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Farmers in Vanderburgh, Hamilton counties win top YF&AP awards
The Excellence in Agriculture and Achievement awards are two of the primary ways Farm Bureau recognizes young farmers and agriculturalists for their leadership, involvement and innovation. This year’s Indiana winners are Eric and Megan Scheller of Vanderburgh County and Aaron and Lacey Sheller of Hamilton County.
The two awards are part of INFB’s Young Farmers & Ag Professionals program.
Excellence in Agriculture Award
Eric and Megan Scheller are the winners of the INFB Excellence in Agriculture Award, which recognizes young farmers and agricultural professionals who do not derive the majority of their income from a production agriculture operation that they own. Candidates for this award were judged on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.
Eric continues to work on his family’s farm, but he has a degree in diesel equipment technology and is a diesel technology instructor. Megan serves their rural community as a registered nurse and is currently working toward a master’s degree in nursing. She also acts as a “farmer assistant,” helping to move equipment and taking meals to the field.
The two are active in Farm Bureau, serving on the county Farm Bureau board, and attend many state YF&AP and leadership events. They have a 3-year-old son, Garrett.
Aaron and Lacey Sheller are the winners of the INFB Achievement Award, which recognizes young farmers who earn the majority of their income from their farms. Candidates were judged on their leadership abilities as well as what they have achieved with their farms.
After the unexpected death of his father in 2004, Aaron assumed management of the family farm and later earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and management. The couple raises non-GMO waxy corn, seed soybeans, cattle and swine.
Lacey now works full-time on the family farm with a special emphasis on the family’s freezer beef and pork sales and distribution. She has a bachelor’s degree in athletic training and was previously employed at the county hospital as an exercise specialist. Lacey and Aaron also formed an LLC in 2007 to sell seed and liquid fertilizer to several local farms.
The Shellers are active in their county Farm Bureau, and Aaron currently serves as the county YF&AP chair. They have three children: Hallie, Davanee and Luke.
Excellence in Agriculture winners receive a John Deere Gator (courtesy of Farm Credit Services) and a $3,000 cash prize (courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance). Achievement Award winners receive a $6,000 cash prize (courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance), 250 hours of free use of one M-Series tractor (courtesy of Kubota Tractor Corporation) and will be awarded the David L. Leising Memorial Award.
Both couples win an all-expenses-paid trip in January to compete for the national Young Farmer & Rancher awards at the American Farm Bureau annual convention in Austin, Texas.
Winners and finalists will be formally recognized at the INFB state convention this December in French Lick. To view videos on both the winners and the other finalists, visit INFB’s YouTube channel:
Excellence in Agriculture winners Eric and Megan Scheller
Finalists Kim and Kevin Burton
Finalists Brent and Ashley Reed
