Husker Harvest Days was honored during this year’s show with the Rising Star Award, presented by the Nebraskaland Foundation.

Board members Wendy Richey, Teresa Ibach, Katie Zulkoski, Cameron Arch and Laura Locke Field were on hand with Gov. Pete Ricketts and Steve Wellman, Nebraska Department of Agriculture director, for the presentation to Matt Jungmann, national events director at Farm Progress.

“It was an honor to be selected and especially the ability to have the board and Gov. Ricketts there at HHD to give us the award,” Jungmann says. “The award represents a lot of work by a whole lot of people, including the show team in Nebraska, all of the Farm Progress folks who make HHD happen, and everyone involved with HHD who hit the ground running and take pride in their part of the show every year.”

Organized in 1962 under the leadership of Gov. Frank Morrison, the nonprofit Nebraskaland Foundation was the forerunner of many of the state’s present-day economic development and tourism activities and programs.

Going back to 2000, the Rising Star Award has gone to such iconic Nebraska locations and events as the Archway in Kearney, the Mari Sandoz Center in Chadron, Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Homestead Heritage Center in Beatrice and the Wessel Living History Farm in York.

Because of the contributions HHD has made to economic development and agricultural promotion in Nebraska, the Grand Island area and Hall County over the past 45 years, HHD was selected to receive the award this year, noting the world-class space and facilities at the show.

Begun with field preparations in fall 1977 on land west of Grand Island, HHD was initially touted at the first show in October 1978 as the “World’s Fair of Irrigated Agriculture.” Today, the show brings farmers and exhibitors from around the world to Grand Island, adding a total economic impact in excess of $7.6 million annually to the surrounding area.