Iowa Farm Bureau Leadership Award recipients champion agriculture through outreach, stewardship and community involvement.

Whether it’s adopting conservation practices, improving efficiency or embracing new ideas, the three winners of Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2026 Young Farmer Leadership Award are committed to ensuring agriculture remains viable for future generations and carrying on the legacy that previous generations established for them.

Mitchell Sievers of Buena Vista County, Andrew Benning of Franklin County and Cale Gent of Hancock County say some of their core memories are rooted in growing up on the farm, learning from older generations and the rural communities that helped raise them. 

Today, they’re passing that knowledge along through programs like Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom, 4-H and FFA, helping ensure the next generation understands agriculture and has the same opportunities as they did to build a career in agriculture. 

The Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Leadership Award recognizes young farmers between the ages of 18 to 35 who demonstrate outstanding leadership through their involvement in agriculture, Farm Bureau and their local communities. 

The award was created in honor of former Iowa Farm Bur­eau President Bob Joslin, who was known for his support and encouragement of young farmers. 

Benning, Gent and Sievers will be recognized at the 2026 Iowa Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in December. In addition, the Iowa Farm Bureau will provide $2,000 community grants to local organizations designated by each of the award winners.


Andrew Benning

Benning raises corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs with his wife, Madison, on a Franklin County farm that goes back at least four generations. 

Benning recently finished con­­struction of a 325-head mon­oslope cattle barn that re­placed older feedlots established by his great-grandfather. The barn will enhance environmental aspects of the farm by capturing runoff along with improving efficiency and safety, he said. 

Madison is also starting a flower farm, planting more than 4,000 flowers for direct sales to customers and local florists.

“We have done a great job of being diversified. Now we need to continue honing in on efficiency on each aspect of the operation. I am always looking for improved agronomy practices that will im­prove production but, more im­portantly, maintain the long-term quality of the land,” said Benning.

“Generations before me have done this, giving me a great opportunity. It is important that we do the same. I think it’s important when I have kids someday that they learn the same lessons that I have. It’s pretty special building something that will be around for people after you. You’re not just building something for yourself; you’re building a foundation for future generations.”

Some of his favorite childhood memories involve riding in the combine with his grandpa. Years later, Benning recorded a video of his grandpa in the cab, talking about the history of their Century Farm.

“That’s one of the most special things I have,” he said.

Benning, along with his parents and grandparents, have gone through Iowa Farm Bureau’s Take Root program, which helps farmers start the conversation about farm succession. 

The 31-year-old Benning also sells farmland for Mid-Iowa Real Estate Auctions and Appraisals, where he’s helped other young farmers purchase their first farms. He said access to capital is a challenging and intimidating topic for young farmers. 

“I think we sold three or four farms on beginning farm loans last year,” he said. “That’s pretty fun. Watching those people coming into the industry and start building something for themselves and their family down the line is pretty cool to be a part of.” 

Benning is a member of the Franklin County Farm Bureau board of directors and assists with county activities including the cookout contest, “Ask a Farmer” booths at community events and policy efforts. 

“Farm Bureau has given a lot to me, and I’ve tried to give as much as I can back by being involved in many things in the community,” he said.

As a member of the Franklin County Cattlemen, Benning also helped initiate a cattle loan reimbursement program to help youth establish breeding herds while learning financial management strategies. 

He designated the Ag Learning Center at the Franklin County Fair as the recipient of his community grant to purchase equipment supporting educational activities.


Cale Gent

At 29 years old, Cale Gent is realizing his dream of moving back to his family’s farm in eastern Iowa. He’s the fourth generation on the farm raising corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cattle. He and his wife, Nicole, have two children.

The farm straddles the border of Jones and Jackson counties, on the southwestern edge of the Driftless Region, untouched by the glaciers that flattened farmland to the west. Gent says the steep topography requires robust erosion control practices, such as no-till, cover crops, rotational grazing, buffer strips and waterways to preserve precious topsoil. 

The family’s conservation ethic stretches back decades, growing with each generation as technology has advanced. His grandpa constructed three ponds, planted thousands of trees and reestablished native prairie in highly erodible areas, minimizing erosion and significantly improving the water quality leaving the farm, Gent said.

“For me, the point of conservation is I love this place. I want it to be he here in whatever capacity that my kids may want or need it when they grow up,” he said. “There’s an interesting quote I heard: ‘Land is not an inheritance from our parents. It’s on loan from our kids.’ That’s the kind of mindset that I try to carry.” 

After college, Gent accepted a job as a field agronomist in north central Iowa — a position that expanded his knowledge of the diversity of Iowa’s farms. 

“It’s absolutely incredible, looking at our state and how it changes in just 196 miles,” said Gent, who is maintaining an agronomy role with Pioneer in eastern Iowa. “Going from the Driftless Region of eastern Iowa to the Des Moines Lobe … you can see the differences. So you can only imagine what the complexities are amongst all of our operations.”

While living in Hancock County, Gent continued another longstanding family tradition by joining the county Farm Bureau board. His grandfather, Paul Teeple, was a charter member of the Jackson County Farm Bureau. And Cale recalls tagging along with his dad, assisting at Farm Bureau activities throughout his childhood.

“I got to take advantage and feel the benefit of that as a kid. For me, that’s the part of Farm Bureau that holds a special place,” he said.

It was a natural fit for Gent to join the Hancock County Farm Bureau’s community outreach efforts, including the Ag Learning Center at the county fair and speaking to FFA students about careers in agriculture. He also offers agronomy training to seasonal interns at Pioneer.

Gent designated his community grant funds to go to two FFA chapters in Hancock County schools and the county fair’s Animal Learning Center.

“The principles of community involvement and bringing that next generation in — and helping them find their place in ag and what their interests are — is important to me,” said Gent, who is a top 10 semifinalist for the 2026 Young Farmer Discussion Meet at Iowa Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in December. 


Mitchel Sievers

If there’s one word to describe Mitchell Sievers’ journey in agriculture, it’s family.

He lives on a stretch of road in Buena Vista County known informally to locals as “Sievers Avenue,” populated by 12 or 13 different families all with the same last name.

“It’s crazy how many of us live on the same avenue, and we’re not all related, either,” he said. “But we’re close that way. I grew up within 17 or 18 miles of all my aunts and uncles on both sides of the family, so I’ve been blessed.” 

The 33-year-old Sievers is a third generation farmer, growing corn and soybeans with his dad, brother and an uncle. He and his wife, Bradi, have three children. 

Mitch and his brother, Nick, also raise wean-to-finish hogs and custom apply anhydrous ammonia for the local co-op. They recently purchased a drone to spray crops in-season and are expanding that side of the business to apply for their neighbors, too. 

Conservation is considered in all asp­ects of the farm, with buffer strips and wetlands installed to filter nutrients before they reach waterways. 

He cherishes memories of working with his extended family on the farm and wants his three children to have the same opportunities.

“I’ve wanted to farm since I was a kid. The school bus driver dropped me off in the field, not at home,” he said. “I hope (my kids) want to come back, too.”

Through Farm Bureau, Sievers has found a voice to be an advocate on policy issues like the farm bill and water quality. He is currently serving as the county Farm Bureau voting delegate. 

“The value of Farm Bureau is pretty important to me,” he said. “Being a third generation member of the Buena Vista County Farm Bureau, I’ve seen the impacts it means to our family farm, having that seat at the table. We’re getting our voices heard.

“Raising kids on the farm, I want them to be able to farm someday, and I don’t want it to be overregulated. The legislators need to hear that. We’re farm families; we’re not big corporations running this place.”

Sievers also assists in outreach ef­forts with groups like FFA, Ag in the Classroom, 4-H, county fair activities and Buena Vista University. Mitch and Bradi also represented northwest Iowa on the Iowa Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Advisory Committee for three years. 

Sievers chose Buena Vista County Ag in the Classroom as the recipient of his community grant. 

“Being in a rural community, it is very eye-opening how little knowledge the younger generations have regarding ag­­riculture,” said Sievers. “I look for opportunities to engage in discussions around new agricultural methods, technologies and practices and work with our legislators to share information to support Farm Bureau policy.”

Sievers said the main issue facing young farmers is access to capital and land due to high farmland prices and interest rates. 

“It is hard for young farmers to come back to a family operation and battle the tight margins and high input costs,” he said. “It requires careful financial planning.”