Individuals or organizations can now be nominated for the 22nd class of No-Till Innovators to be announced in January 2018 at the 26th annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky.

The program honors farmers, researchers, organizations and others who have identified ways to no-till more effectively, more economically and with better impact on the environment.

Nominations can be made online. You can also download a nomination form and complete it offline. Once completed, nomination forms can be faxed to Jenn Piotrowski at (312) 648-6700, emailed to jpiotrowski@gscommunications.com or mailed to No-Till Innovator Awards, c/o G&S Business Communications, 125 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2600, Chicago, IL 60606.

The deadline for nominations for the 22nd class of No-Till Innovators is Tuesday, Aug. 1. You can scroll down below to see a list of past winners of the No-Till Innovators awards.

Any person who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of no-till farming in the U.S. or Canada is eligible to win, regardless of the crop grown, brand of equipment used or crop protection or seed products chosen.

Winners will receive complimentary registration ($379 value) and lodging for the duration of the 2018 National No-Tillage Conference, as well as a special token of appreciation to commemorate the honor.

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The 21st class of No-Till Innovators were honored in January for their contributions to the practice of no-tillage by Syngenta and No-Till Farmer during the 25th annual National No-Tillage Conference in St. Louis, Mo. (Read the story on the 21st Class of No-Till Innovators winners and download the 2016 No-Till Innovator Awards program.)

Those individuals and organizations honored January 12th at the National No-Tillage Conference included:

  • Steve Berger, Wellman, Iowa, in the Crop Production category
  • Ceres Solutions, Lafayette, Ind., in the Business & Service category
  • Dave Franzen, North Dakota State University, Research & Education category
  • Champlain Valley Farmers Coalition, Middlesbury, Vt., in the Association/Organization category.
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Derrick LeBeau (left), agronomic service representative, Syngenta, presents a portrait to no-tiller Steve Berger, Wellman, Iowa, No-Till Innovator in the Crop Production category.

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Derrick LeBeau (left), agronomic service representative, Syngenta, presents a portrait to Betsy Bower of Ceres Solutions, Lafayette, Ind., No-Till Innovator in the Business & Services category.

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Derrick LeBeau (left), agronomic service representative, Syngenta, presents a portrait to Dave Franzen, soils specialist at North Dakota State University, No-Till Innovator in the Research & Education category.

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Derrick LeBeau (left), agronomic service representative, Syngenta, presents a portrait to members of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, Middlesbury, Vt., No-Till Innovator in the Associations/Organization category.


Past Winners

Crop Production
1996 — John McLarty, London, Ontario
1997 — Ron Jaques, Hutchinson, Kan.
1998 — Steve Groff, Holtwood, Pa.
1999 — Doug Harford, Mazon, Ill.
2000 — Mike Ellis, Worth & Dee Ellis Farm, Eminence, Ky.
2001 — Russ Zenner, Genesee, Idaho
2002 — Mike, Ted, Paul, Tom and Nick Guetterman, Bucyrus, Kan.
2003 — Tom, Jeff and Doug Martin, Mt. Pulaski, Ill.
2004 — Randy Schwartz, Great Bend, Kan.
2005 — John Aeschliman, Colfax, Wash.
2006 — Joe Breker, Havana, N.D.
2007 — Bill Richards, Circleville, Ohio
2008 — Allen Berry, Nauvoo, Ill.
2009 — Rulon Enterprises (Rodney, Ken and Roy Rulon), Arcadia, Ind.
2010 — Ray McCormick, Vincennes, Ind. 
2011 — Terry Taylor, Geff, Ill.
2012 — Dan DeSutter, Attica, Ind.
2013 — Jack Maloney, Brownsburg, Ind.
2014 — Mike Beer, Keldron, S.D.
2015 — David Brandt, Carroll, Ohio
2016 — Steve Berger, Wellman, Iowa

 

Research & Education
1996 — John Bradley, University of Tennessee, Milan, Tenn. 
1997 — George Kapusta*, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill.
1998 — Paul Jasa, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb.
1999 — Dwayne Beck, Dakota Lakes Research Farm, Pierre, S.D.
2000 — John Walker, Ricks College, Rexburg, Idaho
2001 — Wayne Reeves, National Soils Lab, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Auburn, Ala.
2002 — Glover Triplett, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss.
2003 — Norman Widman, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Columbus, Ohio
2004 — Dan Towery, Conservation Technology Information Center, West Lafayette, Ind.
2005 — Jim Cook, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.
2006 — Jim Leverich, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service, Sparta, Wis.
2007 — Bud Davis, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Salina, Kan.
2008 — Randy Raper, National Soil Dynamics Lab, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Auburn, Ala.
2009 — Barry Fisher, Indiana NRCS state agronomist, Indianapolis, Ind.
2010 — Harold Reetz, Reetz Agronomic Services, Monticello, Ill. 
2011 — Randall Reeder, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
2012 — Randy Pryor, University of Nebraska Extension
2013 — Jill Clapperton, Rhizoterra, Inc., Florence, Mont.
2014 — Joel Gruver, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Ill.
2015 — Dr. Lloyd Murdock, University of Kentucky, Princeton, Ky.
2016 — Dave Franzen, North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D.

 

Business and Service
1996 — David Swaim, Crawfordsville, Ind.
1997 — Philip Anderson, Southern States Cooperative, Owensboro, Ky.
1998 — Joe Nester, Nester Ag Management, Antwerp, Ohio
1999 — Ed Winkle*, Hymark Consulting, Blanchester, Ohio
2000 — David Savage, Farley, Iowa
2001 — Kevin Morrow, Smiths Grove, Ky.
2002 — Brad Mathson, Whitehall Agricultural Services, Whitehall, Wis.
2003 — Dave Moeller, Moeller Ag Service, Keokuk, Iowa
2004 — Guy Swanson, Exactrix Inc., Spokane, Wash.
2005 — Paul Schaffert, Indianola, Neb.
2006 — Karl Kroeck, Knoxville, Pa.
2007 — Don Hoover, Binkley & Hurst, Lititz, Pa.
2008 — Rich Follmer, Progressive Farm Products, Hudson, Ill.
2009 — Dave Nelson, Brokaw Supply Co., Fort Dodge, Iowa
2010 — Roy Applequist, Great Plains Mfg., Salina, Kan.
2011 — Jamie Scott, J.A. Scott Farms Inc., Pierceton, Ind.
2012 — Daryl Starr, Advanced Ag Solutions
2013 — Bill Lehmkuhl, Precision Agri Services, Inc., Minster, Ohio
2014 — Terry Metzger, Ag Spectrum, DeWitt, Iowa
2015 — Phil Needham, Needham Ag Technologies, Calhoun, Ky.
2016 — Betsy Bower, Ceres Solutions, Lafayette, Ind.

 

No-Till Organizations
1997 — Manitoba-North Dakota Zero Tillage Farmer’s Association, Brandon, Manitoba
1998 — Clark County Farm Bureau, Clark County, Ind.
1999 — Conservation Action Project, Defiance, Ohio
2000 — Ohio No-Till Council, Columbus, Ohio
2001 — Coffee County Conservation Tillage Alliance, Coffee County, Ga.
2002 — West Tennessee No-Till Farmers Association, Milan, Tenn.
2003 — Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association, Pullman, Wash.
2004 — Lower Elkhorn Natural Resource District, Norfolk, Neb.
2005 — Innovative Farmers Association of Port Stanley, Ontario
2006 — Innovative Cropping Systems Team, Quinton, Va.
2007 — Clearwater Direct Seeders, Idaho
2008 — Embarras River Management Association, Toledo, Ill.
2009 — No-Till on the Plains, Salina, Kan.
2010 — Delta Conservation Demonstration Center, Metcalfe, Miss.
2011 — Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance
2012 — Midwest Cover Crops Council
2013  — Virginia No-Till Alliance
2014 — Randall Reeder, Conservation Tillage Conference
2015 — Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative
2016 — Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, Middlesbury, Vt.

 

Equipment Design
1996 — Howard Martin, Elkton, Ky.
1997 — Ray Rawson, Farwell, Mich.
1998 — Eugene Keeton*, Clarksville, Tenn.
1999 — Jon Kinzenbaw, Kinze Manufacturing Co., Williamsburg, Iowa
2000 — Terry Schneider, Shirley, Ill.
2001 — The Reed Family (Paul Reed), Washington, Iowa
2002 — Herb Stam*, Hi-Pro Manufacturing Co., Watseka, Ill.

Ag Supplier
1997 — Jim and Tom Boyd, B & B Farm Service, Fredericktown, Ohio
1998 — Eric Laux, Laux Farm Service, New Madison, Ohio
1999 — Crop Production Services, Morganfield, Ky.
2000 — Miles Farm Supply and Opti-Crop, Owensboro, Ky.
2001 — Roger Strand, Strand of Milan, Inc., Milan, Minn.
2002 — Loudonville Farmers Equity, Loudonville, Ohio

Environmental Stewardship
1996 — Jim LeCureux, Bad Axe, Mich.

Public Image of Agriculture
1996 — Marion Calmer, Alpha, Ill.

Education
1996 — Mike Plumer, Marion, Ill.

 *Deceased

Deceased