Ian and Valerie Plagge of Franklin County earned the Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2016 Young Farmer Achievement Award at the organization’s annual meeting last week in Des Moines.

The annual award honors young farmers who show outstanding management ability in their farming operations and involvement in Farm Bureau and community activities.

Ben and Susan Albright of Calhoun County placed second in the Achievement Award competition, while Adam and Brooke Drewelow of Chickasaw County placed third.

Ian and Val Plagge own a feeder-to-finish hog operation, in addition to their row-crop farm, near Latimer. The Plagges have steadily added more rented acres to their farming operation, and in 2013, they purchased their first farm. Ian also manages a seed dealership in partnership with his dad.

Ian handles the production side of the farm, overseeing herd health, making seed selections and managing...