A farmer approached me about a year ago and asked me to lie.
As requests to lie go it was an honest from-the-heart request from that farmer, who was asking me to some morning simply make up some positive farm-market prices and report them on the radio. The purpose would be to give farmers one moment of good early-morning sense of feeling good about the prices they were to receive for their commodities, even if they really wouldn’t be receiving such good prices.
The farmer and I had a great tongue-in-cheek chuckle about his request. But it also served as a reminder for me to always look for all the good that happens in agriculture.
The Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer awards program always has been high on that list of positives, for me. In its 66th year, the program brings forth the strength of all the good that’s yet to come for the state’s farm industry.
Those young farmers show great hope for the future.
I’ll be happy this week when I get to be around those farmers’ energies as the awards program finalists are interviewed and participate in conferences Friday and and Saturday in Chippewa Falls. I especially will be proud to emcee the Saturday evening banquet at the Avalon Hotel and Conference Center, where I get to have a part in naming this year’s winner.
Finalists are Philip and Laura Finger, Oconto; Kelly and Rachel Fruit, Viola; Jeremy and Heather Natzke, Greenleaf; John and Chase Pagel, Kewaunee; Laura and Tyler Raatz, Cecil; and Katy Schultz, Fox Lake.
Adam and Chrissy Seibel of Bloomer were the 2019 winners; they’ll be in Connecticut Feb. 6-9 to be considered for the National Outstanding Young Farmer award.
Event organizers also have announced that the 2021 National Outstanding Young Farmer award program will be in Green Bay.
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