Next-Generation Farmers
By diversifying into specialty crops and direct-to-consumer sales, the Thomas family is connecting the next generation to the soil and their community.
Rachael Kimball Laenen, a fourth-generation avocado farmer and the first female board chair for the California Avocado Commission, shares her vision for building a strong future for the next generation.
The Neumillers, an Illinois potato farm family, share a 70-year legacy of farming, family and passing the torch to the next generation.
Outstanding producers from California, Kansas, Ohio, Oregon and Wisconsin will be recognized for excellence, leadership and innovation.
California grape grower Jennifer Thomson saw nearly every grape go unsold in 2024. But through grit and determination, she fought back — and this year, she found a home for her entire crop, defying odds and carrying her family’s legacy.
Driven by growing demand from national and local retailers, the family-run farm is now harvesting from 65 certified organic acres.
Fifth-generation Washington farmer Tate Mathison and his father, Kyle Mathison, are bringing new meaning to the term “cherry picking.”
Katie and Manuel Vargas, sixth-generation apple growers in Michigan, share the challenge their family faces with rising cost of labor.
Sam’s Club is the first U.S. retailer to offer the guacamole crafted by these third-generation avocado farmers.
Stephen Lucke, founder of Gardopia Gardens in San Antonio, is using school gardens and drought-smart agriculture to empower the next generation and grow healthier, more resilient communities.
At the multigenerational, family-owned Camlam Farms in Camarillo, Calif., the focus is on making sustainable business decisions with the goal of keeping the ranch for next generations.
As a fourth-generation farmer, Brooks is reimagining her family’s legacy with Ruby’s Happy Farm, an agritourism center where flowers, food and cultural education abound.
Strong succession is driven by leaders who are willing to plan boldly, act decisively and invest in their next generation. Your family and your operation are counting on you.
“We must ensure that we make a way for young and beginning farmers to fill our boots,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Fifth-generation farmer Lawton Pearson is blending tradition with innovation to preserve and strengthen Georgia’s iconic peach and pecan farm for future generations.
The third and fourth generation of greenhouse growers seek to grow access to fresh, flavorful herbs.
Fourth-generation growers Garrett and Colin Powell share a bit about what makes their family farm unique and why the Coachella Valley is great for fresh produce growing.
Return guest and fourth-generation farmer Chris Pawelski shares the journey he and his family took to create a farm trust and plan for the future.
At just 11 years old, Reed Marcum had an idea for a project: Collect toys and give them to children in his community. Eight years later, the toy drive has given away more than 64,000 toys at an annual event people wait in line for hours to attend.