Farm Progress

Program honors four new Master Farmer Award winners, plus an Exceptional Service Award winner.

Rod Swoboda 1, Editor, Wallaces Farmer

May 16, 2018

5 Slides

This year the 82nd class of Iowa Master Farmers will be honored at the annual awards day in March. Four winners make up the Class of 2018. Plus, we have an Exceptional Service Award winner this year.

Henry A. Wallace, editor of Wallaces Farmer from 1921 to 1933, initiated the Iowa Master Farmer Award in 1926 to call attention to Iowa farmers who not only demonstrate outstanding management of their farming operations, but also provide leadership in local, state and national organizations. It is the longest-running farmer recognition program in the country.

Wallace made it clear the award was about not only farming, but also involvement in family and community affairs. So in 1926, when Wallaces Farmer began the Iowa Master Farmer Award, it made perfect sense to use the magazine’s motto —“Good Farming, Clear Thinking, Right Living”— as the basis for judging Master Farmer nominations. This guideline for farmers’ conduct holds award nominees to a higher standard of ethics, requiring that Iowa Master Farmers not only skillfully manage their farms and market their products, but also invest time and resources in pursuit of a successful family and community life.

The 2018 Iowa Master Farmers who are featured exemplify Henry A. Wallace’s concept of a “Master Farmer.” They have taken on leadership roles in their communities, the state and nationally.

The 2017 recipients Steve and Julie Berger of Washington County, Jeff and Christy Hibbs of Marshall County, Shaun and Valerie Lambertsen of Jones County, and Gordon Wassenaar of Jasper County comprise the 82nd class of Iowa Master Farmers recognized by Wallaces Farmer. They bring the total to 480 farm families who have been honored since the program began in 1926. (The Master Farmer awards program was not held in 1932-37 during the Great Depression, in 1942-45 during World War II and in 1962).

You can nominate a Master Farmer

Judges consider operation and management of the farm, how the nominee got started, and how they’ve grown the farming operation while demonstrating sound financial management. Those who are good stewards of the land and give proper care to livestock receive high marks. An active interest in farm organizations, not only in membership, but leadership as well, is part of the makeup of a Master Farmer. This is a family award. Farming is a true partnership between husband and wife. All family members contribute to the success of the farming operation.

Anyone can nominate a Master Farmer: father, spouse, neighbor, children, Extension personnel, etc. Letters of support from community leaders, pastors, co-op managers, etc., help strengthen a nomination. Deadline for nominations for the 2019 awards is Oct. 1, 2018. For a nomination form, write to Wallaces Farmer, 6200 Aurora Ave., Suite 203 E, Urbandale, IA 50322. Or call the office at 515-505-1540. The nomination form is available as a PDF document by clicking here or as a Microsoft Word file by clicking here. Men and women can be nominated.

About the Author(s)

Rod Swoboda 1

Editor, Wallaces Farmer

Rod, who has been a member of the editorial staff of Wallaces Farmer magazine since 1976, was appointed editor of the magazine in April 2003. He is widely recognized around the state, especially for his articles on crop production and soil conservation topics, and has won several writing awards, in addition to honors from farm, commodity and conservation organizations.

"As only the tenth person to hold the position of Wallaces Farmer editor in the past 100 years, I take seriously my responsibility to provide readers with timely articles useful to them in their farming operations," Rod says.

Raised on a farm that is still owned and operated by his family, Rod enjoys writing and interviewing farmers and others involved in agriculture, as well as planning and editing the magazine. You can also find Rod at other Farm Progress Company activities where he has responsibilities associated with the magazine, including hosting the Farm Progress Show, Farm Progress Hay Expo and the Iowa Master Farmer program.

A University of Illinois grad with a Bachelors of Science degree in agriculture (ag journalism major), Rod joined Wallaces Farmer after working several years in Washington D.C. as a writer for Farm Business Incorporated.

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