2027 Annual Conference

Brennen Devney runs Devney Acres with his wife, Lia, and their children, Aiden and Blakely. The small farm in Beebeetown, Iowa, was transformed into an agritourism site in March 2025. The farm now features a petting zoo, campsites, a tasting room and an event venue accommodating up to 170 people.

Matthew J. Helmers is the director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at ISUIowa State University. He also served as the nitrogen science team lead on the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy Science Assessment.

Daniel S. Andersen is a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at ISU. His work focuses on manure management, nutrient cycling, livestock systems and the practical integration of manure into sustainable crop production systems.

D. Raj Raman is a Morrill professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at ISU and director of RegenPGC, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project focused on perennial ground cover systems. He is also a member of Iowa State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Nutrient Management Work Group.

Jacob Bolson lives near Hubbard, Iowa, where he advances soil conservation on rented and family land, as well as custom spring strip‑tillage acres. He leads sales and operations for a custom cover crop business and serves on the Southfork Watershed Alliance board.

In 2012, Maggie McQuown and her husband, Steve Turman, moved to the farm where she grew up near Red Oak, Iowa. Since then, they have added multiple conservation practices and engaged a young farm family as operators to help them transition the farm from conventional row crops to adaptive livestock grazing using regenerative practices. Maggie and Steve were PFI’s 2018 Farmland Owner Legacy Award recipients.

Catherine Schut launched Hive and Petal, a beekeeping and flower farm in Prairie City, Iowa, in 2023. She began her career in industrial agricultural production before transitioning into education. At Hive and Petal, her work now centers on seasonal flowers, honeybees and locally grown products.

Liz Graznak and her team grow organic vegetables for CSA, farmers markets and wholesale accounts at Happy Hollow Farm in Moniteau County, Missouri. MOSES recognized Liz as the 2021 Organic Farmer of the Year for her work raising outstanding organic vegetables while expanding the borders of organic food and her community engagement.

Harry Cope rotationally grazes cattle, lamb, pigs and poultry in diverse pasture on his fourth-generation farm near Truxton, Missouri. Harry received the Leopold Conservation Award in 2023 and is certified as a grassland bird-friendly beef producer through the National Audubon Society's Conservation Ranching program.

Dan Miller runs Millermatic Seed, a seed application business that custom-seeds cover crops, forages, pastures and more using airplanes, custom ground rigs and broadcast spreading. The business seeds more than 600,000 pounds of covers crops per year in counties across southwest Iowa and into Nebraska.

Dan Bahe operates Bahe Cover Crops with his wife, Jessica. Since starting the custom drilling business over seven years ago, they’ve grown from seeding 1,000 to 10,000 acres and have expanded into nutrition and equipment sales, repairs and the development of an online marketplace and business management platform.

Chris Gaesser farms just over 4,000 acres of corn, soybeans and small grains with his wife, Shannon, near Corning, Iowa. Together, they also run GX Agriculture, a farm service business that sells and custom-applies cover crop seed.

Ann Krause is the senior cover crop business coordinator for Practical Farmers of Iowa. In this role, Ann oversees the Cover Crop Business Accelerator program and works to ensure the ongoing success of its participants. She also farms near Slater, Iowa, with her husband and children.

James Hepp is a first-generation farmer in Calhoun County, Iowa, raising corn, soybeans and rye with his family. He has used strip-till, no-till, cover crops and in-season nitrogen for eight seasons. James also runs a crop insurance business and sells agricultural inputs. He holds an agricultural business degree from Northwest Missouri State University.

Mark Peterson farms about 500 acres of corn and soybeans with his wife, Melanie Peterson, at Bent Gate Farm near Stanton, Iowa. They also rent and have sold acres to their son, Monroe, for his hay business. Mark is a past board president of PFI, and a longtime promoter of cover crops.

Wade Dooley is a sixth-generation farmer in Marshall County, Iowa. He operates Glenwood Century Farm, a diversified crop and livestock operation focusing on raising cover crop seed. Wade also owns Dooley Ag Stewardship Inc., offering custom cover crop seeding services and seed.

Jacob Bolson lives near Hubbard, Iowa, where he advances soil conservation on rented and family land, as well as custom spring strip‑tillage acres. He leads sales and operations for a custom cover crop business and serves on the Southfork Watershed Alliance board.

Jim and Jody Kerns, landowners in northeast Iowa, have spent 43 years restoring marginal farmland to native trees and prairie, alongside their six children and eight grandchildren. They are passionate about restoration and sharing their experience through the variety of educational programming they host.

Dan Fillius is the commercial vegetable and specialty crop specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Prior to this role, Dan spent more than 14 years managing vegetable farms in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. He brings a wealth of practical knowledge and vision to horticulture in Iowa.

Anna Geyer farms on the 120-acre farm that her husband, Dave, grew up on near Iowa City, Iowa. The Geyers have developed the farm for their community. They raise traditional row crops, hay and grass-fed beef. In addition, Anna has created agritourism enterprises that include Geyer’s Oven, Crust & Crumb; Anna’s Cutting Garden; and Land Alliance Folk School and Retreat Center.

Erich Hodges always loved Brown Swiss cows, the same breed his grandparents raised in Switzerland. He received a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Iowa State University and started practicing near Ogden, Iowa. In 2025, Erich started Sundae Morning Dairy, a microdairy offering pasteurized milk to the community.

First-generation beginning farmers Tessa and Wyatt Parks own and operate W.T. Farms, a direct-to-consumer beef and certified organic hay operation. They previously raised Holstein steers from calf to butcher, and are now building a British White cow-calf herd. All animals graze on certified organic pasture at Sharing Our Roots Farm in Northfield, Minnesota, with additional production hay fields in neighboring townships.

Elle Gadient-Besler is a fifth-generation Midwestern farmer who farms with her husband, Steve Besler, raising Hereford cattle, laying hens and crops. Off the farm, she serves as the farmer advocate to the Niman Ranch network of 600-plus independent family farmers committed to high standards for animal welfare and environmental stewardship.

Anna Pesek co-owns Over the Moon Farm in Delaware County, Iowa, where she raises pigs and poultry alongside her wife and young son. Anna has over a decade of experience in farm advocacy work. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Northern Iowa. Anna is also PFI’s marketing and communications manager.

Ryan Marquardt and his wife, Janice, own and operate Wild Rose Pastures near Van Meter, Iowa. Since 2007, they’ve raised grass-fed beef and eggs for customers using sustainable farming practices. Ryan also manages his family’s fifth-generation conventional farm, where they raise corn, soybeans and hay.

Adam Mason joined Practical Farmers of Iowa in November 2025 as the senior policy coordinator. In this role, he works to ensure PFI members are effectively and strategically sharing the organization's priorities with policymakers, as well as with other state and federal leaders.

Martha McFarland runs Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle in Fredericksburg, Iowa, where 50 bison and a small herd of Polled Hereford breeding stock graze year-round. She sells bison meat from her farm store and offers tours of the ranch. Martha is also PFI's farm transition manager.

Paul Skrade is a wildlife biology professor and beginning farmer. He developed a passion for farming while growing up in Alaska and working with a rural veterinarian in Ireland during high school. He and his wife, Miriam, now raise Kiko goats and pastured poultry for meat and eggs on their farm near Fayette, Iowa.

Hannah Scates Kettler and Kurtis Kettler started Minerva's Meadow near State Center, Iowa, in 2020. They grow cut flowers that they arrange with native species, and market through farmers markets, subscriptions and you-pick.

Alfred Matiyabo grows vegetables at Africando Farm, his 2.5-acre farm in Iowa City, Iowa. Alfred is an innovative businessman. He is constantly brainstorming, pivoting and trying new things to improve his farm’s bottom line and suit his and his family's needs.

Scott Shriver and his family operate a 2,000-acre organic farm near Jefferson, Iowa. They raise corn, soybeans, wheat, barley and alfalfa. Scott also uses cover crops and no-tills on soybean acres. He is a member of PFI's Cooperators' Program and is working on a number of on-farm trials.

Erin Silva is a professor and extension specialist in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Plant Pathology. Her research includes projects involving organic no-till production and organic cover crop systems.

Tim Shellabarger raises corn, soybeans, small grains, cover crop seed and livestock on his family farm in Blue Grass, Iowa. Growing up on the family dairy farm led Tim to investigate alternative cover crops. Tim has participated in PFI's Cooperators' Program for several years and has multiple trials ongoing on his farm.

Alison Robertson is a professor and extension field pathologist in the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University. She is interested in how crop production practices, like cover crops, affect soil microbial communities. Alison's program is developing best management practices for cover crops in row crop production.

Clark Porter is a landowner and farm manager for Porter Family Farms in Iowa’s Grundy and Tama counties. Comprising a little over 570 acres, Clark’s farm is entirely no- or minimum-till, and Clark hires custom operators to work his farm. Clark also works as a watershed coordinator for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Matthew Streeter is an assistant research scientist at the Iowa Geological Survey, based at University of Iowa, specializing in soil health and water quality. Since 2014, he has conducted research trials on new edge-of-field conservation practices to see how effective they are at improving water quality. Some practices include multipurpose oxbows, saturated buffers, modified blind inlets and, now, multipurpose grassed waterways.

Rick Rottinghaus has farmed in Iowa for 53 years, transitioning from conventional tillage to no-till and strip-till. In 2019, he designed and built a saturated buffer next to a waterway without having a separate grass strip. This buffer significantly reduces nitrate loss. Nitrate levels are being monitored by ISU and show significant reduction. Rick advocates for voluntary conservation to avoid regulation.

Jen Merryman is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at ISU. Her research focuses on multipurpose waterways that reduce nitrate loss from tile-drained fields while maintaining drainage. Her work evaluates field performance and water quality benefits.

Kevin Eicher is a veteran and retired truck driver from the hills of southwest Iowa. His interest in soil and agriculture began with a course in soil biology and has grown through applying regenerative growing methods on his acreage near Sidney, Iowa, and in the surrounding community. He works with Nishnabotna Water Defenders to help restore the river and bring people back into relationship with the land, water and watershed they share.

Jim Larew has practiced law in Iowa for more than 30 years. A Harvard and University of Iowa law graduate, he has extensive experience in civil and criminal matters and has litigated before state and federal courts. His practice includes advocacy for insurance policyholders, environmental protection and injured nursing home residents.

Liz Graznak and her team grow organic vegetables for CSA, farmers markets and wholesale accounts at Happy Hollow Farm in Moniteau County, Missouri. MOSES recognized Liz as the 2021 Organic Farmer of the Year for her work raising outstanding organic vegetables while expanding the borders of organic food and her community engagement.

In 2018, Meredith Nunnikhoven established Barnswallow Flowers near Oskaloosa, Iowa. Following a career in the film industry, Meredith came home to re-engage with the family farm in a way that feeds her passions, reflects her environmental ethics and exercises her artistic creativity, supported by strategic thinking.

Harry Cope rotationally grazes cattle, lamb, pigs and poultry in diverse pasture on his fourth-generation farm near Truxton, Missouri. Harry received the Leopold Conservation Award in 2023 and is certified as a grassland bird-friendly beef producer through the National Audubon Society's Conservation Ranching program.

Steve Bohr is a lifelong Iowa farmer and financial services professional with 34 years of experience in farm transition and succession planning. He cofounded Next Gen Ag Advocates, helping connect retiring landowners with the next generation of farm operators.

Margaret Smith is an agronomist with Albert Lea Seed. Previously, she worked for ISU Extension and Outreach and the ISU Department of Agronomy. Margaret and her husband, Doug Alert, operate Ash Grove Farm, a diversified, certified organic crop and livestock operation near Hampton, Iowa.

Wade Dooley is a sixth-generation farmer in Marshall County, Iowa. He operates Glenwood Century Farm, a diversified crop and livestock operation focusing on raising cover crop seed. Wade also owns Dooley Ag Stewardship Inc., offering custom cover crop seeding services and seed.

Noah Wendt and Caleb Akin started A & W Farms near Cambridge, Iowa, in 2006. Together, they feed cattle and grow conventional and organic corn and soybeans, in addition to a variety of organic grain. Noah started using robotic weeders to help manage weeds on his farm. Caleb, meanwhile, started manufacturing camera-guided three-point hitches for use on his farm.

Brad Woodson holds a degree in fisheries and wildlife biology from ISU and has more than 35 years of experience surveying fish, mammals, birds and herpetofauna. He has led prairie, woodland, wetland and stream restorations, and now manages his family's farm in southwest Iowa.

Steve Strasheim and his wife Mary own Twisted River Farm in Mitchell, Iowa, where they grow salad greens, microgreens, vegetables and flowers that they sell through farmers markets, CSAs and local restaurants. Steve has grown the business by building relationships, innovating and making the most of opportunities in his small town.

Whitney Clasen joined Grade A Gardens in 2016 after working on farms all around the world. She has a passion for growing healthy fruits and vegetables, and loves hosting on-farm dinners and events.

Jess Larghe farms at West Fork Farmstead with her family in West Chester, Iowa. Together, they are building a pasture-based rotational grazing system that prioritizes happy and healthy livestock while also caring for the land and their community. West Fork Farmstead offers grass-fed beef, heritage pork, pastured chickens, chicken and duck eggs and raw honey. Jess also has nearly 20 years of experience in the food service industry.

Nicole Winebrenner co-owns ReGeneration farm, an 8-acre farm in central Iowa, with her partner, Jordan. They grow fruits, nuts and vegetables, and raise layer chickens and the occasional pig. Nicole sells her value-added and fresh products directly to consumers at farmers markets, or wholesale to restaurants.

April Clark co-owns and operates Iowa Wildcraft, an urban farm in Des Moines focused on sustainable growing and foraging practices. She makes value-added pantry products crafted from farmed, foraged and wild foods. She's passionate about growing food (or supporting those who grow locally), as well as food justice, preservation, fermentation, foraging, composting, beekeeping and more.

Becky Lee is the owner of Timberside Conservation and Timberside Farms near Brighton, Iowa. She manages a diverse mix of livestock while stewarding habitat, clean water and oak regeneration. Becky works with landowners to improve pasture productivity, livestock performance and resource stewardship.

Kendra Martin owns and operates Holdfast Farmstead with her husband, Kevin, near Mount Ayr, Iowa. Before farming their 53 acres, they both captained ships at sea. Today, they raise a diversity of livestock, grow a large garden and run an on-farm store that brings together homegrown and local food.

Jill Beebout runs Blue Gate Farm with her husband, Sean Skeehan. They steward 40 acres of family land in southern Marion County, Iowa, where they raise chemical-free produce, flowers, hay and alpacas, marketing through CSA and VegEmail custom sales.

John Hogeland moved back to Lovilia, Iowa, from California with his wife, Beth Hoffman, to take over the family farm. With a background as a butcher and chef, John has transitioned their 540-acre farm to a grass-fed cattle and goat operation. They use rotational grazing practices and are continuing to add native forages to their system.

Carolyn Raffensperger is an environmental lawyer and executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network. Carolyn and her husband, Fred Kirshenmann, lived on their 3,500-acre organic farm in North Dakota where Carolyn set out to raise her own food. She later moved to Ames, Iowa, where she focused on community sufficiency, work she continues today.

Anna Pesek co-owns Over the Moon Farm in Delaware County, Iowa, where she raises pigs and poultry alongside her wife and young son. Anna has over a decade of experience in farm advocacy work. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Northern Iowa.

Vic Madsen is a longtime PFI member, cooperator, past board president and past board member. He farms with his family near Audubon in west-central Iowa. The Madsen family currently grows organic corn, soybeans, oats and hay. They direct-market cattle raised from their beef cows, raise broiler chickens and sell eggs from their laying hens.

Neil Peterson raises corn, soybeans, small grains and cattle on Clover Lane Farm near Fonda, Iowa, with his wife, Elizabeth, and boys, Paul and Timothy. A fan of new ideas and old equipment, Neil is testing practices to reduce his farm's dependence on external inputs and extend the grazing season.

Jeff Hafner owns and operates Early Morning Harvest, an aquaponic, produce and grain farm near Panora, Iowa. Jeff and his father, Earl, lead their team in growing corn, wheat, rye, oats and buckwheat. They stone-grind these grains into flours, meals and cereals and distribute them to stores across the Midwest.

Carl Kurtz is a naturalist and prairie seed farmer in Marshall County, Iowa. Carl earned a Bachelor of Science in fish and wildlife biology from ISU in 1968 and served in the U.S. Army from 1968-70. For 50 years, he has taught, written about and worked in tallgrass prairie reconstruction and seed production. He is the author of "A Practical Guide to Prairie Reconstruction" and "A Year of Iowa Nature."

Jill Beebout runs Blue Gate Farm with her husband, Sean Skeehan. They steward 40 acres of family land in southern Marion County, Iowa, where they raise chemical-free produce, flowers, hay and alpacas, marketing through CSA and VegEmail custom sales.

Carly Zierke grows certified organic vegetables with her husband, Ethan Zierke, at Sweet Season Farm in Hutchinson, Minnesota. They grow for their CSA, farmers market and a farm stand. They use regenerative practices that improve the health of the land, preserve the soil and contribute to a resilient local food system.

Maja Black farms with her sister, Carmen, at Sundog Farm, in Solon, Iowa. On their diversified operation they raise vegetables for 200 families, rotationally graze sheep and goats, and raise pastured laying hens.

John Seiser and his wife, Laura, own and operate Treasure Acres Farm in Blairsburg, Iowa. They use regenerative practices to raise berries, vegetables, bees and livestock. John and Laura focus on soil health, pollinators and sustainable practices; offer youth education; and engage with PFI to improve and share results.

Kevin Dietzel owns and operates Lost Lake Farm with his wife, Ranae, in Jewell, Iowa. In 2016, they launched their small grass-fed cow dairy that produces artisanal cheese and butter. The farm includes 80 acres of pasture and hay, and the cattle are rotated through the pastures twice daily.

Caite Palmer and her husband, Jim, are taking over the family farm, started by Jim’s great-grandparents in 1888. Now, they are farming in diverse ways to support their growing family. The Palmers started farming together in 2012 and began Prairie’s Edge Farm in 2015 to direct-market meat to local customers.

Gayle Hager Olson grew up on a small farm in northeast Iowa and now farms near Winfield, in southeast Iowa, with her husband, Jeff, and son, Ian. They raise beef, row crops, small grains and specialty crops, including certified organic. Gayle works for Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) at the University of Iowa College of Public Health.

Kim Klees and her family raise pastured ducks and other poultry at Elpis Farms in southern Minnesota. She has a passion for finding practical ways to make small farms more profitable, including getting creative with value-added products. Kim is always open to sharing the wins, mistakes and lessons learned along the way.

John Hendrickson is a farm viability specialist at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at University of Wisconsin-Madison. His work focuses on farm management and profitability, with an emphasis on specialty crops. He conducts farm financial benchmarking research and develops tools to help farmers calculate their cost of production, measure enterprise profitability and manage their farm businesses to be sustainably profitable. In the past, John operated his own certified organic vegetable farm.

Cal Wolfpack, owner of Profound Existence Herbs in Milo, Iowa, grows medicinal herbs, plants, fruits and vegetables with their partner, Zak. Cal is a clinical and community herbalist, botanist, forager and plant educator with a degree in ethnobotany from Drake University. Cal's herbal products line is available at farmers markets in the Des Moines area and for order year-round.

Ron Rosmann and his family operate Rosmann Family Farms LLC near Harlan, Iowa. They grow and market diverse crops and livestock on 700 certified and 20 transitioning organic acres. Ron is now semi-retired from the farm, and is also a lifetime member of PFI.

Scott Shriver and his family operate a 2,000-acre organic farm near Jefferson, Iowa. They raise corn, soybeans, wheat, barley and alfalfa. Scott also uses cover crops and no-tills on soybean acres. He is a member of PFI's Cooperators' Program and is working on a number of on-farm trials.

Mac Ehrhardt is a third-generation owner of Albert Lea Seed House in Albert Lea, Minnesota. After serving as president for 20 years, he became board chairman in 2023 and remains involved in company operations. Mac has served on several boards, and has received leadership awards from the Organic Trade Association and the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association.

Nathan Hecht was born in Wisconsin, went to college in Iowa and got his master's degree in Minnesota. Most recently an ecological landscaper, Nathan moved back to Iowa to start an ecological farm and nursery, forming Bright Earth Nursery in 2026. He is growing native and edible perennials to help others better integrate their farms, homes and selves with the natural world.

Tate Carlson grew up on his family farm in Storm Lake, Iowa. He now operates Hayes Farm with his wife and two sons. They grow produce and food-grade small grains, incorporating the crops in rotation with the family’s row crop and cattle operation. Tate’s ambition is to find more ways to include food crops across Iowa’s landscape while working in reciprocity with nature.

Alfred Matiyabo grows vegetables at Africando Farm, his 2.5-acre farm in Iowa City, Iowa. Alfred is an innovative businessman. He is constantly brainstorming, pivoting and trying new things to improve his farm’s bottom line and suit his and his family's needs.

Morgan and Clayton Ubben grew up in rural Iowa with strong roots in agriculture. They turned a passion for sheep into a service for producers and an input for gardeners. After meeting through FFA and earning degrees in agricultural business, they now own and operate Ioway Creek Farms in central Iowa.

James Hepp is a first-generation farmer in Calhoun County, Iowa, raising corn, soybeans and rye with his family. He has used strip-till, no-till, cover crops and in-season nitrogen for eight seasons. James also runs a crop insurance business and sells agricultural inputs. He holds an agricultural business degree from Northwest Missouri State University.

Zack Smith farms corn, soybeans and oats near Thompson in Winnebago County, Iowa, using strip-till, cover crops and in-season nitrogen. He holds an agronomy degree from ISU, spent nearly 20 years as a sales agronomist before farming full-time and founded Stock Cropper.

Matt Bormann farms with his family on the Des Moines Lobe near Algona in Kossuth County, Iowa, raising corn, soybeans and seed corn. He uses strip-till, cover crops and in-season nitrogen, and believes a farm can be profitable while stewarding soil and water quality. Matt holds an agricultural business degree from Iowa State University.

Zeb Winslow of Z3 Agriculture is a fifth-generation farmer growing corn, soybeans and cotton in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. Since first planting a cover crop in the mid-1990s, he has expanded to using cover crops and no-till on all his acres and has been incorporating multispecies mixes since 2013.

Peter and Brittany Haugen own and operate Sandhill Mill on their farm near Canby, Minnesota. They grow ancient grains such as einkorn and emmer wheat, as well as oats, flax, rye and more common wheat varieties. The cleaned and milled grains are sold through their online store and in various local shops.

David Sliwa is a food grower from Decorah, Iowa, with a special interest in producing choice pears for market. He has done on-farm trials of 41 pear varieties, with a goal of finding those that grow, thrive and consistently produce a marketable crop at sites around the Midwest. David and his family have lived with solar and wind energy for over 45 years.

Angela Horvath (she/her) is a doctoral student in occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on vector-born disease, specializing in ticks. Angela's diverse career includes time in the Peace Corps, environmental education, health policy, nonprofit leadership and grant writing.

Reid Barker is a research scientist and doctoral student in soil science at ISU. His research is looking at how winter rye cover crops interact with row crop systems that are diversified with small grains, forages, manure and perennial crops.

Mary Hendon is from Essex, Iowa. She spent three years working in industry on research focused on improving crop yields through enhanced pollination in corn, wheat and rice. Mary is now pursuing a master's degree in soil science and sustainable agriculture at ISU. Her research is looking at how plant residues from annual no-till corn; miscanthus, a perennial bioenergy crop; and native tallgrass prairie affect soil properties and ecosystem services.

Liz Graznak and her team grow organic vegetables for CSA, farmers markets and wholesale accounts at Happy Hollow Farm in Moniteau County, Missouri. MOSES recognized Liz as the 2021 Organic Farmer of the Year for her work raising outstanding organic vegetables while expanding the borders of organic food and her community engagement.

Garrett Hilpipre is a beginning farmer and landowner in north-central Iowa working to bring more perennial agriculture and agroforestry practices to his family’s farm. A former Peace Corps agroforestry extension agent in Madagascar, he returned to Iowa after many years away and is now establishing a perennial alley cropping demonstration through a North Central SARE Farmer Rancher Grant.

Tim Younquist is the farmer liaison with ISU's STRIPS team. He grew up on a heritage farm near Kiron, Iowa, that has been in his family since 1873, and where he still farms today. He is knowledgeable and passionate about production agriculture and natural resource conservation in Iowa.

John Wesselius and his wife Janna own and operate The Cornucopia, a 10-acre vegetable farm raising vegetables naturally near Sioux Center, Iowa. Since 2005, the couple has marketed through a CSA and by selling produce at farmers markets.

Ana Timmer has worked as assistant farm manager at The Cornucopia in Sioux Center, Iowa, since 2018. In 2026, she became a partner in the farm. Ana has a passion for agroecology and for teaching people about food through her conversations at the farmers market and through the CSA newsletter she writes.

Ryan Wallace and his wife Ashley are organic farmers from Benton County, Iowa. On their organic operation, they use a diverse crop rotation that includes small grains and livestock. Ryan has been feeding small grains such as oats, wheat and rye to hogs for the past eight years.

Alan Jostock has been farming his family land near Hammond, Minnesota, for his entire life. These days, he works with his parents, his wife Betsy and their two girls to raise cow-calf pairs and farrow-to-finish pigs. Alan also grows a diversified rotation of corn, soy, small grains and hay in a 100% no-till system.

Daniel Rosmann is an organic crop and livestock farmer from Harlan, Iowa. He grows oats, succotash and hybrid rye, among other crops, that are fed to his cattle, hogs and chickens. He and his wife, Ellen Walsh-Rosmann, own Milk and Honey, a farm-to-table restaurant.

Heidi (Dittmer) Ackerman joined PFI in January 2025 as the farm systems viability manager. She supports the team that delivers technical and financial support to farmers who want to diversify their farms. She loves being part of a big-tent organization that values Iowa's communities and natural resources.

Adam Mason joined Practical Farmers of Iowa in November 2025 as the senior policy coordinator. In this role, he works to ensure PFI members are effectively and strategically sharing the organization's priorities with policymakers, as well as with other state and federal leaders.

Jeff Topel was raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, but left farming for 20 years before starting a farm with his wife, Jane, near Fairfield, Iowa. He designed the farm around regenerative practices and grows corn, soybeans, sunflowers, flax, oats and hay. Jeff also works as a product manager for John Deere.

Tallis Strub is an Iowa native, entrepreneur and ballroom dance studio owner. She lives on her family's farm in Warren County, Iowa, with her husband and three children. There, they raise Jersey cows, pigs and chickens. She enjoys working with her husband to develop sustainable revenue streams to support their farm while delivering quality farm products to their customers.

Patti Naylor farms with her husband, George, near Churdan, Iowa, growing certified organic crops. Since 2019, she has traveled to Rome several times to take part in activities of the United Nations Committee on World Food Security through the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Mechanism. She hars also presented on rissues related to data collection, digitalization of agriculture and artificial intelligence in relation to food security and sovereignty.

Sophie Neems grew up in Iowa City, Iowa, and is a fourth-year sociocultural anthropology doctoral student at Arizona State University. There, she is studying farmland ownership, succession planning and sustainable food systems. Her master's thesis explored what motivated Iowa landowners to protect land for agriculture and natural resources through conservation easement adoption and land donations. She has a professional background in agricultural policy and communications.

Dirk Oudman farms with his wife, Kjersten, and their three young children at Blue Sky Vegetable Co in Worthing, South Dakota. Dirk farmed vegetables in Michigan and Wisconsin for a decade, and has farmed for the past five years in South Dakota. He loves improving the systems on their farm and enjoys a challenge that involves tinkering. Potatoes are his favorite crop to grow.

Kathryn Gilbery is the local food access manager at the University of Northern Iowa. In that role, she supports beginning farmers, expands local food access and develops market opportunities through collaborative food system initiatives.

Martha McFarland runs Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle in Fredericksburg, Iowa, where 50 bison and a small herd of Polled Hereford breeding stock graze year-round. She sells bison meat from her farm store and offers tours of the ranch. Martha is also PFI's farm transition manager.

Sally Worley has been the executive director of Practical Farmers of Iowa since 2016. She works to ensure Practical Farmers is farmer-led and maintains its big tent, welcoming everyone into the organization. She oversees PFI’s staffing, finances and programming, and is the primary liaison with the board of directors. Sally has a Bachelor of Science in horticulture and environmental studies from ISU, and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the University of South Dakota.

Karen Wilke is the associate director of freshwater for The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. Her work has focused on restoring floodplain wetlands (oxbows) and natural flows to Iowa’s rivers, streams and floodplains. Through her work, Karen strives to create more resilient and healthy freshwater systems for people and nature to enjoy.

Dan Diehm is a farm kid from Tama County, Iowa. He has a degree in horticulture and is currently self-employed at Cedar River Garden Center. He got involved in wetland and flood mitigation after the devastating flood of 2008 on the Cedar River. On his own land, Dan has restored an oxbow alongside Karen Wilke of The Nature Conservancy in Iowa to provide flood mitigation and wildlife habitat.

Entrepreneurial at heart, Megan McKay has been active in starting and operating businesses ranging from a craft brewery to insurance and real estate development businesses. Most recently, she has been serving as executive director of the Knoxville, Iowa-based Mint ‘N More Foundation, where she's driving the vision to cultivate health and nourish agriculture in rural Iowa.

Kim Klees and her family raise pastured ducks and other poultry at Elpis Farms in southern Minnesota. She has a passion for finding practical ways to make small farms more profitable, including getting creative with value-added products. Kim is always open to sharing the wins, mistakes and lessons learned along the way.

Phil Ebert is a beekeeper from Lynnville, Iowa. He started out with two colonies of bees in 1980 that have grown into nearly 1,500. Today, Phil and his family produce and sell honey and beeswax to over 70 regional stores. In spring, Phil rents his hives for pollination services across the U.S.

John Hendrickson is a farm viability specialist at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at University of Wisconsin-Madison. His work focuses on farm management and profitability, with an emphasis on specialty crops. He conducts farm financial benchmarking research and develops tools to help farmers calculate their cost of production, measure enterprise profitability and manage their farm businesses to be sustainably profitable. In the past, John operated his own certified organic vegetable farm.