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Meet Ava Splear, Prairie Farmer’s newest bylineMeet Ava Splear, Prairie Farmer’s newest byline

Welcome Ava Splear, the newest member of Prairie Farmer’s editorial staff.

Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer Editor, Farm Progress Executive Editor

January 27, 2025

1 Min Read
Ava Splear, staff writer for Prairie Farmer
SHOOT: Ava Splear is Prairie Farmer’s new staff writer. She’ll write about Illinois agriculture from the view of her family’s farm near Waterman, Ill. Courtesy of Ava Splear

Prairie Farmer is excited to welcome Ava Splear to our editorial team, as our new staff writer.

Ava grew up on the family farm near Waterman, Ill., and the ink on her diploma is fresh: She graduated in December from the University of Illinois, with a degree in agricultural leadership, education and communications.

“I have a deep passion for agriculture and communication, and am excited to put these to work in this role,” Ava says. “I can’t think of a better place to continue to constantly learn, promote agriculture and meet new people.”

Ava dove right in during her first week, already visiting a farm for a Master Farmer story — a hardy experience in near-subzero weather. Still, Ava is ready to meet readers and tell stories.

“With my new role at Farm Progress, I am looking forward to being able to connect with producers across the state to tell the authentic story of agriculture,” she says. “There is so much to know about agriculture, and I am excited to learn something new each day.”

Along with her degree in ag leadership and communications, Ava has worked with the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, John Deere and the U of I College of ACES Marketing Office. She served as president of the Illini Ag Communicators of Tomorrow student organization. Those experiences, combined with growing up on a corn and soybean farm, helped develop her skills in communicating agriculture.

For 184 years now, Prairie Farmer has had a long tradition of telling farmers’ stories. And over all those years, our editorial team has been dedicated to telling the farmer’s story, to sharing information that’s both valuable and profitable, and to doing our best every day. We’re really excited to welcome Ava into that tradition.

About the Author

Holly Spangler

Prairie Farmer Editor, Farm Progress Executive Editor

Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for over 25 years, bringing meaningful production agriculture experience to the magazine’s coverage. She currently serves as editor of Prairie Farmer magazine and executive editor for Farm Progress, managing editorial staff at six publications across the Corn Belt.

A University of Illinois agricultural communications graduate and award-winning writer and photographer, Holly is past president of the American Agricultural Editors Association. In 2015, she became only the 10th U.S. agricultural journalist to earn the Writer of Merit designation and is a five-time winner of the top writing award for editorial opinion in U.S. agriculture. She is an AAEA Master Writer and was one of 10 recipients worldwide to receive the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Ag Journalism award. She serves on the Illinois 4-H Foundation and the Illinois Council on Ag Education. Her work in agricultural media has been recognized by the Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Corn, Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, and more.

Holly and her husband, John, farm in western Illinois where they raise corn, soybeans and beef cattle on 2,500 acres. Their operation includes 125 head of commercial cows in a cow/calf operation. Locally, she serves on the school board and volunteers with 4-H and FFA. 

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