WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – Dec. 3, 2010 – Washington County farmers Joel and Laura Huber were presented Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) 2010 Young Farmer Achievement Award on Dec. 2 at the organization’s annual meeting in Des Moines.

The annual contest honors young farmers who show outstanding management ability in their farming operations and involvement in Farm Bureau and community activities.  Receiving second place in the contest were Justin and Jennifer Dammann of Page County.  Third place recipients were Shane and Tammy DeBord of Cass County.

The Hubers raise hogs independently and grow corn and soybeans on their farm near Wellman.  The couple also operates a custom manure application business, and Laura is a teacher at the local school. Joel has served as secretary and membership chair of the Washington County Farm Bureau board, and this past year he served as the county’s vice president. Outside of Farm Bureau, the couple has dedicated time to the Iowa Pork Producers, Iowa State University Extension and their local church.

For their award, Joel and Laura receive a plaque, an AGCO tractor for 150 hours, a Case New Holland certificate for $2,000 (or a Farmall or Magnum tractor for one year or 150 hours). They will also receive expense-paid trips to the 2010 American Farm Bureau annual convention in Atlanta (to represent Iowa in the National Young Farmer Achievement competition), the Growmark annual meeting in Chicago and the IFBF Young Farmer conference.

Runners-up Justin and Jennifer Dammann raise cattle, corn, soybeans, alfalfa and rye on their Century Farm near Essex. Both have served Farm Bureau in various capacities at the local and state levels. Justin has held president, vice president, young farmer committee chair and policy development chair posts on the Page County board and has participated in the state resolution committee. Jennifer is a graduate of Farm Bureau’s Ag Leaders Institute, and both she and Justin have served on the statewide young farmer advisory committee.

Outside of Farm Bureau, the Dammanns volunteer for the county Cattlemen’s Association, the county Soybean Association, the county Extension Council, the county fair and the local study and service club. They receive a plaque, a $1,000 gift certificate from Grainger and a $500 gift certificate from Growmark.

Third place finishers Shane and Tammy DeBord raise cattle, corn and soybeans on their farm near Atlantic. Shane has played an active role in the county Farm Bureau, serving on the board and reaching out to local schools to promote agriculture. The couple is also active with the county and state Pork Producers Association, Cattlemen’s Association, Corn Growers Association and Soybean Association. Shane is a township trustee and a 4-H youth leader, and both Shane and Tammy serve as youth leaders at their local church. For their third place honor, the DeBords receive a plaque, a GPS unit from Farm Bureau Financial Services and $200 from Iowa Farm Bureau.

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WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – Dec. 3, 2010 – Retired Cedar County farmer Shirley Geadelmann used to milk cows at 3 a.m., finishing in time to begin her full-time job at the local bank. Today she still wakes at 3 a.m., but pursues a different calling: community service and agriculture advocacy. Geadelmann’s work has earned her Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2010 Woman in Agriculture honor, a yearly tribute that recognizes one woman who demonstrates outstanding leadership abilities in agriculture and stands out from her peers in the promotion and education of agriculture. The announcement was made at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) annual meeting in Des Moines on Dec. 1.

Shirley and her husband, Merlin (deceased), milked dairy cows, grew crops and raised hogs on their family farm near Clarence for more than 52 years. During that time, Shirley developed a passion for volunteering and sharing agriculture’s story. She has held numerous positions on the Cedar County Farm Bureau Board, including public relations, Ag in the Classroom, county action and women’s committee posts. She remains active on the board today.

“I just think it’s so important [to advocate for agriculture], since only two percent of the American population actually grows the food we all enjoy,” says Geadelmann. “We have an important job; conveying the importance of agriculture to everyone else.”

Outside of Farm Bureau, Geadelmann has actively volunteered for various organizations, including Volunteer Services of Cedar County, Cedar County Historical Society Museum, American Cancer Society, 4-H, Camp Courageous, Red Cross, St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Ragbrai, the area Dairy Herd Improvement Association and her local church and food pantry.

Her passion for agriculture and volunteering have caught the attention of local media outlets – Geadelmann was named one of KCRG TV’s “9 Who Care” volunteers in 2007 for her work advocating for elderly Iowans – local, state, and national lawmakers, and the many people from around the world who have visited her farm. Geadelmann has been honored with the Governor’s Volunteer award, the Cedar County Volunteer of the Year award, the Iowa Master Homemaker award, the Heritage Area Agency on Aging (Kirkwood Community College) Advocate of the Year award and Farm Bureau’s Tipton School Education award. Merlin and Shirley were also recognized as a Distinguished Dairy Family of Iowa.

Geadelmann’s recognition includes a plaque, a $250 cash prize and up to $500 to cover expenses for an Iowa conference for women.

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URBANA – Tony Franklin was recently named University of Illinois Extension Director for the multi-county unit comprised of Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, and Stark counties.

“While there will be many challenges as we transition into the multi-county system,” Franklin said, “the initial challenge will be to establish relationships with key stakeholders and volunteers, but it’s one I’m really looking forward to.”

Franklin was Associate Dean of Students at Knox College before joining University of Illinois Extension in 2001. He has served on numerous regional and statewide committees.

My vision for Unit 7 is to provide quality high impact programs that address critical issues and provide public value.  Goals and program initiatives will be implemented by a team of Educators in the following subject areas:  4-H Youth Development and Military Youth; Family and Consumer Sciences; Horticulture; and Community Development.  Specific programs will be determined based on local needs

The change in leadership came as the result of a restructuring of Extension due to a reduction in state funding.

“Even though Units are larger, we want to reassure everyone that the help you need from Extension will be just as accessible as it has been in the past” said Robert Hoeft, Interim Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach.  Hoeft says “People can still call the same phone numbers or use the same emails they have in the past to reach their local Extension staff.”

The Extension educators who have been also been named are:  Jennifer Garner, Community Development; Cheryl Geitner, 4-H Youth and Military; Martha Smith, Horticulture; and Janice McCoy, Family Life.

An educator in Expanded Food and Nutrition Education has yet to be named.

For more information about how to find your local Extension office or personnel, visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/.

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