Registration is open for Iowa Farm Bureau’s Ag Insights Tour July 11-12, offering young farmers the opportunity to experience various farming sectors across western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, including visits to Lonely Oak Distillery, Elite Octane, Lincoln Premium Poultry and CLAAS North America.

“Iowa Farm Bureau continually looks for ways to support farmers, and through events like the Ag Insights Tour, they can explore ways to increase their margins and entrepreneurial spirit,” says Zach Brummer, Iowa Farm Bureau’s farmer education program manager. “This year’s tour has a strong focus on newer, innovative companies that have added value to the local ag economy.”

Lonely Oak Distillery, owned and operated by Iowa farmers Pat and Amy Hoffman, is one of only a few true “seed-to-spirit” craft distilleries, crafting premium bourbon whiskey and vodka from grain selection to bottling.

Elite Octane, a dry mill ethanol plant located near Atlantic, produces more than 150 million gallons of ethanol per year, and its equipment can efficiently unload a semi-truck in approximately 2 minutes and load out distillers grain in 5 minutes. 

Lincoln Premium Poultry is a Nebraska-based company established in collaboration with Costco to supply rotisserie chickens. The complex, in operation since 2019, includes a processing facility, hatchery and feed mill with 100% of its corn sourced from local farmers. Early studies estimate the economic impact of the facility to be $1.2 billion annually. 

CLAAS North America, headquartered in Omaha, assembles hundreds of combines each year and is home to the award-winning LEXION combine. 

Tour participants also will enjoy networking opportunities, including lunch at Troy’s Bar and Grill, a three-time top 10 finalist in the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s Best Burger Contest.

Cost for the tour is $75 per member or $110 for couples. For more information about the 2024 Ag Insights Tour and registration, visit IowaFarmBureau.com/YFTour.