Prairie Farmer Names 2023 Master Farmers

Four farmers who are outstanding in both agricultural production and leadership will be honored in Bloomington on March 15. Plus: A new Honorary Master Farmer joins the ranks.

 

MARIETTA, Ill. (February 27, 2023) – Four Illinois producers will be honored as 2023 Master Farmers at Prairie Farmer magazine’s annual event in Bloomington, Ill., on Wednesday, March 15. The award recognizes exceptional agricultural production skills, commitment to family and service to community.

 

The 2023 Master Farmers are: 

• Martin Barbre, Carmi

• David Meiss, Gridley

• Ron Moore, Roseville

• Curt Strode, Marietta

 

Look for profiles of each winner in the March 2023 Prairie Farmer and online at PrairieFarmer.com during the week of Feb. 27.  

 

Prairie Farmer has also named a new Honorary Master Farmer this year: Robert A. Easter. Easter is a renowned swine nutritionist who ascended the leadership ranks at the University of Illinois to become dean of the College of ACES, interim provost, interim chancellor, and ultimately, president of the university. He is the first Honorary Master Farmer to be named since 2018; only 16 Honorary Master Farmers have ever been named by the magazine.

 

“The Master Farmer award is Illinois agriculture’s lifetime achievement award,” says Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer editor. “These farmers are at the top of their game, and they’ve received this award because they raise good crops and even better families, and they’ve built their communities along the way.”

 

Prairie Farmer first offered the Master Farmer award 98 years ago, in 1925. Editors have continued the tradition annually since 1968, following a pause initially caused by the Depression. When Editor Clifford Gregory established the Master Farmer program, he felt the award would help give farm people a greater sense of “pride and permanence.” More than 300 Illinois producers have been inducted as Master Farmers or Honorary Master Farmers over the program’s history.

 

Candidates are nominated by farmers, neighbors, agribusiness leaders and farm organizations throughout the state. Judges for the 2023 awards were Karen Corrigan, McGillicuddy Corrigan Agronomics; German Bollero, University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences interim dean; Linnea Kooistra, 2011 Master Farmer; Dwight Raab, First Midwest Bank agribusiness vice president; Steve Carson, Farm Credit Illinois; and Mike Wilson, Farm Futures editor.