WEST DES MOINES, IOWA -- Few young farmers boast the wide variety of crops and livestock raised by Jeremy Atwood of Fairfield. And few have equaled Atwood’s contributions to Farm Bureau and his local community, which earned him the 2010 Bob Joslin Excellence in Agriculture Award at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) annual meeting in Des Moines on Dec. 2. The award honors a young farmer who demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities in Farm Bureau, agriculture and his/her community.
Atwood and wife Angie run a fifth generation family farm near Fairfield. In addition to growing corn, soybeans, hay and wheat and raising hogs, sheep and goats, the Atwoods manage a thriving specialty crop operation. The farm features a pumpkin patch and corn maze during the fall and Christmas trees in the winter.
Away from the farm, Atwood has dedicated hours to the Jefferson County Farm Bureau and his local community. The current county Farm Bureau president is a graduate of Iowa Farm Bureau’s Ag Leaders program and has served in political action, young farmer, Ag in the Classroom, policy development, membership and legislative roles at the county level. He welcomes Jefferson County students and others to tour his farm and shares the story of farming today with local media outlets and at community events, including the Jefferson County Fair and Fairfield’s monthly “Art Walk.” Atwood also volunteers his time with children in 4-H, teaching them how to treat, prepare and show their animals.
As the Joslin Award winner, Atwood receives a plaque, a $750 gift card from Growmark and expense-paid trips to the American Farm Bureau annual meeting in Atlanta, the Growmark annual meeting in Chicago and the IFBF Young Farmer conference.
The Excellence in Ag Award is given in memory of Bob Joslin, who served as IFBF president from January 1986 to December 1987 and was known for his support and encouragement of young farmers.
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