Our 2021 Champions

Meet the first cohort of Iowa Front Forty Champions, representing farmers and conservation-minded individuals across Iowa. See how these champions are promoting progress and inspiring change across our state.

Champion County Bio

Tom Adam

Keokuk

Tom farms near Harper in Keokuk County and grows soybeans, corn, wheat, oats, hay and produces…

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Jim Andersen

Pottawattamie

Jim is the son of a conservation farmer, and he's tried to carry on in this tradition. He's been…

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Aimee Bissell

Taylor

Aimee farms with her husband and two sons in southwest Iowa.

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Bob Braden

Scott

Bob is from Eldridge and is a grain, corn and soybean farmer.

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Marty Danzer

Carroll

Marty is from Carroll and is on the Iowa Soybean District 4 Board of Directors. On his farm in…

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Kirk Den-Herder

Sioux

Kirk farms in Sioux County, Iowa near Orange City.

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Dwight Dial

Calhoun

Dwight is a Calhoun County farmer who has been practicing no-till farming since the 1980s.

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Bill Drury

Wright

Bill is a farmer from Wright County.

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Scott Eichelberger

Muscatine

Scott is a farmer from Muscatine County.

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Steph Essick

Clay

Steph knew she wanted to farm when she was a high school senior. She attended Iowa State…

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Robb Ewoldt

Scott

Robb farms in Scott County and is President of the Iowa Soybean Association. He grows corn,…

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Thomas Fawcett

Polk

Thomas grew up on his family's farm in West Branch before attending Iowa State University and…

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Wayne Fredericks

Mitchell

Wayne lives in Osage and has been farming there since 1973. He's been actively involved with the…

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Chris Gaesser

Adams

Chris farms in southwest Iowa between Corning and Creston. He farms mostly corn, soybeans and a…

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Kevin Glanz

Delaware

Kevin grows corn and soybeans near Manchester.

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Josh Henik

Linn

Josh farms near Mount Vernon and teaches agronomy at Kirkwood Community College.

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Brian Hora

Washington

Brian is a 6th generation farmer from Washington County. Brian farms with his son Mitchell and…

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Mitch Hora

Washington

Mitchell is a 7th generation farmer from southeast Iowa. Mitchell farms with his father Brian,…

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Keith Lovrien

Butler

Keith is from Butler County and also farms in Floyd County. He farms corn and soybeans. He has…

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Brent Low

Buenavista

Brent was born and raised on a small family farm in St. Ansgar. A graduate of Waldorf College…

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Steve McGrew

Mills

Steve farms near Emerson with three brothers and a nephew.


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Mark Mueller

Bremer

Mark is a Bremer County no-till farmer who grows corn, soybeans and raises rye grain and alfalfa…

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Mike Paustian

Scott

Mike farms in Scott County with his family and is an Iowa Pork Producers past president.

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Brent Renner

Hancock

Brent farms near Klemme and serves as an at-large director for the Iowa Soybean Association.…

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Charlie Schafer

Adair

Charlie is the president of Agri Drain and grew up on a small farm north of Adair. Agri Drain is…

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Karen Seipold

Mills

Karen and her husband farm in Mills County and raise four children on their farm.


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Joe Shirbroun

Clayton

Joe farms north of Garnavillo.

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Suzanne Shirbroun

Clayton

Suzanne farms in Clayton County with her husband. They grow corn and soybeans and have a Pioneer…

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Curt Sindergard

Pocahontas

Curt farms in northwest Iowa and is involved in a family excavating business. He is a past ISA…

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Rob Stout

Washington

Rob Stout farms with his stepson Alex in Washington County. Stout first started using no-till…

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Don Swanson

Wapello

Don farms near Ottumwa in southeast Iowa with his wife, Pat, and family. He and his wife also…

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Pat Swanson

Wapello

Pat Swanson farms near Ottumwa in southeast Iowa and serves as District 9 Director for the Iowa…

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Steve Throssel

Hardin

Steve is from Eldora.

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Ryan Tiefenthaler

Carroll

Ryan is a farmer from Carroll. He grows corn, beans and also has hogs and sells cover crops.

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Zach Timm

Jones

Zach farms with his parents by Monticello and also works for Dubuque County as a conservation…

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Tom Vaske

Delaware

Tom farms near Masonville.

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Michael Vittetoe

Washington

Michael has a multi-generation family farm just east of the city of Washington.

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David Walton

Muscatine

David lives in Wilton and is a seventh-generation farmer.

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Clark Whitaker

Henry

Clark raises soybeans, corn, cattle and hogs on his family's Heritage Farm in southeast Iowa. He…

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Chuck White

Clay

Chuck farms near Spencer and is a District 1 Director for the Iowa Soybean Association. His…

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Lydia Whitman

Clinton

Lydia lives in eastern Iowa and is part of a family farm where she is the sixth generation.

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Questions or Comments?

Contact: Aaron Putze

1255 SW Prairie Trail Pkwy, Ankeny, IA 50023

515-334-1099

APutze@iasoybeans.com