Now is the time to nominate a farmer or farm couple for the Master Farmer award for 2018. Nomination forms are due Feb. 15. However, there’s still time to nominate someone deserving if you act now.

Here are questions often received from people considering nominating someone.

How do I get the form? You can get it on the IndianaPrairieFarmer.com website or by writing to: Indiana Prairie Farmer, P.O. Box 247, Franklin, IN 46131. You are also welcome to call 317-431-8766 to request a printed copy of the form.

I have been on the website and can’t find it. Where do I look? Visit the IndianaPrairieFarmer.com homepage. Click on the small “menu” box in the upper left-hand corner. Scroll down the left side until you find “Master Farmers.” Click on that, and information about the program should come up. If you scroll down again, there is an orange “download” button you can click to obtain and print out a form.

Should I contact the person I want to nominate first, or fill out the form as a surprise? That is your choice. People do it both ways. If you want to keep it a surprise, consider working with a close relative or employee so you can get ample information to answer questions about the farm operation and the nominee’s(s’) leadership activities. The form is only one page, but most people attach additional sheets with essay answers about farming practices and leadership activities.

Should I nominate just the farmer or the spouse, too? That is also your choice. The first part of the form asks questions clarifying how you want to handle this process. If the spouse is involved in the operation, you may want to consider a joint nomination. Since that section was added and it was clarified that a husband and wife can be nominated jointly, about 50% of the nominations have been joint nominations. If you nominate both people, then include leadership activities for both in that section of the form.

How important is obtaining letters of support? It is very important! Often, information supplied by people who know and respect the nominee(s) tells the judges a lot about their operation and their character. You may send a maximum of six letters of support. Most successful nominations include six letters. People who write letters of support include neighbors, ag business people, pastors, veterinarians, farm group leaders, Purdue University Extension personnel and state leaders.

What if a person does a great job of farming but only serves on local boards? If he or she has served locally on Extension boards, soil and water conservation district boards, Farm Bureau boards, school boards or other local groups, that counts toward leadership. If their farming program is strong and they have done a good job of caring for natural resources over the years, that is often enough to qualify them for the award. Some judges like to see at least some leadership activities at a district, state or national level. However, it is not mandatory to have served or be serving above the local level.

How do I know if the person I am thinking about nominating has already received the award? There is a list of past recipients in the Master Farmers information section on the website. See the information above to help find the correct location on the website, or click here and scroll down to the orange “download” button. The modern version of the program goes back to 1968. More than 200 people have been named Master Farmers. This is the 50th anniversary of the program. Today, the Purdue University College of Agriculture co-sponsors the program.

Does the nominee have to attend a ceremony to receive the award? Yes. That is a requirement. The recipient(s) must be able and willing to attend the Master Farmer awards banquet. It is held on the first night of the Indiana Farm Management Tour in late June. The exact location and date for the tour and banquet have not yet been set.

There is often more than one person or family in an operation. Can siblings be nominated jointly? That is a difficult question to answer because judges have handled it in different ways in the past. There is no hard-and-fast rule. It is considered on a case-by-case basis. Brothers have been recognized jointly before. However, in recent times, judges have made it clear they prefer a single person or couple to be nominated, rather than everyone involved in an operation. There are also cases where one person receives the award one year, and then other members of the same family operation receive it at other times.  

Where can I get answers to questions not addressed here? You can email [email protected], or call 317-431-8766. We will be happy to walk you through the process. We are counting on you helping us find the most-qualified nominees for 2018!