indiana Prairie Farmer Logo

See a list of past Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer winners by visiting the Master Farmer section.

Tom Bechman 1, Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

December 23, 2014

2 Min Read

Here's a New Year's Resolution you can make today and keep. You can keep it because you need to begin work on it right away and complete it by mid-February. Nominate someone you know and respect as a farmer and leader to be a Master Farmer. The award is sponsored by Indiana Prairie Farmer and the Purdue University College of Agriculture.

The one-page nomination form is easy to find. Simply go back to the home page of this Website. Scroll down and on the left side, you will find a block of blue links. One says "Magazines Online." You can find past issues there from the most current to magazines dating back to 2006.

nominate_indiana_master_farmer_1_635549557739976000.JPG

Another link in blue in this block says "Master Farmer." Click on it and you will go to the Master Farmer site. There is the nomination form you need in two different formats. Sorry, the submission must be in writing, it's not electronic. So copy the form, pick your nominee and look for someone who can supply information. You will also need to identify six people to write letters of support for you. The entire package must be submitted postmarked by Feb. 16, 2015.

Jim Luzar, Extension educator in Vigo County, was interested in considering the nomination for several possible people he admires for their contributions to agriculture. He wanted a handy way to know if someone had been nominated and received the award before. Nominations can only come from the public (in this case an Extension educator) – not from magazine staff.

There is a list of all past winners, from 1968 when the modern version started, complete through 2014 on the site. If you want to know if someone who are considering is already a Master Farmer, check the list.

What you're likely to find is you may think they are a Master Farmer, but they're no on the list. No one has taken the initiative to nominate them. This is your chance!

Any questions? Email [email protected] or call 317-431-8766.

About the Author(s)

Tom Bechman 1

Editor, Indiana Prairie Farm

Tom Bechman is an important cog in the Farm Progress machinery. In addition to serving as editor of Indiana Prairie Farmer, Tom is nationally known for his coverage of Midwest agronomy, conservation, no-till farming, farm management, farm safety, high-tech farming and personal property tax relief. His byline appears monthly in many of the 18 state and regional farm magazines published by Farm Progress.

"I consider it my responsibility and opportunity as a farm magazine editor to supply useful information that will help today's farm families survive and thrive," the veteran editor says.

Tom graduated from Whiteland (Ind.) High School, earned his B.S. in animal science and agricultural education from Purdue University in 1975 and an M.S. in dairy nutrition two years later. He first joined the magazine as a field editor in 1981 after four years as a vocational agriculture teacher.

Tom enjoys interacting with farm families, university specialists and industry leaders, gathering and sifting through loads of information available in agriculture today. "Whenever I find a new idea or a new thought that could either improve someone's life or their income, I consider it a personal challenge to discover how to present it in the most useful form, " he says.

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like