Have you ever considered nominating someone to be a Prairie Farmer Master Farmer?

Maybe your parents, your sibling, your neighbors, a friend or a colleague. Someone you’ve served with on a board, or someone you’ve longed looked up to. Maybe there’s someone you’ve watched in your community for a lot of years, and you know they’re a Master Farmer.

Because here’s the thing: the time to apply is now, and it’s up to you. This grassroots program relies on your nominations, and a new, revised Master Farmer nomination form is now available on our website at farmprogress.com/PrairieMasterFarmer.

HALL OF FAME: The Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Award represents a hall of fame for Illinois agriculture, recognizing farmers who excel in agricultural production while giving back to their communities.

We’ve made the nomination process easier this year, with a streamlined application and application process. We’re also making it clear that you can nominate an individual or a couple, or you can nominate yourself.

Here’s a look at a few more details:

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must farm in Illinois, deriving the majority of their income from agricultural production.

• Successful nominees will have proven agricultural production records, be recognized as leaders in their community, and will have given back to the community in substantive ways.

• Candidates may be individuals, couples or siblings; judging is equally weighted.

• Each nominee should be actively engaged in production agriculture.

Judging Committee

• A selection committee will be comprised of Illinois agricultural leaders, including: experts in agronomy and agricultural finance, past Master Farmers, agricultural research or University authorities, and Prairie Farmer editorial staff.

Recognition

• Master Farmer winners will be recognized at the Master Farmer Awards Luncheon, held in early March. Members of the new class will be announced on prairiefarmer.com on March 1, and in the March issue of Prairie Farmer.

Winning tips

Over the years, we’ve judged a lot of nomination forms. Here’s what works best:

• Be thorough: in the sections asking about farm history and growth, more information is better than less. Share how the individual(s) got started and show how their operation has progressed.

• Get letters: collect at least 8 recommendation letters to support your nomination. The best letters reveal additional information not found in the nomination form.

• Think small: when listing community and agricultural leadership, consider the nominee’s entire body of work. The big and the small.

• Start early: it’s not a quick process to nominate a Master Farmer. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime award, and the application reflects an entire career.

Where?

You can find the 2017 application at farmprogress.com/PrairieMasterFarmer. Download it, fill it out, and send it in, complete with letters of support, by September 1. Email Prairie Farmer editor Holly Spangler for more information.