A Star is Born

Holly Spangler has covered Illinois agriculture for the past 13 years, beginning her career with Prairie Farmer even before graduating from college. As associate editor, she brings real-world production agriculture experience to the topics she covers, including a range of production, management and issue-oriented stories. She also shares the trials and tribulations of young farmers through her monthly column, My Generation, and her blog at www.prairiefarmer.com.

Holly and her husband, John, farm in western Illinois where they raise corn, soybeans and cattle on 2,000 acres. Their operation includes 100 head of commercial cows in a cow/calf operation, plus several Shorthorns for the local show calf market. The family operation includes John’s parents, and their three children, Jenna, Nathan and Caroline.

A member of the American Agricultural Editors Association, Holly was named a Master Writer in 2005 and has received numerous writing and photography awards. She graduated in 1998 from the University of Illinois in agricultural communications, and received the Warren K. Wessels Award for outstanding senior in the College of ACES. She was a founding member of the U of I Ag Communications Alumni Leadership Council, and currently serves on the AAEA Board of Directors. She is also one of 10 recipients worldwide to receive the 2011 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Ag Journalism award.

Holly and her husband are active in state and local farm organizations, receiving the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Achievement Award in 2007. As members of their local community church, she and her husband serve in youth and music ministries.