Do you know someone who may be a Caitlin Clark of Iowa agriculture? This isn’t limited to the former University of Iowa basketball star and current Indiana Fever player, by the way. It could be someone who is the Brock Purdy — the former Iowa State University star who now quarterbacks the San Francisco 49ers — of Iowa agriculture, too. (I’m trying to make both Hawkeye and Cyclone fans happy!)

What I’m referring to are nominees for the 2025 Iowa Master Farmer Award. It could be your parents, a sibling, a relative, a neighbor, friend or colleague. Perhaps its someone you’ve served with on a board, or someone you’ve long looked up to. Candidates may also nominate themselves.

This year’s class was indicative of what Henry A. Wallace thought when he started the Master Farmer Award program in 1926 to recognize “Good Farming, Clear Thinking, Right Living.”

There’s April Hemmes from Hampton, who built a farming operation since 1985 using steely-eyed business sense combined with humor. Roger and Kathy Carlson built a farming enterprise near Red Oak that their children, Tony and Kelly, are now taking over. The attention to detail that Neil and Becky McCoy have given their farm near Villisca helped make them Master Farmers. Master Farmers Mark and Diane Schmitt’s decades-long devotion to dairy near Fort Atkinson made them Master Farmers.

Finally, there’s Elwynn — as in Elwynn Taylor, who received this year’s Iowa Master Farm Exceptional Award. Taylor laced facts with fun during his 40 years as ISU’s Extension climatologist.

The Class of 2025

We’re looking for nominees for the 2025 Class of Iowa Master Farmers. We’re grateful to Growmark for sponsoring the event.

The application includes a nomination form and requires letters of support — but no financial information. There’s a rumor that Master Farmer nominees have to share their balance sheet. Not true. No one needs to provide that kind of financial information. The judging panel focuses on growth of the farming operation over the years, productivity and community involvement.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates should have a profitable farming operation, be good managers and take care of the land, while having a strong family and being involved in the community. Who’s eligible? Here’s a look:

The selection committee comprises Iowa ag leaders, past Master Farmers, ag research or university specialists and the Wallaces Farmer editor. Candidates who don’t receive the award the year they are nominated are welcome to have their names resubmitted in following years.

Wallaces Farmer will recognize the winners in the magazine’s March 2025 issue and honor them at a luncheon that month.

Application guidelines

Here’s what makes for a successful application:

To nominate a candidate, download the form, complete it with letters of support and send it to [email protected] by Sept. 13.

Best of luck!