Prairie Farmer editors will present the Master Farmer award to five farmers today in an awards ceremony in Bloomington, Ill., and will recognize a new Honorary Master Farmer.
The award recognizes exceptional agricultural production skills, commitment to family and service to community, and Prairie Farmer is grateful to the Illinois agricultural community for supporting these farmers and their work.
The 2024 Master Farmers are:
Chris Hausman, Pesotum, Ill. Hausman and his wife, Evonne, raise 1,450 acres of corn and soybeans. Hausman is a director on the Longview Bank board and spent 10 years as an Illinois Farm Bureau board director. Before returning to the farm in the ’80s, he was an Illinois Farm Business Farm Management fieldman and has been a devoted FBFM client ever since. Hausman was nominated by David A. Albin.
Malcolm and Susan Head, Blue Mound, Ill. Malcolm and Susan Head farm with sons Rollin and Alex, growing corn, soybeans, seed corn and beans, wheat, hay, and alfalfa. The family also raises 450 commercial cows and 300 head of feeder cattle. Susan served on the Illinois Beef Association board for a decade and was elected checkoff board president; Malcolm is a director on the Soy Capital Bank board and a past school board president. The Heads were nominated by the Illinois Beef Association.
Lou Lamoreux, Lanark, Ill. Lamoreux and his wife, Sue, raise corn, soybeans, wheat and hay; 2,250 head of finisher cattle; and 250 cows with their son Nathan, nephew Dan and Lamoreux’s brother John. Lamoreux has served on both IL Corn and Illinois Beef Association boards, and the Carroll County Board. Lamoreux was nominated by IL Corn and the Illinois Beef Association.
Gerald Thompson, Colfax, Ill. Thompson and his wife, Jayme, raise corn and soybeans with their son Reid. Thompson is a member of the McLean County Board and spent 10 years as an Illinois Farm Bureau board director. He also holds his private pilot’s license and officiates weddings in his spare time. Thompson was nominated by Ron and Melanie Warfield, 1992 Master Farmer.
Prairie Farmer has also named a new Honorary Master Farmer this year: Gary Schnitkey. Schnitkey is a renowned agricultural economist at the University of Illinois who teaches, conducts research and shares farm management information with farmers across the state via the Farmdoc website, which he pioneered and has authored more than 1,000 articles for. He is one of only 17 Honorary Master Farmers to have been named by the magazine.