Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the 2025 recipients for the Ag Leader Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Iowa Agriculture at a ceremony which took place last month in Ankeny.

Recipients of the leadership awards included three organizations and one business.

The Iowa Pork Producers received the “Leadership in Community” Award for their “Bacon Buddies” program, along with Nationwide Agribusiness for their grain bin rescue initiatives. Pheasants Forever was awarded for “Leadership in Conversation” for their water quality and natural habitat initiatives, while the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement was recognized for their “Leadership in Agricultural Education” for starting and supporting youth scholarship programs at the state fair.

Nationwide Agribusiness

Nationwide Agribusiness received the “Leadership in Community” award as a result of their work to improve farm safety and save lives through their marketing campaigns about grain bin and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety.

“Grain Bin Safety Week” was launched in 2014 with a goal of increasing awareness of the importance of following safety practices and protocols when working in and around grain bins. Their platforms include media and social engagement, as well as resources for first responders to receive life-saving grain bin rescue equipment.

In a statement on the company’s website, Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide, said, “We are honored to receive the Ag Leader Award from Secretary Naig. This recognition underscores our commitment to the safety and well-being of the agricultural community. We will continue to champion initiatives that protect and support those who feed America.”

Nationwide Agri-business works with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety and other partners to provide emergency personnel with grain bin safety equipment, rescue tubes and hands-on rescue training. The partnership has provided hands-on rescue training to more than 332 fire departments in more than 32 states, and their work has been documented to have saved 13 lives so far.

Nationwide Agri-business also works with the ATV Safety Institute and Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association to promote safety training programs that can help improve operator safety and prevent accidents, both on and off the farm.

Pheasants Forever

Pheasants Forever received the “Leadership in Conservation” Award as the organization celebrates 100 years this year. Information about the organization states that Pheasants Forever is a “committed conservation partner, whose investments on private lands improve and protect Iowa’s natural resources.”

Iowa Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters have helped establish 618,000 acres of nesting cover since 1985, along with 313,000 acres of food and cover plots, planted more than 11 million trees and shrubs on private lands and restored 19,000 acres of wetlands.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has entered into an agreement with Pheasants Forever to provide funding for assistance with conservation practice implementation, a partnership that has been going since 2019. It partially funds biologists across the state who provide technical assistance to landowners and farmers.

Biologists assist farmers and landowners with enrolling in conservation programs through one-on-one meetings, on-farm technical assistance and workshops to develop conservation plans, habitat proposals and other management plans.

“Receiving the IDALS Ag Leader Award for Leadership in Conservation is truly an honor for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in Iowa,” said Josh Divan, Iowa state coordinator for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “Every day, our team is focused on assisting farmers and landowners with their land-use goals supporting wildlife habitat, productive farms, and rural economies. We hope this recognition increases awareness among landowners that Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever team members can provide on-farm technical assistance throughout the state.”

Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement

The Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement received the “Leadership in Agriculture Education” Award due to their efforts to (among other things) help youth participate in and receive scholarship monies for the sale of “Champion” and “Reserve Champion” animals at the Iowa State Fair.

Until the late 1980s, 4-H and FFA youth earning the top placings for their livestock were often rewarded with less than market price for their exhibits, according to information provided by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

That changed following the 1987 fair sale, when a group of livestock industry supporters decided to ensure that the work of champion projects was fully awarded and to provide more incentives for other youth to participate in livestock projects. That thinking brought forth the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement (IFAA) in 1988.

While the initial mission was to provide funds to support the sale of grand and reserve champion projects at a premium, the IFAA has since expanded to reach more youth through scholarship programs and performance awards. To date, more than $7 million has been raised through multiple partnerships to support Iowa youth and Iowa agriculture.

Jack Bair of Elkhart, a board member of the IFAA, said the entire board was excited to receive this recognition.

“The foundation has worked for 40 years to select scholarship winners pursuing ag degrees in the state of Iowa,” he said, noting that the 501(c)(3) foundation’s board is made up entirely of volunteers with an ag background.

Bair said this year alone they will distribute nearly $250,000 in scholarship monies and awards at the state fair. They raise their scholarship funds primarily through endowments by individuals and corporations, but Bair said some of their scholarship money comes from commissions from their annual “Sale of Champions,” which includes the top 16 animals at the state fair (beef, swine, sheep, goats and poultry), who go through the show ring specifically for the purpose of helping raise money for those scholarships.

“We’d like to think we give a little more ‘twist’ for the (youth) who maybe has to get up a little early before band practice in the morning to feed their lambs or a little more effort for the kid that goes home after football practice and works with his lambs or calves to help them learn to lead,” Bair said. “We feel like our scholarships are a little more exclusive than some.”

IFAA President Matt Heiller added, “The IFAA is honored to receive this award. It is a testament to the collective effort of our foundation and, more importantly, our incredible supporters. We are grateful to have been part of an event with so many organizations dedicated to empowering the next generation of agricultural leaders and ensuring a bright future for agriculture in our state.”

The Iowa Pork Producers and their “Bacon Buddies” program was featured in a previous issue of Farm News, with the organization receiving the “Leadership in Community” award.

The Ag Leader Awards ceremony in late March ended the state’s weeklong Iowa Ag Week, and included remarks from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and a keynote address from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

The dinner is hosted by Naig, organized by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and funded by the Iowa Economic Development Foundation.