Members of Iowa’s largest general farm organization gathered at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines this week to celebrate the achievements of 100 county Farm Bureaus, young farmer award winners and receive expert insight on key topics and issues shaping agriculture today.  

During challenging economic times like these, informed decision making is crucial to sustainability in agriculture, and Farm Bureau members engaged in several educational breakout sessions during the two-day meeting.  Members received valuable insight into economic factors shaping agricultural markets, updates on national policy and farm succession planning. 

Lisa Bluder, legendary former coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball program, delivered the keynote address on the virtues of leadership.  Over an extraordinary 24-year career, Coach Bluder retired as the winningest coach in Big Ten history and shared her message about leading with purpose and passion with members.

IFBF Elections 

Brent Johnson of Calhoun County was reelected IFBF president.  Johnson, first elected IFBF president in 2021, farms in Manson with his wife, LuAnn, growing corn and soybeans. The Johnsons have a son, Matt; a daughter-in-law, Rebekah; a daughter, Kaeli; and four grandchildren.  As IFBF president, Brent serves as chairman of the board of FBL Financial Group, Inc., and Farm Bureau Life Companies, and is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) board of directors.    

Sharyl Bruning of Monona County was reelected to the IFBF board to represent District 4.  The district is made up of 11 counties in west central Iowa.  Bruning and her husband, Dave, have three adult children: Judy, Amy and Jeff, and eight grandchildren.  The Brunings farm with their son, Jeff, and grow corn and soybeans and maintain a cow/calf herd.  Bruning is active in Iowa Farm Bureau’s F.A.R.M. (Farmer Advocates Reaching Main Street) Team, serves on the Siouxland Ag in the Classroom board and has been a 4-H leader for more than three decades.  She previously served five years as Monona County Farm Bureau president and the state resolutions committee.  

Joe Dierickx of Clinton County was reelected IFBF District 6 director, comprised of 11 counties in eastern Iowa.  Dierickx was first elected director in 2019 and farms with his brother, Paul, growing corn and soybeans, as well as providing custom planting, harvesting and spraying services. Joe and his wife, Barbara, have three adult children.  

Tim Kaldenberg of Monroe County was also reelected as director representing District 8, comprised of 10 counties in south central Iowa. Kaldenberg was first elected to the board in 2019.  Tim farms in Albia with his son and raises a beef cow/calf herd and feeder cattle and grows corn, soybeans and hay. Tim and his wife, Cindy, have two adult children and one grandchild.

Nine delegates were elected to represent Iowa at the 2026 AFBF Annual Convention in Anaheim, California, January 9-14.  They include: IFBF President Brent Johnson of Calhoun County; IFBF Vice President Brian Feldpausch of Grundy County; District 5 director Allen Burt of Marshall County; Randy Dreher of Audubon County; Laura Cunningham of Floyd County; Brent Koller of Lee County; Nate Hofmann of Linn County; Michael Johnson of Page County and Cordt Holub of Tama County. 

Noah Coppess of Cedar County was elected to a three-year term on the IFBF internal study committee.  The internal study committee serves as a liaison between the county Farm Bureau voting delegates and the state board of directors.  

Distinguished Service to Ag Award 

Leo Stephas and Charles Brown were recognized as Iowa Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service to Agriculture (DSA) Award recipients, which recognizes leaders for a lifetime of dedication and positive impacts made in Iowa agriculture.  

Stephas, nominated by the Buena Vista and Clay County Farm Bureaus, is recognized for more than 60 years of service to Iowa agriculture. Since beginning his farming career in 1961, Stephas was an early adopter and champion of no-till practices. His extensive community involvement includes service on the Iowa Lakes Community College board, county Farm Bureaus, pork producer organizations and his church.

Stephas says his motivation has always been rooted in stewardship and teaching the next generation. “Taking proper care of the animals is important, but you have to tell young people the reasons you do that,” he said. “And if you want things to continue on, you need to take care of the land.”

Brown, nominated by the Wapello, Mahaska and Monroe County Farm Bureaus, is honored posthumously for a lifetime defined by mentorship and unwavering commitment to farm families. Brown spent nearly two decades with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, where he developed the AgMaster farm accounting program, before serving as a farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension. Through his business, Agri-Financial Services, he advised multi-generational farm families with expertise and compassion.

“Charles was an extraordinary man who embodied the gift of service, leadership and compassion,” says Colin Johnson, a Wapello County farmer and Farm Bureau member. “His commitment to serving others will remain a powerful inspiration to all who knew him.”

Young Farmer Discussion Meet

Keaton Keitzer of Des Moines County was selected as the winner of IFBF’s Young Farmer Discussion Meet and will represent Iowa in the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Discussion Meet during the AFBF Annual Convention in January.  Keitzer also received a $2,000 gift card bundle from IFBF, $1,500 cash award from GROWMARK and an expense paid trip to the 2026 IFBF Young Farmer Conference, January 23-24. 

The second-place finisher was Molly Dolch of Adair County.  Dolch received a $1,000 gift card bundle from IFBF and $500 cash award from GROWMARK.  Third place finisher, Coltin Schachtner Kramer of Pocahontas County, received a $750 gift card bundle from IFBF and $250 cash award from GROWMARK.  Alyssa Yoder McClary of Iowa County finished fourth and received a $500 gift card bundle from IFBF and a $250 cash award from GROWMARK. 

The Young Farmer Discussion Meet is a unique competition in which participants are scored based on their ability to engage in a “cooperative” discussion on challenges affecting agriculture, similar to a county Farm Bureau board meeting discussion. Throughout their 30-minute discussion, the young farmers are awarded points based on their ability to identify the problem, seek solutions and listen to each other’s viewpoints—skills that are pertinent to gaining consumer trust in today’s world.  This year’s questions involved issues like growing Farm Bureau membership to reflect the diversity of Iowa agriculture and effective engagement with elected officials and lawmakers.