Have you ever considered nominating someone to be a 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 long looked up to.

Prairie Farmer’s Master Farmer program is a grassroots program. That means every nomination comes from you, the reader. You look around, see someone doing great work in producing food and fiber, while also serving their community and raising their family, and you nominate them.

And don’t forget: You can also apply on your own, effectively nominating yourself. Many farmers submit their names each year.

The Master Farmer application also makes it clear that you can nominate or apply as an individual, or as a husband and wife. Siblings can also be nominated, as was the case for Doug and Tom Block, who farm in partnership and were named Master Farmers in 2009.

Winning tips
Over the years, Prairie Farmer has judged a lot of nomination applications. 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. Ask for about 10 recommendation letters to support your nomination. These letters are incredibly helpful.

• Think small. When listing community and industry work, consider the nominee’s entire body of work. For spouses or siblings, list both individuals’ activities, noting who did what.

• 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.

Find the application
You can find the 2018 application at PrairieFarmer.com/PrairieMasterFarmer. Download it, fill it out, and send it in, complete with letters of support, by Sept. 1. Email [email protected] for more information or to have an application sent to you.

Thanks to the judges

Prairie Farmer is grateful to the 2017 panel of judges for sorting through and selecting this year’s Master Farmers.

• Gary Ash, 1st Farm Credit Services
• Karen Corrigan, McGillicuddy Corrigan Agronomics
• Bill Christ, Master Farmer Class of 2015
• Ed McMillan, University of Illinois board of trustees chairman
• Steve Myers, Busey Ag Services
• Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer editor