This year’s Michigan Master Farmer celebration was a two-for-one, as the in-person awards ceremony Jan. 27 at the Great Lakes Crop Summit honored both the 2021 Master Farmers and the 2022 winners.

Because of COVID-19, the summit and the awards program for the 2021 winners were canceled. However, American Agriculturist did feature the winners in the magazine last year, as well as online with videos highlighting their farming careers. Their plaques were mailed to them. But, with the summit’s return this year, the stage was plenty big enough to honor winners from both years, and all six videos were played for the more than 1,000 attendees.

The Michigan Master Farmer award carries with it agriculture’s highest honor, recognizing outstanding farm management, innovation, conservation and leadership.

For each of the past 18 years, Michigan Farmer has bestowed the prestigious Master Farmer award on three individuals each year who have demonstrated how to farm more effectively, efficiently, environmentally and economically.

This year’s winners are William (Bill) Hunt of Davison, Dennis Gardner of Yale, and Greg McCarthy of Edmore. The 2021 winners included Frank Vyskocil of New Lothrop, Waldron Farms of Stanton and Jim Wilson of Yale.

2021 MASTER FARMERS: The 2021 Master Farmers were recognized last year online. This year, they were welcomed to the stage of the Great Lakes Crop Summit for an in-person awards program alongside the 2022 winners. Last year’s winners were Mary and Wayne Waldron (left) from Waldron Farms in Stanton, and Frank Vyskocil of New Lothrop. Unable to attend was Jim Wilson of Yale.

Individual stories on 2022 winners highlighting their farming careers will appear on michiganfarmer.com over the next three days and in the February issue of American Agriculturist. Master Farmers receive a plaque and pin from Michigan Farmer magazine.

The Great Lakes Crop Summit and the Master Farmer program are sponsored by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee, Michigan Wheat Program and Corn Marketing Program of Michigan. It is also supported by Michigan Agricultural Commodities, Greenstone Farm Credit Services and Wilbur-Ellis.

The award acknowledges a lifetime of achievement and not a single year. Master Farmers are nominated by peers and are chosen by a committee of agriculture industry leaders.

Videos of the winners shown during the awards luncheon were produced by sponsor Brownfield Ag News. Those videos accompany the online stories.

Michigan Master Farmers

2005: Fred Tubbs, Mark Huggett and Walter Stafford

2006: Dennis Hasenick, Bob Dykhuis and Dave Morris (honorary)

2007: Pete Clark, Wally Huggett and Armon Southworth

2008: John Crumbaugh, Todd Young and Kurt Ewald

2009: Andy Snider, Dale Weburg, George Weburg and Clark Humrich

2010: Paul Rood, Jeffery Sandborn and Carl Moore

2011: Ken Swanson, Gary Bardenhagen and Bill Irrer

2012: Ronald Helmreich, John Felzke and Frank Lipinski

2013: Earl Barks, John Swanson and Tony Jandernoa

2014: Richard Dobbins, John Schaendorf and Harley Sietsema

2015: Olan and Kent Humm, Robert “Alan” Moore and Richard Lauwers

2016: Delbert Crumbaugh, Brian Haskin and Andy Welden

2017: Tim Brodbeck, David Williams, and Ken and Ida Wadsworth

2018: Ed Cagney, Tom Braid and Robert Ohse

2019: Bruce Noll, Dean Haubenstricker and Jim Domagalski

2020: Clark Gerstacker and Kevin Winkel

2021: Jim Wilson, Frank Vyskocil and Wayne Waldron