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Each year, Indiana Farm Bureau honors young farmers and agricultural professionals who have demonstrated leadership and a commitment to farming and Farm Bureau.

Three award winners have been selected this year and will be recognized at INFB’s state convention, to be held Dec. 14-16 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

All three awards recognize young farmers and ag professionals for leadership and involvement with their state or local Farm Bureau, in addition to their commitment to strengthening agriculture across Indiana. Two panels of judges evaluated this year’s participants. The winners are:

Rachel Hyde, Hamilton County, Rising Star Award – A new award for 2023, the Rising Star Award honors members who are active in Farm Bureau, their county, their community, Collegiate Farm Bureau or Young Farmers & Ag Professionals programs and demonstrate personal and professional growth by participating in those activities. Hyde will receive a $2,000 cash prize and an all-expenses paid trip to Omaha, Nebraska, for the 2024 American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference in March.

She is the seventh generation to help grow corn and soybeans on her family farm, and she also helps support her uncle’s sheep operation.

Hyde graduated from Purdue University with a degree in agricultural communication and a minor in agronomy. She now works at Beck’s Hybrids as a field sales marketing coordinator.

She serves as the public relations coordinator for the Hamilton County Farm Bureau board, and she was the winner of the 2022 YF&AP Discussion Meet.

Chelsea O’Brien, Spencer County, Excellence in Agriculture Award – This award honors Farm Bureau members who do not derive the majority of their income from a farming operation but who actively contribute and grow their involvement in Farm Bureau, the agriculture industry and other community organizations. O’Brien will receive an $11,000 cash prize and an all-expenses paid trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, in January to compete at the 2024 American Farm Bureau convention.

O’Brien graduated from Purdue University with a degree in agricultural communication. She got her start in Farm Bureau with the Purdue collegiate chapter where she won the INFB Collegiate Discussion Meet.

After working in marketing both inside and outside of the ag industry, O’Brien returned to agriculture in 2021 as the marketing communications manager at Superior Ag cooperative.

She is involved with 4-H, the National Agri-Marketing Association and her local church, and she serves as the Spencer County Farm Bureau YF&AP chair.

Mark and Jessica Wenning, Henry County, Achievement Award – This award recognizes members who earn the majority of their income from a farming operation and measures applicants on their leadership involvement and farm management techniques. The Wennings will receive an $11,000 cash prize and an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the 2024 American Farm Bureau convention in Salt Lake City in January. The Wennings also will be awarded the David L. Leising Memorial Award.

Mark studied agricultural systems management and agricultural economics at Purdue University while Jessica graduated from Ball State University with a degree in accounting, finance and economics.

Now on their own operation, they raise corn and soybeans, plant cover crops and install drainage tile. Mark works full-time on the farm while Jessica works off the farm as a CPA for Ernst and Young. She also helps on the farm during planting and harvest seasons, including making sure cover crops are planted in the fall.