Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon 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."

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