Young Farmers Can Win Big in Iowa

By Andi Anderson

Young farmers in Iowa have a big opportunity to grow their agricultural dreams. The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation is offering $10,000 to the winner of its Grow Your Future Award, an annual contest supporting entrepreneurs between ages 18 and 35.

The award is designed to help young Farm Bureau members develop unique agriculture-related businesses. These include niche production, agritourism ventures, and other specialty farm services. The competition encourages innovation and supports the growth of rural communities across Iowa.

Applications are open now and must be submitted by September 1, 2025, at www.iowafarmbureau.com/growyourfuture. After the application phase, judges will select finalists who will move on to a public voting round held online from December 8 to 14.

The top three contestants from the public vote will then compete in a live pitch event during the Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Conference on January 24, 2026. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, while second and third place winners will earn $5,000 and $2,500 respectively.

Past winners have included businesses offering direct-to-consumer meat, on-farm lodging, cover crop seed services, and specialty crop and flower farms. These ventures show the range of ideas that Iowa’s young farmers are bringing to life.

“Farming will always come with its challenges,” said Brent Johnson, Iowa Farm Bureau president. “There will be ups and downs, but what sets young farmers apart is how they turn challenges into opportunity. Especially those competing in the Grow Your Future Award, they constantly ask themselves ‘What can I do differently? How can I innovate and add value to my farm?’ It’s inspiring to see how they achieve success and contribute to the broader community with their creativity and resilience.”

This award is part of the Farm Bureau’s broader goal to boost rural entrepreneurship. Through various programs, the organization has helped nearly 4,000 business owners and contributed over $150 million in rural economic impact.

With creativity, hard work, and community focus, young farmers are showing how to shape the future of agriculture.

Photo Credit: iowa-farm-bureau