Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards Presented to 40 Farm Families at the 2025 Iowa State Fair
Prestigious award recognizes farmers who are leaders in conservation and water quality
DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 13, 2025) – Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon today recognized 40 Iowa farm families with Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards at the 2025 Iowa State Fair. The award recognizes farmers and farm families who go above and beyond to take voluntary actions to improve and protect our state’s natural resources, including our soil and water, while serving as leaders within their communities.
These farm families implement practices like cover crops, wetlands, bioreactors, saturated buffers, grass waterways, buffer strips, terraces, no till and many other proven conservation practices that improve water quality, enhance soil health and support the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. These worthy recipients recognize that the benefits of conservation practices extend beyond their farms, and their leadership encourages others to adopt similar conservation practices.
"Here in Iowa, we know that agriculture and conservation go hand in hand," said Gov. Reynolds. "Our farmers feed and fuel the world - and they also lead the way in protecting soil, improving our water quality, and adopting innovative practices that will keep our state striving for generations to come."
"Iowa’s farm families continue to be the driving force behind building a lasting culture of conservation within our state. Farmers are voluntarily adopting practices like cover crops, no till, buffer strips, wetlands, bioreactors and many more, and are helping us set conservation adoption records year after year,” said Secretary Naig. “The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award winners are shining examples of community leaders who are taking action on their own land and inspiring others to do the same. This creates a ripple effect and helps drive conservation progress across Iowa."
"We take great pride in recognizing these leaders in our farming communities throughout our state who put sound conservation practices at the forefront of their operations,” said Director Lyon. “Their conservation practices are leading the change and setting an example for future generations and other farmers."
The winners were chosen by a committee representing conservation and agricultural groups. A total of 861 Iowa farm families have been recognized since the creation of the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award in 2012.
A list of previous recipients is available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website. High-resolution photos will be available within one month of the ceremony on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Flickr page.
The 2025 award recipients, listed alphabetically by county, are:
Ross Havens
Nichols Farms
Adair County
Nick Helland
Helland Farms
Boone County
James and Jenny Adams
Buena Vista County
James Hepp
Hepp Farms
Calhoun County
Ryan Bowman
Ryan and Kelsey Bowman Family
Carroll County
John Black
Cedar County
Jeff Rooney and Karla Rooney
Rooney Farms LLC
Cerro Gordo County
Bruce Husman and Cindy Husman
Husman Farms
Cherokee County
Brent Swart and Steve Swart
Swart Farms
Clay County
Joe Sass
Clayton County
Nathan Goedken
Delaware County
Lillie Beringer Crock
Beringer Family Farms
Dubuque County
Rick Matt and Damien Matt
Varykino, Inc
Fayette County
Doug Alert and Margaret Smith
Ash Grove Farm
Franklin County
Justin Robbins and Lacie Robbins
Robbins Land and Cattle
Greene County
Doug Christiansen
Grundy County
Grant Johnson and Vernon Johnson
Grundy County
Lance Moeller and Jerry Moeller
Grundy County
Michael Murphy and Jason Murphy
Grundy County
Lynn Knutson and Joyce Knutson
Lund Heritage Farm
Hamilton County
Mike and Michelle Coleman
Humboldt County
Chris Lee
Ida County
David Dermody and Travis Dermody
Iowa County
Dirk Van Wyk and Jourdan Van Wyk
Van Wyk Family Farms
Jasper County
Rick Vos
Jasper County
Clinton Mikesell
Keokuk County
Sara Hanson Pearson and Robert Pearson
Prairie Sky Farm
Kossuth County
Bill Benjamin
Lee County
Nathan Nieuwendorp
Emery Creek Inc.
Lyon County
Jerry Kincade and Becky Kincade
Kincade Farmland Trust
Madison County
Jackson Drost and Amanda Drost
Drost Farms
Mahaska County
Tony Brink and Roberta Brink
Marshall County
Mike Deahr
Deer Haven Farms
Muscatine County
Patrick Dipple and Katherine Dipple
Muscatine County
Terry Gleaves
Pottawattamie County
Wesley Henry
Pottawattamie County
Tom and Kaitlin Geake and John and Cathy Geake
Sac County
Taylor Kats and Jessica Kats
Sioux County
James Harrison and Sheri Harrison
Story County
Russell Olson and Hayden Olson
Olson Farms
Worth County