with taxes and farm finances. The farm has taught me a lot about the grain industry and I hope that my experiences there will assist me with my future career. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future I would like to see the farm continue to grow. I would like to see bigger and better equipment, along with more acres and even better financial standings. I would also like to see R&R Niese Farms remain a

family owned operation. I am very close to their family and have learned so much from them and my dad around the farm. Name: Bryan Walker Hometown: Houston, Ohio School: Wilmington College Major: Agronomy Current farming/ranching operation: Our current farming operation consists of a couple different aspects. First, we farm 550 acres of corn, soybeans, and soft red winter wheat. We also have ten acres of alfalfa hay. Secondly, we contract finish 4,800 hogs yearly. Along with this, we also bottle feed 250 Holstein feeder calves yearly and feed them to 500 pounds. We then sell them to other local farmers, who finish out the steers. For our calves, we feed some of our own corn and we feed the alfalfa as a protein supplement. I have many responsibilities on our farm. I help with feeding the calves and steers twice a day. I also check the hogs when my Dad needs me to. Along with the feeding, I treat and vaccinate the calves, when needed. For the grain farming, I work ground and plant the corn, beans and wheat. I also side dress corn. For harvesting; I run the grain cart, drive the semi, and also combine corn. Along with this I do any mechanic work that is needed and any other jobs such as hauling manure, mowing water ways, fixing field tile or anything thing else that may need to be done. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision for my future farming operation is similar to my dad and I's current operation, but on a bigger scale. First, I would like to finish feeding out our steers along with additional feeder calves. I would like to achieve this by building a steer barn. My vision is to be able to feed around 1,000 at a time. I want to feed steers because I love cattle and enjoy feeding them. Along with my dad, I would like to put up another hog barn that would hold 2,400 hogs at a time, if the opportunity were to arise. I would like to put up another barn for a couple reasons. The first reason is for the manure to haul on our ground so we could raise better crops and the second reason is for the income. I would also like to farm more acres of grain. Ideally I want to farm around 2,000 acres in the future. I would love to farm with my dad, but eventually take over the farm operations when he retires. I know I will not be able to achieve all of this overnight, it will take hard work and dedication. In the end I am willing to work as hard as I need to achieve all of this. I love farming and would not trade it for anything.

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Name: Brandon Weber Hometown: Thompson, N.D. School: Mayville State University Major: Elementary Education Current farming/ranching operation: Currently, I am a farmhand on a family farm operation that covers about 3,500 acres. We raise wheat, soybeans, edible beans, and sugarbeets. We have also raised corn in the past. In my time on the farm, I have moved up from just helping out to being a main part of the day to day operation. I have done most of the planting and spraying on the farm the last couple of years. This past year, I was able to grow my own sugarbeets. By doing this, I got a taste of what it takes to be a farmer through preperation and planning. For the first time, I made the decisions that related to the crop. In just a few short years, my role has become much more important. I really enjoy the work and the responsibility that comes along with it. Farm/ranch vision for the future: My vision is to find ways to improve what we are doing. I want to become the best farmer I possibily can. There is hopefully some more land coming into the

operation in the near future that I will be farming. I look to add wheat and edible beans into my personal rotation. I plan on finishing up a degree in agromony, so I will be able to do all of the crop scouting for our farm. By learning and working with new practices and technology, I plan to take my experiences and turn them into productive years on the farm. Name: Tanner White Hometown: Prosser, Wash. School: University of Idaho Major: Agricultural Science, Communication and Leadership Current farming/ranching operation: The current size of my family’s ranching operation is eighty Angus heifers. Depending on the year and market trends, that number has been known to change. Currently, my brother and I each own twenty-five head of cattle that run within my parent’s herd of eighty. However, within the next two years, my parents plan to retire by being bought out by my brother and I. Presently, my parents and brother oversee the day-to-day operations of the ranch, with my current responsibility being to graduate from college with a degree in Agricultural Communications and Agribusiness. After graduation, I hope to return to the ranch to take over the accounts and oversee the business side of the operation that is currently being ran by my mother. Farm/ranch vision for the future: The overall vision for the ranching operation is to simply double in size and improve our genetics program. While this may seem like a relatively simple notion, I hope it will be achieved by using the most innovative breeding techniques. Next fall’s calf crop will be entirely calved by using select sex semen. By using this process, our family ranch hopes to get at least one hundred replacement heifers for expansion purposes. In addition to growing our cattle herd, my parents plan to retire and hand the entire ranch over to my brother and myself in the next two years. With this passing of ownership, the vision of my parents will remain to grow and improve our overall product.

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Name: Donovan Zacharias Hometown: Kathryn, N.D. School: North Dakota State University Major: Dielsel Technology Current farming/ranching operation: I currently rent 600 acres, all of which are planted into soybeans this year. I have been independently farming for four years. I plant and spray on my own. In the fall, harvest is accomplished with the help of my family in order for the crops to be taken off in a timely manner. Throughout the year I market and sell my grain. Most of the machinery is rented from my parents’ partnered farm. The machinery that I do own is also rented back to my parents’ partnered farm. Throughout the spring and summer I am responsible for the application of herbicides to control weed issues on my farm and my parents’ partnered farm. With having a degree in diesel technology I am responsible for fixing and properly maintaining all of the equipment that I own and that my parents own. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future I plan to continuously grow my farm by purchasing and renting more land

and improving the land that I currently rent. I plan on owning more of the equipment that I rent and partnering with both of my brothers. Our partnership will allow us to pool our resources and abilities. With our combined talents, we will lead our company into the most profitable, cutting-edge, and well-managed position in the agricultural sector. I also plan on continuing my education by attending NDSU for a year. While at NDSU I will major in ag economics. By taking these classes I hope to better understand the economics of farming to improve my decision making capabilities, sharpen my marketing skills, and to improve my management skills. Name: Verlin Zacharias Hometown: Kathryn, N.D. School: North Dakota State University Major: Agricultural Economics Current farming/ranching operation: I have been farming independently for four years. I farm 730 acres of corn and soybeans. I own 130 acres and rent 600 acres. I plant all of my own crops and harvest and spray them with the help of my family. I manage all of my crops and market and sell the grain. I rent some of my machinery from my dad’s farm. I also rent the machinery that I own back to my dad for use on his farm. In the summer I manage all of the irrigators that we have on our family farm. I apply nitrogen to our corn through our irrigation and manage the amount of water that we put on the crops. In the fall I am in charge of all of the tillage that needs to be done on our family farm. I truck all of my corn out in the winter in my spare time to the elevator and all of my beans during harvest. Farm/ranch vision for the future: In the future I plan on buying and renting more land. As I buy land and grow my own farm, I plan to start a partnership with my brothers. I plan to get better at marketing so that I will be able to sell my grain at the most profitable price. I plan to graduate in a year and a half from North Dakota State University with an ag economics degree and an accounting minor. I will use my degree from NDSU to help to make my farm the most profitable and economically efficient as possible. With my degree, I will be able to find new and innovative products that will be economically efficient for my farm. My accounting minor will allow me to have a better understanding of income and expenses. This will allow me to make my farm more profitable.

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Name: Aaron Zimmerman Hometown: Spencer, Wis School: University of Wisconsin – River Falls Major: Agricultural Education and Animal Science Current farming/ranching operation: My involvement in the beef industry began in third grade. My grandpa purchased a heifer, and he wondered if I was interested in showing it over the next summer. My parents agreed to let me, and Minnie became my first show heifer. After my first year of showing and working with beef cattle, I couldn’t get enough. Since then I have been actively involved in showing, raising, and managing my cattle. My family and I currently raise about 50 head of registered black and red Simmental and SimAngus beef cattle in our cow/calf herd. We are continuing to grow and expand, enhance our genetics through A.I., and hopefully soon embryo transfer. Farm/ranch vision for the future: I am currently attending the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, majoring in animal science. After graduating college, my career goal is to obtain a job in beef cattle reproduction and genetics, while also owning my own

successful beef cattle farm. I would like to have a herd with very high quality genetics, like some of the other farms in the industry. My plan is to continue growing my herd, and someday own a herd of approximately 500 cows, comprising of Simmental and Sim-influence cattle, and possibly also some Red Angus and Angus. I hope to utilize embryo transfer and other technologies to continue growing and improving my herd. Someday in the future, it is also my goal to host a family production sale on my farm to showcase and market my cattle. Name: Olivia Zurcher Hometown: Mesa, Wash. School: University of Idaho Major: Agricultural Education Current farming/ranching operation: Currently my family's dairy farm operation consists of a milking herd of 1,200. Our dairy breeds include Holsteins, Jerseys, and Holstein-Jersey crosses. We also have about 200 dry cows and springers. Along with our dairy in Basin City, Wash., my family has a heifer farm over in Enumclaw, Washington that my grandpa manages. We have about 600 heifers being raised there where they are mainly grazing out on pasture. My dad is currently farming about 500 acres of land. We alternate between barley, silage corn, and Sudan grass on the fields. My family is also raising out beef cows to about 400 pounds before sale. We also crossbreed some of our Holsteins and Jerseys with Angus to create better beef quality. My current responsibility level on the farm is to help feed calves when I am home from college along with help out with any other tasks that need to be finished. That could include helping with vet check or cleaning the milk parlor. Farm/ranch vision for the future: As the years continue to pass by, I see my family farm making changes as needed in order to make our cows more comfortable for our farm to continue to thrive. I see my family farm becoming more electronically oriented in the future. I hope that soon we will be able to convert even more of our cow records to an electronic format. I also would like to find more ways to make our farm more sustainable. In today's dairy industry, there are so many new ways to make a farm more sustainable and I would like to adopt more of those practices for our farm. For quite some time now we have adopted crossbreeding into our dairy herd. The high milk fat from the Jersey breed and the higher milk production rates from the Holstein create a great mix for our farm. I would like to see another breed to be crossed with the dairy herd in future years. As of right now, our herd size works very well for the size of our farm. Possibly in the future we may expand slightly but that could cause us to expand our facilities. I am excited to see what the future holds for my family’s dairy operation!