Degree in International Relations from Istanbul Bilgi University. He uses satellites to track the status of his production and a sensor station to measure the temperature and humidity of his soil. He uses this information to boost yields. Grows corn, potatoes, olives, clover, wheat, barley and watermelon on 63 acres.
Zeinab's farm is a 100 donoms farm, growing apples, grapes and olives. She has a small food factory where apple vinegar, soup and grape products are made.
Since launching the Sakhrah Women’s Cooperative six years ago, Zeinab’s successful rural development model has attracted partnership opportunities and allowed Zeinab to expand her reach and connect with other rural female farmers to form the Female Farmers Union, the first of its kind in Jordan. Zeinab is an inspirational social pioneer who has faced a number of obstacles in support of the rights for rural women and hopes to expand her network to make a greater impact in neighboring countries
After earning an MBA and working in agribusiness, returned to the family business as a swine, beef and coffee producer. Has launched a branded pork product. Is a co-founder of FarmPage.
Michael Allen farms with his son in the North Eastern Part of South Africa in the Province of Mpumalanga. They produce corn and soya beans on 1000 hectares (almost 2400 acres).
Farms in a group of small islands called Camotes Islands in Cebu, Philippines. The farm is 8 hectares and they rent 25-35 hectares for corn production. The mission of the farm is connected to community development and the idea of using farming as a tool to help other farmers improve their techniques to get them out of poverty.
Lead a local farmers group whose 800 producers cover 2500 hectares of crops, 2 growing seasons per year – grow maize, sorghum and wheat.
72 hectare farm – grows mangoes, sweet tamarind, teak trees. Also finance other farmers to produce 4,500 hectares of maize production and 4,000 acres of mungbean and other bean production
More than 20,000 hectares used for seed multiplication, avocado trees, wine grapes, cattle cows, corn, potatoes and forest. More than 3,000 are under mechanical irrigation.
Heather Baldock and her husband Graeme grow wheat, barley, canola, peas and lupins on a 3rd generation family farm on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.
General manager of our family farm. 100 hectares of white corn production – implementing a drying and storage system
Knud was raised on a 4th generation family farm. After college, he started his own farm in 1987 which is a purely arable farm, based on a No-Till system. He grows wheat, barley, oat and oilseed rape. From 1990-2010, he purchased and exported ag machinery to 12 countries in Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Now he is a freelance sales agent of No-Till machinery. At present, he is also studying the impact of agriculture on the nearby environment at a School of Applied Sciences.
Farming since 1976 - raised the farm to a status where many in society know about it and want to visit. Field crops, dairy, agro-forestry, aquaculture and horticulture + tourist destination. Advocates for the Saguna Rice Technique (SRT), which is conservation agriculture using zero tillage.
Jorge farms in Argentina, mainly in the Buenos Aires province, but also a little in the Cordoba and La Pampa provinces. He’s involved in a family farming operation that has been no-till since 1994 with a crop rotation that grows 14 different crops on 4,500 hectares. Some of the farmland is owned and some is leased. He works to have the soil evergreen with good agricultural practices. The farm’s goal is to reduce the use of external inputs.
The operation produces corn for seed companies and also raises forage grasses, both of those crops under irrigation. The other crops produced on dry land include barley, wheat, peas, canola, corn and soybeans. In addition to crops, the farm raises some cattle and polo horses. Jorge likes to welcome international visitors to see his farm.
He firmly believes in networking and learning from others. Jorge is a member of AAPRESID and CREA and is on the board of Sociedad Rural de Pergamino.
Involved in three farming enterprises across a total of about 5,000 hectares, growing cotton, wheat, sorghum and chickpeas. Involved with a farmer organization to ensure timely access to agricultural biotechnology. Kleckner Award winner - 2008
Produces soybeans and corn, runs a cattle livestock operation and sells diesel, has trucking business.
Started rose petal farm with her mother to produce freeze dried rose petals for the bridal industry; has also worked in cereal, beef and wool production.
Responsible for agronomy and crop rotation, nutrient management plans, is very involved in the day-to-day management. He grows winter wheat, winter and spring malting barley, winter OSR, potatoes and sugar beet.
Grows more than 25,000 hectares of soybeans, corn, eucalyptus and sugarcane in different regions of Brazil. Active in agricultural organizations
Farming since 1985 – 3,000 acre pineapple plantation and packing facility, 400 acre mango plantation with packing facilities, and a fruit drying plant. Total workforce of 650. One of the biggest producers and exporters of pineapple from Ghana.
Guillermo is a fifth generation farmer in Tlaxcala, which is in the center of Mexico. He is an agronomist and produces maize, triticale, sunflower, and vetch and rye grass forages. He is also now in the barley business in the seed program with Heineken.
Guillermo is focused on soil conservation since Tlaxcala has the lowest organic matter percentage in the country. He promotes conservation agriculture principles of crop rotation and residue management.
On the livestock side, he has 100 Angus and braunvieh cattle on 200 hectares. The challenges Guillermo is currently facing include climate, the hard winter, the cost of fertilizers and an unsupportive government.
He is currently promoting projects with a carbon capture perspective and also innovation for small farmer systems. Guillermo leads Fundación Produce activities and projects with farmers in his state. He’s an innovator on his own farm and then shares the technologies with groups of farmers.
Awarded best farmer in Greater Accra region for production of rabbit and grasscutter (cane rat) meat.
Gheorge works on a 55,000 hectare farm, one of the largest in Europe-actively involved in promoting biotechnology.
CEO of Bwogi Farms, since 2015. Passionate about goats and banana production. Involved in mobilization, training and inspiring thousands into the best management practices of agriculture. Founder and an executive committee member of Uganda Goat Farmers' Cooperative, a body aimed at bringing together goat farmers in order to boost production.
Javier was born and raised in Nicaragua. During civil unrest in the 80's, the family migrated to Guatemala and then to the US. In 2015 he moved back to Nicaragua. He has a poultry farm that includes 13 chicken houses and an 870 acre sugar cane farm. They produce 530,000 chickens every 36-day cycle, totaling close to 7 cycles/year.
Farmer who manages 3 farms (almost 2,000 acres), including his family farm. Produces corn, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, sugar beet, sunflower, wheat and chickpeas. Uses innovative irrigation technology.
Third generation farmer and rancher, veterinarian. Operates 500 head cow/calf business and 25,000 head feedlot; grows forage and grain.
Jose Luis is a civil engineer who has come back to work on his family poultry farm within the past two years. The farm has 13 sheds that can house more than 500,000 birds at once. There are plans to build new facilities with more environmentally friendly technology, using solar energy and water recycling methods to keep the company as green as possible.
Director General of UNIPRO, an organization of 2,000 farmers. Farmers here are progressive and grow mostly yellow corn. They know the benefits of biotech corn, most interested in drought tolerance because it is a dry area.
Charles grows 50 acres of maize and 12 acres of coffee and focuses on increasing output/acre. He is also an input dealer and a grain miller. He buys maize from farmers and mills it to add value. Charles is a champion of technology and well known in the region.
Mateusz is a regenerative farmer from Poland on a mission of putting farmers at the center of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts in a profitable way. As part of his family farm’s transition to farming with the cycles of nature rather than against them, the 700 hectare farm has been in permanent grassland since 2008. It produces highest-quality hay for export and domestic market.
Mateusz together with his brother Paweł set up the European Carbon Farmers, a business promoting carbon farming, developing climate finance vehicles and working on transforming agricultural policy – in particular the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) of the European Union from action- to result-based payments centered on soil carbon maintenance and enhancement.
Mateusz is actively involved in the work of UNFCCC’s COP26 – Climate Champions, where he is the Regenerative Agriculture Fellow. He also manages the Regenerative Agriculture Program in Poland through EIT Food.
Cooperative farm - 7,918 hectares of winter wheat, oilseed rape, malting barley, bt corn for silage, sunflowers, mustard, sugar beets – 650 cow dairy, 750 heifers, 600 bulls with capacity for 1200 – 120 employees.
Brad Clark is farming with his two brothers in the Driftless region of Southwest Wisconsin amongst the river bluffs and valleys of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. The brothers farm 5,000 row crop acres growing corn, soybeans, small grains (barley, rye, wheat), and alfalfa. They are currently milking 1,000 dairy animals and raising the young stock on-site.
Tim Couser farms with his parents on a family farm in Central Iowa where they grow corn, soybeans, hay, seed corn and seed soybeans along with a cattle finishing operation.
Owns 7,000 acres of arable land in Western Australia at the edge of the Outback. This year he leased another 7,000 acres for 6 years. He grows wheat, canola. Longtime supporter and researcher of farmer access to innovative technologies. Professional agronomist.
Gabriela Cruz, an agronomist engineer, is managing the farm in Elvas, Portugal that has been in her family for more than 110 years with her sister. Using conservation practices and efficient water use they are growing wheat, barley, green peas, clover, maize and biodiversed pastures for raising beef cattle and Iberian pigs in Portugal. Gabriela was recognized as the 2010 GFN Kleckner Global Farm Leader award recipient.
Came home to the family farm after education and work in the UK. Integrated technology, machinery and high yield systems management into growing corn and silage for large dairies.
DonDon Farm, is a combination of ecological agriculture and community support agriculture, production and farm management role-promoting Community Supported Agriculture and organic planting.
Papaya, dragon fruit, malunggay, sweet tamarind, guava, jack fruit, pomegranate, mango sweet and giant, rice, corn, ladyfinger, banana, citrus, and bamboos are grown. Produces vegetables: hot pepper, tomato, corn, string beans, okra, eggplant, and others. Specializing in a hot pepper, the siling tingala. Click to watch bio
Dimmy farmed rice, soybeans, wheat and corn while raising pigs, beef cattle and dairy cows in southern Brazil. In 1995 he sold his farm and bought new land in Maranhão State. As a pioneer farmer in the area, he used technology and conservation to achieve high yields. He farms about 2,000 hectares and is involving his daughter.
Yara has a Bachelor's degree in Agronomy and a Masters in Crop Production and Physiology, along with a Masters in Human Resource Management. She worked as an agronomist in Brazil and then went to the US to study. She worked 9 years in research on crop genetics in Hawaii. The past 4 years she has come back to Brazil to farm.
Agronomist, 3,200 hectare farm with 2,600 hectares under pivot irrigation – biotech corn and soybeans, garlic, carrots, 1100 cows. 650 employees, 350 fixed and 300 seasonal to harvest garlic.
Raised in the city but married to a farmer, Judith de Vor is now a proud dairy farmer who is working with her animals every day. Together with her husband Rick and 3 kids, as a fifth generation they continue their love for the animals and the land while raising cows. They are working in a sustainable and regenerative way – as much as possible. Their environment, the society, nature and landscape management are important parts of the way they farm. Judith is running several projects for increasing biodiversity and endangered bird species are protected at the farm. Thousands of people are being welcomed each year on the farm. From open farm days to school classes, agricultural organizations and policy makers; they all come to the farm to learn and understand farming and food production. Judith believes dialogue is very important when it comes to making true connections.
Judith is an advocate for agriculture and part of TeamAgroNL and a Nuffield farming scholar. She promotes Dutch food and farmers and speaks at several events all over the world. With a background in political science, agricultural policies has her interest. She is also an agricultural social innovator. Judith is stimulating and supporting other farmers with new ideas, leadership and personal development with special attention to mental health. She is currently working on creating a new mentoring program.
Managing farm finances, irrigation, seed production – 2 farms totaling 1600 hectares – 900 hectares of corn, 700 hectares rotates into durum wheat – pivots and sprinklers for irrigation – 5 employees + family members
Grows hybrid and organic crops; demonstrates new technology and seeds and transfers technology to farmers. Her farm is an experiential learning farm for youth and farmers. She works with fruit growers to help them get advisory services, technology, and connect them with other farmers who are using best practices.
Richard Franke Dijkstra farms with his family in Southern Brazil where they grow soybeans, edible beans, corn, wheat, barley, ray grass and black oats; 50% of the soybeans and corn they plant are GM and 100% of the operation is no-tillage. Richard and his brother-in-law also operate a 480 cow dairy and raise 4000 hogs annually.
Andre grows 3,000 hectares of no-till GM soybeans and GM-hybrid corn along the border of Brazil and Paraguay. He also raises cattle in the same area during the winter season, reducing the meat carbon footprint.
He has improved the first Low Carbon Agriculture Project on his farm, working with a public bank fund and a multi-national input company provider’s support to implement and share his best practices with other producers. Best management practices and environmental responsibility are his guidance when making production decisions.
Andre is an ag leader in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. He is president of the State Soybean Growers Association. In addition to farming, he also consults with other producers on precision agriculture and integrated production systems.
Andre recently took part in advocacy efforts to amplify internet connectivity in rural areas.
16 hectare farm – grows cotton, corn, sorghum and cow pea – leader of local cotton producers cooperative.
Lili graduated from Sichuan Agricultural University with a Master’s degree in microbiology. She worked for the government, and in 2011 she decided to start her own farm. She farms on more than 800 acres of leased land – fruits, vegetables, and vegetable seed.
Agronomist – farms 3650 hectares, 1000 of them are drip irrigation olive. Co-owner of a co-operative which makes and sells its own oil. Produces wine from a 100 hectare vineyard.
Farm 190,000 acres – 108,000 acres of corn, soybean, wheat and sunflower. Soybeans are 100% GM, as is 80% of corn. We raise our own calves and purchase calves for our feedlots. Milk 1,900 cows.
Tim is a 5th generation farmer, educator, and agvocate. His family operates Deer Run Farm – a 30 acre
“truck†farm on Long Island, New York – where they grow leafy greens, root crops, and herbs. Though conventional, the farm fashions itself biointensive, using Integrated Pest Management, naturally-derived biorationals, and organic amendments. Fractional monoculture is also a focus: small-scale, intensive cropping punctuated by rotations and cover crops. As a result, Deer Run Farm was hailed as a “national model†by the New York State Agricultural Environmental Management program for its stewardship. As one of a handful of farms outside of New York City, it faces unique challenges, especially those associated with urban-edge agriculture.
In 2005, he enrolled in the University of Florida’s Plant Medicine Program – an interdisciplinary “plant doctor†degree that parallels an M.D. or D.V.M. In the offseason, he’s an Associate Professor of Crop Science at Ferrum College, VA.
13,000 acre grain and oilseed farm – GM canola, corn and soybeans, also perennial rye grass, winter wheat, oats, feed wheat canola, hemp, sunflowers – Variable rate fertility, RTK/GPS and mapping of all operations. 6 fulltime, 22 Part-time employees
Seven hectare farm of maize, cotton, groundnuts, round nuts, sweet potatoes and sorghum. Four family members work on the farm, up to 5 more people work on the farm for hand weeding and cotton picking times.
Business can import and fatten up to 114,000 cattle per year. They also produce compost and have 160 hectares of marginal land that experiments with compost usage for many different types of crops.
Giuseppe Elias farms 600 hectares, growing corn and wheat; has 200 dairy cows, uses conservation tillage. He is a leader in conservation tillage organizations.
Rosalie Ellasus is a first-generation farmer, growing corn and rice in San Jacinto, Philippines. Rosalie allows her farm to be used as a demonstration pilot for smallholder farmers to visit and learn from. She currently serves as President of the Philippine Maize Federation and is a member of the Truth About Trade & Technology Global Farmer Network.
Started farming catfish when he convinced a Cable TV network to allow him to use a fallow part of their tower farm for fish farming. Started with one pond and has now expanded to hold up to 5 tons of catfish per production cycle. Also grows vegetables using pond water for irrigation.
Grew up on family fairy farm. After college, worked on another farm and for a cooperative. Ran his own fruit and vegetable business in the 1990s. Involved in numerous agricultural organizations.
Henrique is a lawyer specializing in labor law. He is legal director of a Brazilian grain producers association, ABRASGRÃOS. He's the third generation of their family farm, started when his grandfather came from Italy to Brazil. He farms with his father and brother. They grow soybeans, corn, field beans, wheat and sorghum on 2,800 hectares. Special care is given to 1,200 hectares of native forest.
Biotechnology student, founded an organization that disseminates ag technology projects. His family is dedicated to agriculture in northern Mexico. He has planted GM and conventional corn on his farm to demonstrate the difference.
Agronomist. Manages a farm of around 400 ha and also has pigs. He has been planting Bt corn for several years – and prefers it to conventional. Sees the technology value that he has experienced in his farm.
Richard Fordyce is a fourth generation farmer growing corn, soybeans and beef cattle on a family farm in North Central Missouri. He serves the State of Missouri as the Director for the Department of Agriculture.
Jake Freestone is the farm manager at Overbury Farms, located in the West Midlands, United Kingdom, where they grow bread-making wheat, rapeseed oil, malting barley, peas, linseed and soya along with 1,200 ewes.
Jack farms in southern Manitoba, Canada, 14 miles from the US border. He’s a fourth generation farmer who grows canola, corn and soybeans along with dry beans, including pinto beans, navy beans, black beans and kidney beans. The farm is 4,700 acres in the Red River Valley. The farm is not in expansion mode, but trying to gain more productivity through technology and biotechnology, doing more with less.
Jack is the former chair of Pulse Canada which represents the pulse crop industry. He also chaired the Canadian Canola Growers Association. He’s presently a director on the Manitoba Canola Growers Association and on the Canadian Canola Growers Association. He has participated in many international agriculture trade missions to five continents.
Jack and his family received the Red River Valley Exhibition Farm Family of the Year Award in 2017.
Jack is married to Dianne and they have three grown children and five grandchildren.
Manages demo farm showing combination of modern agriculture with enhancement of biodiversity and natural conservation. Works with dairy.
Sugarcane farmer. He has 40 hectares of land in the mountains and a 22-hectare farm in the city proper, where 5 of those hectares have been converted to fruit, poultry and swine production. Ryan was recently elected president of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) - Negros Occidental Chapter. He has been a Silay City councilor.
10,000 acre farm – grows corn, alfalfa and agave azul
Main crops in the region: tomato, corn, beans
Farm 2100 acres of row crops (corn, cotton, rice, soybeans – mostly flood irrigated) in partnership with son. Have 3 full time employees with additional seasonal employees. Most crops are genetically enhanced.
Transformed family business to grow coffee, macadamia nuts, avocados, timber, with dairy and sheep production. Employed up to 1,000 workers at peak periods.
Farms with her father and two older brothers. Produce Japanese Green Tea on 10 hectares using the traditional method, Kamairi-cha. Also grow rice on 5 hectares and have about 20 beef breeding cattle. The cattle feed on forage and homemade rice silage.
Harold Grall is a farmer in Dumas, Texas managing irrigated and dryland acres producing corn, grain sorghum and wheat with very limited tillage to preserve residue along with water conservation measures to protect the Ogallala Aquifer. He applies very limited tillage and maintains as much crop residue as possible to reduce wind erosion, keeping soil surface shaded and cooler, with less evaporation. The Increased water holding capacity of his soil allows him to fully store water from big rainfall events and winter snows.
Farm 130 hectares of Bt maize, Farm is located in a region dominated by small farms. Through the constitution of a Production Zone I could plant 100% of the area (130ha in 2009) with GM corn.
Agronomist, directing agricultural production on 40,000 hectares of wheat, canola, soybeans, corn and sorghum in a company that produces half of the total grain for ADP's six cattle feedlots. He plants GM crops.
Grows soybeans, corn, wheat, barley, oats, canola and sorghum. All corn and soy production is GMO. Irrigates 10% of production. No till farmer. Livestock production on natural pasture. Involved in global grain trade.
Veterinarian; consultant on agricultural water issues, Actively promoting technical assistance and technology transfer for the small farmer.
Gerrid Gust and his family raise canola, lentils, flax and cereal grains including durum and soft white wheat on the Canadian prairies.
Alfredo Gutierrez is an agronomist and fifth-generation dairy farmer in the central region of Mexico, where he is in charge of animal health and nutrition, equipment, technology, and crop production that includes a rotation of corn, triticale, barley, peas & rye grass.
Gina Gutierrez is serving as Community Outreach Agvocate for the Global Farmer Network. She is a 5th generation dairy farmer from the central region of Mexico. In 2015, Gina started a Facebook page advocating for the dairy industry. La Vida Lactea now has nearly 60,000 followers. She completed a Master's Degree in Corporate Law. She writes regularly for Ganadero and Holstein de Mexico magazine. In 2018, Gina won the Global Farmer Network's Kleckner Award.
Deceased (1935-2021) Hafers was born in Santos, São Paulo, in 1935, and presided over the Brazilian Rural Society (SRB) in the period between 1996 and 2002.
Hafers worked as a broker and exporter of cotton in the family business between the 50s and 70s. From foreign trade, he expanded his activities to agriculture, planting coffee in Northern Paraná, first on leased land, and from 1962 onwards own land.
Still in the 1970s, it started forestry and expanded its business to the industrial sector, with the foundation of Pisa Papel de Imprensa S / A. He was president of the Paranaense Association of Coffee Growers (Apac) and founder of the managing institution of the Coffee Museum and the Museum of Immigration.
Farms 2,000 acres – grows soybeans, barley, wheat, oats, canola, specialty beans, grass seed. First planted biotech crops in 1998 – appreciated better weed control, diversified crop rotations, better yields and profits
Since 1993 has managed 10,000 acres of irrigated land producing root vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots and parsnips) and cereals crops (rye, barley and wheat). The farm employs 100 people.
Bishnu Poudyal grows paddy, maize, wheat and cereals and operates a small dairy near Kavre, Nepal. He hosts visitors to his farm who are inspired by his entrepreneurship and is a member of the Global Farmer Network.
Farms with husband Kenneth Bray, who is the 8th generation of his family to farm this land. They milk primarily purebred Holsteins on 96 acres in the center of Ireland. They employ a primarily pasture-based system. Cheryl remains active in her family's Canadian beef farm and in the industry.
Kristjan farms 28,000 acres in the southeast corner of Saskatchewan, Canada, growing malt barley, hard red spring wheat, canola, fall rye, yellow peas and oats. He returned from university in 2008, determined to grow the family farm from the 2,000 acres that it was as he was growing up.
Kristjan used his interests in finance (he's a CPA) and people to make the business decisions and assemble the team needed to grow. The farm forward contracts its crops and adjusts the crop rotation to some degree according to the sales contracts that can be accessed.
The farm uses no-till on most of its acres, with minimum tillage on the rest. Technologies include variable rate fertilization and a 6-9 year nutrient management plan that includes numerous ways to apply fertilizer. This offers some risk management in years like this one when fertilizer prices are high.
Kristjan is working in collaboration with his brother who raises livestock, to produce silage for the cattle, then grow a cover crop that's available for grazing, in turn adding manure fertilizer to the land. From an environmental viewpoint, he thinks it's important to get farmers and livestock producers working together.
President and Owner of Agrofood Company which produces, processes, packs and exports vegetables – 100 employees and 500 seasonal workers. Farm 3,000 hectares. Five company packinghouses for root crops, fresh vegetables and citrus
Director of 2 farms – one with 350,000 hectares of livestock production, the other, 20,000 hectares of GM soybeans, hybrid corn, wheat, canola and eucalyptus. Recently started 200 hectare family farm – 50% arable, no till, and 50% forest.
David Hill is a third-generation mixed arable and livestock farmer, growing wheat, barley, canola, grass seeds and other crops in Norfolk, UK. He took part in trials of GM sugar beet and was so impressed he decided to start growing another GM crop on his farm under a government license.
Agricultural Engineer – Farms 794 hectares – also rents 12,000 hectares to grow wheat, oats,
rye, barley, corn, peas, soy, sorghum, and sunflower. Rents: 28,000 hectares for beef production
David Hughes and his partners grow corn, soybeans, wheat and barley in Buenos Aires province and are developing a cattle ranch in Sla Rioja province, Argentina.
Kornelis 'Kees' Huizinga has farmed in central Ukraine for 20 years, growing onions, carrots, wheat, barley, canola, sugar beet, corn, sunflowers and navy beans. They also have a modern dairy farm. Kees is a member of the Global Farmer Network. In 2022, Kees received the GFN Kleckner Global Farm Leader Award.
Farm 14,000 hectares with brother and father, grow soybeans, corn, wheat, barley and oats; we are planting 90% of GM corn, and soybean is also 100% GM technology. 32 employees
Developing and running his farm in a holistic manner, has a breeding herd for Angus, rearing sheep, chickens and pigs using rotational grazing and bale grazing. Selling directly to consumers through the farm shop and farmer markets.
Deceased (1943-2015) During his leadership the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe expanded their agriculture development through popcorn, commercial buffalo and cattle herd and selling products under the name Lakota Foods.
Sixth generation farmer, with her husband and 2 sons – grow corn and soybeans on 2,700 acres. All seeds planted are genetically modified with traits to improve plant health. Tillage practices include: no-till, minimum till and strip till.
Started a farming business buying and selling crops; Teaches farmers on money, climate change, conservation agriculture; Leader in Makandi Muungano Womens Group and is Chairlady of Ag in Mbeu Ward.
85 acre dairy farm – 37 Holsteins, 12 sheep, 120 pigs. Grow 40 acres of maize for silage. Grow organic vegetables for ourselves and a local market. Seven employees
Kim farms 25 acres Papaya farm and wholesaling business – farm uses PRSV resistant transgenic cultivars. He has a papaya variety named after him.
Passionate advocate for agriculture and technology use, daughter of a papaya farmer.
Seven hectare farm of maize, cotton, groundnuts, round nuts, sweet potatoes and sorghum. Four family members work on the farm, up to 5 more people work on the farm for hand weeding and cotton picking times.
Has farmed for 30 years, outspoken advocate for biotechnology, grows Bt cotton, hybrid vegetables, wheat, mustard, chick pea. Raises cows, goats and backyard poultry.
Farm 48 hectares wheat, rice, vegetables, pulses, spices, mustard, and fennel with a team of 15 workers. Irrigation through bore wells, canal water and underground pipe lines.
Nancy Kavazanjian is a Wisconsin farmer who helps manage day-to-day business matters for a 2000-acre (800 hectare) family row crop farm and country elevator where the emphasis is on preserving soil and managing resources in a sustainable manner. Kavazanjian grew up in suburban New York. Today she farms in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin with her husband Charles Hammer. Together they have two grown children and four grandchildren and are involved in local watershed and land-use planning initiatives in their area.
Animal Science degree from Iowa State, Master's degree, Swine Nutrition from Kansas State. In 2009 he started farming with in-laws. 4,000 acres corn, soybeans; 150-head cow/calf operation. Use precision technology, zone mapping, grid sampling, to better apply seed, fertilizer and chemicals. Have invested in solar technology.
Fifth generation farmer: grow potatoes, wheat, rice and corn on 500 acres. Son does tunnel farming, growing off-season vegetables and fruits. Forty employees on the farm. Irrigate with tube wells. Ninety cow dairy.
Cultivating Kiwi, fish farming, buffalo farming, chilly and vegetable farming, peanut, avocado, other fruits. Regular milk is sold. Indigenous species (such as fapar, rice, wheat) also produced.
Felix Kili is a second generation cereals farmer and a graduate in agricultural engineering. He grows 600 hectares of maize, barley and wheat and canola using minimum till technology with an eye toward no-till farming. The farm uses a crop rotation and plants sun hemp, sunflower and canola as cover crops. All farm operations are mechanized and include GPS.
The farm has its own silos and maize mill. It’s widely known in the country, standing out for its mechanization and technology advances. These advancements influence many other farmers. The farm offers quarterly field days with local farm input suppliers to educate farmers around them on sustainable farming practices.
As rainfall has become less reliable, the farm implemented minimum tillage to preserve soil moisture. Soil improvements have increased returns for the farm. Yields used to average 7.8 tons of maize/hectare and now it’s more in the range of 9.2 tons/hectare. This happened while the farm has reduced costs for fertilizer, machinery, labor, and fuel.
Rodney Kili is a second-generation farmer, growing maize, malting barley, wheat, sunflower and canola with minimum tillage and GPS in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. They use minimum tillage and GPS. They have 25 dairy cows and are working to expand that business.
Dairy farmer who also grows silage, oats. Introduced dairy technology, modern feed rations, and set up a school to train farmers on dairying.
Own 400 acre farm in the Red River Valley. The farm is black soil and produces a variety of crops, GMO and conventional. We have grown cereals, canola, sunflowers and pulse crops. It is absolutely flat and worked corner to corner.
A farmer, industry leader, long-time agriculture champion, former senior government executive and experienced corporate director, Alanna Koch is the Board Chair of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan. She works with farmers and the agriculture industry through her consulting company, KoHert Agri Inc. Prior to this, she served as Deputy Minister to Premier Brad Wall and Cabinet Secretary and was the Saskatchewan Deputy Minister of Agriculture for nine years.
Alanna has been involved in the agriculture industry, both professionally and personally, for most of her career and life. Alanna and her husband, Gerry Hertz, farm at Edenwold, SK, and are committed to sustainable crop rotation practising minimum tillage and utilizing advanced crop technology growing grains, oilseeds and pulse crops.
Patience Koku is serving the GFN as Regional Lead: Africa. Patience's farm is located on the Jere Azara irrigation scheme, Kagarko Local government, in Kaduna State Nigeria. The farm produces two crops annually under center pivot irrigation. They grow mostly seed corn and corn grain for major food processing companies in Nigeria, like Flour Mills of Nigeria. She is the recipient of the 2019 Kleckner Award from the Global Farmer Network and 2018 Cornell Alliance For Science Farmer of the year. She also serves on the Cornell Alliance For Science advisory board. In her time as a member of the GFN, she has advocated on major stages.
PhD Agricultural Economics; 50 acre dairy farm with some steers, 100 acres of hybrid maize production, 7 employees – do contract work for a sugar company.
Sudhindra Kulkarni grows GM cotton, pulses and cereals near the rural village of Malli in Karnataka State, India.
Rajesh Kumar farms 120 acres in two regions of India, using irrigation to grow brinjal, sweet corn, baby corn, tomatoes and other vegetables. He sells fresh produce directly to consumers through kiosks at several locations and runs a food processing unit for canning of vegetables. Mr. Kumar is a member of the TATT Global Farmer Network and recipient of the 2012 TATT Kleckner Trade & Technology Advancement award.
Grows maize, wheat, litchi, mangoes, bananas and guava on 175 acres; 65 acres of orchards under micro irrigation; installed solar powered cold storage on his farm. He has the most technology advanced farm in the state of Bihar. Advocate for genetic engineering, mechanization, micro irrigation.
First generation farmer, runs a controlled traffic, inter-row seeding system on 640 acres of wheat, GM canola, barley, peas, faba beans in rotation; was the first in western Canada to develop a controlled traffic farming system.
Jake and his family farm GMO canola, wheat, durum, peas, GMO soybeans, flax and lentils. One of the first farms in the area to grow soybeans in 2010. Now considering corn. No-tilling for 20+ years.
Doyle Lentz grows barley, spring wheat, soybeans and canola on a farm near the Canadian border that has been in their family for more than a century.
Since 2008, Diana Lenzi is running her family's winery, Fattoria di Petroio, near Siena in Tuscany, Italy. She owns and farms 15 hectars of organic vineyards to produce Chianti Classico wines. From 5 hectars of an organic olive grove, the farm produces extra virgin olive oil. She has an international market for the products, but also relies on direct sales at the farm. The farm hosts tourists, wine tours, and wine events that are organized by her family. In addition to a culinary career, Diana has experience in young farmers organizations.
Eight hectare farm of maize, cabbages, tomatoes. Also have cattle, donkeys, sheep and village chickens
Former CEO of 76,000 acre of Navajo Nation Enterprise by utilization of 210,000 acre-feet of water from San Juan River Basin which is part of Colorado River. Now, Managing Manager of Greenstone Agri Con, LLC which provides agribusiness consulting to Famers and Ranchers in Southwestern United States and Native American Tribes
A founder of Dairy United Ltd. With 15 farms in Hohhot and Hailer of Inner Mongolia and more than 10,000 cows. The largest dairy cooperative in China, its model has been widely implemented since the 2008 Melamine Scandal.
Adowarim Lugu-Zuri grows coconuts, tomatoes, maize, cassava, okra and raises snails and pigs in central and eastern Ghana. Utilizing precision agriculture, including greenhouse and hydroponic technology, she is focused on curbing post-harvest loss in all sectors. Click to watch bio
Family involved in two farms. One is 15,000 hectares and the other is 10,000 hectares – grow corn, wheat, soybeans, oilseed rape. Seed production of all crops on the farms. Use high tech machinery, GPS system, precision farming.
Rajaram Madhavan grows three different crops a year on his farm near Ulundhai Village, Tamil Nadu, India. Madhavan has several patents for farmer-friendly farm tools, conducts workshops that encourage entrepreneurs to take up agriculture as a profession.
Grows wheat, aromatic basmati and parmal rice, Bt cotton, desi cotton and guar. He embraces new technology including GM crops, and he helps guide his fellow and young farmers with farm technologies.
Dr. Kelly Manton-Pearce, along with her husband Alan, grow canola, wheat, barley, oaten-hay and sheep in Western Australia. In addition to farming, Kelly is a Nuffield Scholar and Research Fellow with Murdoch University
Fourth generation farmer - 400 hectares –grows sorghum, sunflowers, wheat, barley, alfalfa peas, beans. Added center pivots in the 1980s to grow corn. In 2000 planted 33 Hectares of grapevine and in 2005 built a winery.
Ruramiso Mashumba is serving the GFN as Regional Lead: Africa. Ruramiso is a young female farmer from Marondera, Zimbabwe and founder of Mnandi Africa, an organization that helps rural woman combat poverty and malnutrition. She is currently studying for an MBA in sustainable food and agriculture. The trailblazing farmer holds several accolades and achievements to her name that is testimony to the outstanding work she is doing in the Zimbabwean agricultural sector. Ruramiso has been recognized as the 2020 GFN Kleckner Award recipient.
Derek has been farming with his father since 1983. They farm 1,600 hectares of crops (30 hectares under center pivot irrigation) and raise 100 beef cattle. In 2005, he started South Africa's first corn ethanol plant with his brother.
Involved in seed production for Hybrid seeds for Uganda Seed Company. Grows maize 400 Acres, pigs 800 and 120 cows. 12 permanent workers and 80 seasonal
Grows cotton, maize and groundnuts, keep cattle, goats and poultry. Farm is semi-mechanized. Planting, picking, grading and baling are done manually.
First generation farmer - 1800 acres, grows wheat, barley and oilseed rape. Shareholder in a large dairy in the U.S. Managing Director of a business which owns and manages 30,000 acres of arable crops in Argentina. Kleckner Award winner - 2009.
Has farmed with her husband since 1978 - 900 hectares – grows wheat, canola, beef cattle and prime lambs. Organized various GM information sessions for local and regional farmers.
Recognized as by the GFN as a 2021 Kleckner Award for Global Farm Leadership award recipient, Annechien ten Have Mellema has been farming since 1993. On her farm you'll find 600 sows, 5,000 finishers, wheat, sugar beets and corn and a biogas plant 1,1 MW. She is a pork industry leader, member of the board of a Local Water Authority, and member of the Council on Animal Affairs. Annechien is founder of Hamletz, scharrelvlees van Annechien her own brand of pork.
With his son, manages a 420 hectare irrigated farm. Produces sweet corn for canning and freezing industries, corn for grain (of which 100 ha of GM maize) and French beans. Involved in the development of direct sowing techniques.
He originates from Argentina and is now farming in African countries, bringing modern technology and training. Previously managed Argentinian wheat, barley, soybean, sunflower, corn and sorghum.
Agricultural Engineer; farm with two brothers. 2,225 acres – wheat, soybeans, corn – double crop production; in spite of hard economic conditions, biotechnology use is remarkably high.
Aaron Moore combined his passions for agriculture and business by becoming an analyst for John Deere. First in Brisbane, then moving to New Zealand he became a field staff manager working with dealers and growers to deliver a technology that allowed them to be more efficient and improve their operations.
His next journey took him to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam to build an indoor hydroponic farming operation from the ground up. He then set up his own hydroponic consulting business and he now oversees all production related activities taking place in the Bustanica Modular Grow Units.
Smallholder studying Biotechnology. Helped with virus elimination of sweet potatoes and cassava, and was selected to attend the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa. Studied at Michigan State on a MasterCard scholarship.
Farming since 1990 – grows maize, sunflower, groundnuts, rape and tomatoes. My farming business improved when Pioneer was introduced to Zambia in 2007 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives.
Pierre Kamere Munyura is a coffee grower and processor, growing coffee on 25 acres in the Western Province, Rwanda.
Mr. Motlatsi Musi grows maize, beans, potatoes, breeding pigs and cows on 21 hectares he acquired in 2004 through the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development Program (LRAD) in South Africa. He was recognized Oct 17 in Des Moines, Iowa as the 2017 Kleckner Award recipient.
Nursing relatives, she sought our physicians who guided her to experiment with soybeans as a cheap protein source. Now has trained over 10,000 women in soybean farming. Founder of Bashan Farm, VP of Zimbabwe National Soybean Association.
Biotech cotton farmer – 10 hectares – have seen an increase in the use of biotech by smallholder farmers as they battle bollworms. Now more than 90% of local farmers use it.
Has grown Bt cotton since it arrived in India and successfully uses micro irrigation. Uses a combination of modern and traditional, with the help of advanced technology.
Along with raising livestock, different crops are planted including: canola, wheat, barley, corn, soybean. The farm uses irrigation and is involved with seed production.
Supervise personal investments in production of corn, cassava, high value crops, and fruits. Involved in advocacy groups; Philippine Maize Federation, Northern Mindanao Poultry Industry Association.
3.5 acres of bananas, 9.2 acres rice production, 6 acres on mango plantation. 12 dairy cattle Some horticultural crops – tomatoes, French beans, green pepper, onions, and watermelon - have a modern rice mill.
Uses sustainable, effective agricultural practices; Full-time farmer, teacher at a local college; Promotes world food security and improving farmer livelihoods.
Third generation farmer - produces maize, rice, soybeans, yam, cassava and vegetables and has mango and cashew plantations along with cattle, sheep, goats and pigs on 50 hectares.
Tia is country director of the Savannah Young Farmers Network, a leading farmer development organization in Africa which gives farmers a voice in the global debate on food and nutrition security.
A third-generation farmer from South Dakota – farms with father and uncle, 3,300 acres of corn, soybeans and hay. 430 cow dairy, and raise replacement heifers. Active in telling the story of agriculture.
Pioneer TC banana grower in the region. Active in agricultural organizations. Has represented Kenya in Farmers’ meetings in Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.
Pacifique has a bachelor's degree in biotechnology. He is a farmer and an entrepreneur. In December 2015 he started Real Green Gold Ltd, using half a hectare of land from his family. He developed a banana farming demonstration farm with more than 15 varieties of bananas and trained small producers while contracting to buy their 1st grade quality bananas. He sells them to high-end hotels and restaurants in Kigali. Today he has expanded to 3 hectares, adding avocados and other fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and eggplants. As the number of crops increased, he started working with more farmers. He's currently working with 144 small producers from across Rwanda. The group has been challenged with Panama disease, a devastating disease in bananas. He is a founding member of Rwandan Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF) a countrywide network of youth who are doing primary production, food processing and extension service. Click to watch bio.
Eve "Tepsy" Ntseoane is an emerging farmer, raising maize and beef cattle in Kaalfontein, Emfuleni Municipality in Gauteng Province, South Africa.
Isidro Antonio Matamoros Ochoa is an Associate Professor in beef production, farm 1,059 hectares – owned by 4 investors since 2007 – developing 720 cow dairy – 16 employees, 37 contract workers, coffee plantation.
Tomas works on precision farming, focused on producing with less, for sustainable production. He looks for the productive potential of each environment and implements the most convenient management in each case with an eye toward efficiency, performance and profitability. Since 2007 he has been the director and coordinator of Las Cortaderas Group, a company that helps integrate technology solutions on farms.
Grows bananas, green beans, nuts, avocados and peas. Deals with fresh produce crops, largely horticultural crops from seed to produce marketing, including certification to global standards that lead to market access.
Large-scale cage fish farmer (26 cages/300 MTS of Tilapia/year) and small scale chicken farmer. Developed AquaRech App - allows farmers to access high quality feeds, manage farms, gain market access for their product. Has developed a digital thermometer that relays water temperature to farmer's phones.
Farms and works for the biggest farming coop in Uruguay as an agronomic engineer. Seed specialist in this coop of ~3000 partner producers. Collaborates with the USDA, providing ag statistics, crop forecasting, livestock and dairy info for Uruguay.
Deceased ( -2020) Benjamin Olumuyiwa Adewumi has been farming in Nigeria for over 25 years, growing maize, plantain, bananas, cassava and some livestock. Adewumi is a USAID-MARKETS II trained cassava farmer and also a member of the Global Farmer Network.
Andrew specializes in herbage ley seed and malting barley. He farms more than 700 hectares of grass for seed and a large area of specialist spring malting barley. His farm is a mixture of owned, tenanted and contracted farming arrangements, driven by servicing market demand.
Grows GM and hybrid crops, canola, wheat, oats and barley, soybeans, corn and sorghum, with some crops under irrigation. Raises breeding cattle and rents agricultural machinery. Active with the No Till Agriculture Foundation
A farmer and forestry researcher, has implemented an integrated crop, livestock and forestry system to produce soybeans, corn, millet, eucalyptus trees, grass, and beef cattle.
Cereal and oilseed producer, potatoes---both fresh and processed, cattle, dairy, and an irrigation equipment dealer. He has been a high value spokesman for the special economic challenges faced by Argentinian farmers.
Marco Pasti produces maize, soybeans, wheat, barley, sugar beets, some wine grapes and walnuts in North-East Italy along the Adriatic coast. They also feed some beef cattle and have a biogas plant to produce electricity. He's past-president of the Italian corn grower association. Expertise in conservation tillage. Marco recently participated in the Argentina-based summit: Mobilizing the GFN in Support of a Resilient Agri-Food System.
Charles' family farm business was started in 1985 by his parents. They produce 3,500 hectares in a sustainable intensified agriculture operation with soybeans, corn as a second crop and cattle in an integrated crop-livestock management system. The farm is in the middle of Brazil.
Charles' father was a pioneer in the adoption of no-till technology, and in the production of corn as a second crop. He has passed away and now Charles and his sister lead the family company.
The farm participates in a farmers group that conducts its own research program looking for better technologies and crop management systems for the sustainability and efficiency of their farm business.
In addition to using no-till for the past 31 years, the farms soil is permanently covered using cover crops. Nutrient management is balanced with crop yields using precision agriculture tools. The farm produces about 15 tons of grains/hectare/year and conserves at least 10 tons of dry matter over the soil, protecting soil biological activity and biodiversity and mitigating water erosion.
Agronomist, Farms 500 hectares with his father; started "Petrosu Serv" to sell vegetable and grain seeds produced on the farm. Expanding their greenhouse vegetable production.
Runs Unifarm, a global GAP certified 400 plus hectare fruit and vegetable farm in Binh Duong province. Grows muskmelon, banana, jack fruit and other vegetables. A respected name among very few high tech farms in Vietnam.
Ian Pigott runs a diversified farming business in Harpenden, UK. Located just 20 miles from the centre of London, he grows wheat, oilseed, rape and oats in rotation. The farm is a LEAF (linking environment and farming) demonstration farm. Ian is a Global Farmer Network member.
Hope Pjesky and her family are farmers /ranchers in northern Oklahoma where they raise stocker cattle and hard red winter wheat. Hope has a strong interest in global trade that has been supported by her selection as an Eisenhower Agriculture Fellow and later through a McCloy Agriculture Fellowship.
Hope is a member of the Farm Foundation, hosts international agricultural fellows from other countries in Oklahoma and Washington, DC. and provides leadership to the Oklahoma Agriculture Leadership Program. She also volunteered for several years as a board member for the Global Farmer Network.
Third generation family farm - 4,500 hectares – alfalfa, corn, wheat, barley, tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli – also raise cattle and sheep - grow Bt corn
Mel and her husband Mike operate a 2500 acres beef and sheep business. Their livestock is 100% grass fed. Over 95% of their farm product (lamb, beef and wool) is exported. The business also has a sheep stud, breeding Perendale composite rams.
Prakash Puppalwar has been recognized as a progressive farmer by Maharashtra India. He was among the first farmers to adopt Bt cotton when it was introduced in India in 2002. He did experiments on his farm with Bt cotton, including the use of micro-irrigation, micro-fertigation, plastic mulching and pheromone traps. He works to drive adoption of these techniques among other farmers as well.
Prakash farms 11 hectares with 7 hectares under full irrigation and the rest partially irrigated. In addition to using hybrid seed and the techniques outlined above, his farm also uses solar power. His multi-crop system includes Bt cotton, soybeans, pigeon peas, bananas, turmeric and watermelon. He produces a crop for green manure, to add organic matter to the soil to increase organic Corban. Some of his production is organic.
He provides timely guidelines to area farmers in order to advance the use of modern farming techniques. Prakash has been recognized with the Progressive Farmer Award by the Indian Cotton Association and by CII Mumbai. Manavseva Foundation recognized him with the Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krushiratn Puraskar award for appreciation of his work in agriculture. He was appointed a resource person by the Government of Maharashtra to guide farmers. He was also appointed to the Atma committee by the Government of Maharashtra.
Jose Luis Quintana farms with three generations of his family on an enterprise based in Rosales, Chihuahua in the North of Mexico. His agriculture company has reached 250 acres of arable land growing alfalfa, peanut, wheat, nuts corn, oats and cotton. On an additional 4,000 acres, cattle are raised using regenerative livestock practices.
Family farmer, agronomist and advisor growing soybeans, corn, wheat on 275 hectares. He leads an international program to transfer no till technology to Africa, starting in Ghana and Guinea, growing corn and soybeans.
Agricultural Engineer, active in no-till association, farming since 1970 – 400 acres of biotech corn and sorghum - generates 60 jobs
Became engaged in his father’s farm in 2005 - 400 hectares growing maize and rye. The rest is covered by other energy crops. The crop is exclusively feeding a biogas plant on farm generating a power output of 500kw/h.
Since 1986, CEO of a Portuguese Group of Agriculture enterprises. 3,700 acres, 90% irrigated – olive trees, plums, peaches, cork trees, eucalyptus; corn, wheat, sunflower, oats – 400 hectare under center pivot, 250 beef cattle
On a sixty acre farm, Ravi grows Rice, Sugarcane, Cotton and pulses. To utilize water judiciously during summer months, he uses sprinklers and drip system. Has added mechanization to address labor shortage; 12 employees. The Kleckner Global Farm Leader Award winner in 2013, Ravi volunteers as a board member for the Global Farmer Network. Click to watch bio
27-acre farm – grows Bt cotton, chilies, maize and paddy. Livestock includes four bulls and five cows. Out of the total of 27 acres, 11 acres are under drip irrigation, and 16 acres under flooded irrigation. Four people work on the farm.
Megz is a grain farmer in SW Saskatchewan. She and her husband are no-till farmers. They grow about 2,800 acres of barley, durum wheat, large green lentils and flax. She’s an advocate for agriculture and good policy and is passionate about developing consumer trust in farmers. She has a strong following on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Passionate student, involved in the family farm.
Semeh Roberts is CEO of the Universal Farmers Association (UFA) in Liberia. The organization is building the capacity of its more than 15,000 farmers through workshops on sustainable land use, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation and dividing them into farming groups to engage in mechanized farming with an eye toward making Liberia food secure by 2030.
Despite strong natural resources, Liberia has no record of feeding itself. The country imports $200M US worth of rice annually, but it’s not enough to feed the population. In support of UFA’s development goal, UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) are providing support, comprising farming tools, training, cash grants, etc. and they’ve cleared 1500 acres in separate locations. This year they are growing cassava, oil palm, plantain, pepper, garden eggs, watermelon and working on honey bee domestication with support from the Associated Women of the World (ACWW), based in the UK.
Efrén Robles was born and raised in Manatí, Puerto Rico. He is the co-founder of Frutos del Guacabo, a Culinary Agro-Hub Farm and co-founder of Horizon Solutions a water treatment consulting firm. He’s a passionate businessman, committed to the growth of local food ecosystems. During the past 13 years Efren has been able to work with over one-hundred farmers and commercialize over 200 local products. He has been very active on the local gastronomic scene and with the help of his family they have developed gastronomic experiences designed to showcase the impact of local production/consumption on the near communities.
Recovered farmland that was degraded because of sugar cane production. Now it grows soy, corn, wheat and coffee - awarded for the best coffee quality in Parana State and Brazil.
700 acre farm in the valley of Jamastran located west of Tegucigalpa the capital of Honduras. Corn (300 acres) Dairy – 280 head, 90 milk cows; most farming is done by machine – including the milking
Jose runs a 1200 acre cattle farm that has been the main family business for over 40 years. The farm now produces cassava, corn, beef cattle and milk for the local market. Rosales partnered with a local hydropower developer to build a small hydropower plant on the farm.
Kaahwa Jean is a fish farmer, entrepreneur and consultant. He is the Managing Director of Shalom Fish Farms Ltd. and Africa Agribusiness Services Ltd. He started as a fish farmer producing table fish, fish fingerlings and offering aquaculture services. He's engaged in horticulture, dairy and poultry.
A mixed cropping/livestock farm using holistic grazing, minimal tillage, cover cropping, mineral nutrition to produce winter vegetables, cereal, oilseed. Raises ewes for wool and lamb production, first cross Angus Friesian heifers, pasture-raised laying hens.
Fourth generation farmer – bought his first farm in 1972. Currently farms 400 acres of corn and soybeans, mostly under no-till. All of his crops use GMO technology in order to make his conservation program feasible. 2018 will be his 45th harvest. Larry advocates for agriculture, giving many speeches and building his presence on social media.
Lydia Sasu has dedicated her life to improving the lives of rural women farmers. As a family farmer and Executive Director of the Development Action Association (DAA) in Ghana, Lydia.
Grows conventionally wheat, sugar beets, rapeseed and corn for regional mills, sugar producers, biogas plant and crush facilities. Uses cover crops and flowering strips.
Jennie is a third generation farmer. The family farm grows grains, vegetables and wine grapes on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The farm's mission is to practice "synergistic farming" using the best of all farming methods to create healthy soils and sustain healthy food production.
Took over a farm in the Federal State of Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania in the eastern part of Germany after reunification in 1990. Farm is 650 hectares - canola, wheat, sweet corn and sugar beets.
Scott is an American farmer living in Brazil. He has a degree in Ag Economics from Cornell. He headed to Brazil in 2004 after college and after farming there earlier with his father. He worked first with two companies in Brazil, managing farmland and serving other farmland investors. He has farmed on his own for 4 years.
Grows legumes because they are more drought resistant. Certified seed producer. As her business grew, she purchased processing and packaging equipment and embarked on a marketing program to sell her seed at markets.
Amadou is an architect by trade, who invested in creating a high tech greenhouse to bring stable prices to off-season vegetables in Mali. The greenhouses use soilless production, climate control, misting, aluminum screen and water recycling.
Balwinder Singh Kang has been farming since 1984. He grows GM cotton, hybrid vegetables, wheat, mustard and chick peas at Hanumangarh, in the state of Rajasthan, India. Kang educates farmers about the benefits of using the latest technologies in agriculture and is a member of the Global Farmer Network.
Third generation farmer growing rice, wheat, potatoes, peas and fodder crops of oats, rye grass and mustard on their 25-acre family farm in Punjab State. He's a strong supporter of GM and hybrid crops. Has over 30 years of experience working with farmers on the transfer of agricultural technologies to increase productivity.
Mr. PPS Pangli grows wheat, rice, basmati non-scented, corn, pulses, garlic, onion, mustard and seed production for fodder and seasonal vegetables on a farm located at his ancestral village Panglian, District Ludhiana in the State of Punjab located in North India. Mr. Pangli chairs India’s United Farmer Empowerment Initiative, is a farmer leader of the Borlaug Farmers Association for South Asia and is a member of the Global Farmer Network.
Sarah Singla grows wheat, triticale for seed, rape, alfalfa, winter peas and many cover crops on a family farm in the South of France. Sarah is a Nuffield Scholar and member of the Global Farmer Network.
Diverse grain farm with family members – grow wheat, soybeans, corn in rotation – minimum or no-till; Chairman of Growers for Biotechnology, past president of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association
Diverse grain farm with family members – grow wheat, soybeans, corn in rotation – minimum or no-till; Chairman of Growers for Biotechnology, past president of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association
Breeding operation in the sheep and beef industries – export genetics to Australia and Bangladesh. Raise forage crops. Board member of the Veterinary Council of New Zealand and of The Red Meat Partnership.
Her farming operation uses no-till, variable input application and others. Produces poultry, confectioning and specialty crops, yerba mate, coriander, sunflower and rice processing.
Grows rice, corn, vegetables and cotton and is actively engaged in dairy development in his region. He played a crucial role in drafting the vision statement of agriculture for Prime Minister Modi’s election.
Jacob Farms grows corn, beans, grain sorghum, wheat, cotton, and cover crops ensuring there is a living root in all acres 365 days a year to prevent soil erosion. Using multispecies winter cover crops, custom grazing is offered to cow/calf operations in the area. The farm has been under no-till for about 21 years and has been using intensive planting rotations, variable rate applications, and cover crops for 14 years.
Deceased (1975-2021) Julio Speroni's farm is located in the Entre Rios province of Argentina. On 4,500 acres of land, he runs Hereford and Angus cattle on the open range, producing 800-850 steers from 1,000 cows. He and his staff are big believers in good animal welfare practices. He also plants corn, soybeans, sorghum and rye grass using no-till techniques.
Sujatha owns 30 acres of agricultural land in Tamilnadu. She grows organic vegetables, sugarcane, and Bt cotton. She uses some of the organic farming principles in Bt cotton to increase the yield. Sujatha also raises cattle and goats.
3,000 acres of wheat, barley, canola rotation. Canola grown is a mix of conventional, Roundup Ready, Clearfield and IT varieties. No-till, controlled traffic cropping system with full stubble retention. 600 merino sheep.
Operate a small family farm (240 acres) northwest of Des Moines - Non irrigated at this time but are considering the possibility; raise corn, soybeans, sweet corn for farmers market and some specialty crops for a local company
Founded a women’s farming group in her village in order to transfer her knowledge of modern farming techniques to others. On her farm, she grows corn, vegetables, chili and horticultural plants.
GM of dairy and grazing, Craigmore Sustainables. Operation has 22 dairy properties in the Canterbury, North Otago regions. With 16,000 cows, the company uses a rotational pasture grazing system augmented with Fodder Beet and Kale. All farms are irrigated. The pasture is mainly ryegrass and clover mixes, some fescue pastures.
Stella Thomas is a farmer who has also established the first female owned seed company in Nigeria called Tecni Seed. She is the CEO of Tecni Seed, one of the foremost seed companies in Nigeria where she grows maize, rice, sorghum and vegetable seeds. Stella grows seed on her farm and also outsources the growing of seed on other farms. She works with over 3,000 farmers cultivating over 6,000 hectares annually.
Shuichi Tokumoto produces rice, beans and corn on 1,000 hectares. Having been introduced to GM crop systems and new seed coating technology, he plans to use sustainable practices to grow GM crops with an emphasis on environmentally friendly agriculture. He serves as representative director, Agricultural Corporation Tree & Norf Company.
Le Thi Trang Nha grows vegetables, melon, bananas and citrus fruits on Unifarm in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. Nha is passionate about moving Vietnamese agriculture and positively impacting the rural economy as a member of the Global Farmer Network.
Grows Cotton and Cereals on more than 100 ha and raises over 100 head of livestock, active in farmer organizations on issues involving international trade
Agronomist Engineer – active with the National Seed Institute and other agricultural organizations.
Deceased (unknown - 2022) General Director of NIBULON Ltd., a company leading agricultural change in Ukraine. Invested in a logistics system for transportation, storage and processing of ag products. Introduced corn production into Ukraine.
Ad van Velde is a dairy farmer in the northern part of the Netherlands. On his family farm, he milks 200 cows with some external labor. The farm breeds all of its own cattle. Ad has been farming since 1979. He’s an innovator who has been using milking robots since 1998. The dairy is moving toward being antibiotic-free and climate neutral, also quick to adopt new technology to improve milk production. His milk is delivered to NoorderlandMilk, a cooperative that Ad founded in 2006.
Ad grows grass, alfalfa, sugar beets and maize on loamy clay soil which requires drainage tile. The farm is intensively cooperative with crop farmers in the region, exchanging land and providing manure to other farmers. Ad is working on several projects with Wageningen University. He also owns DairyNext, a business development consultancy. He is also a partner in a dairy project in India.
He is a farmer with an international view and a very large network. Ad has been president of Global Dairy Farmers since 2017.
Farms 3,400 hectares of corn, winter wheat, barley, durum wheat, sunflower, rape, sugar beets and other small crops.
Forty-five cow dairy with robotic milkers. Past president of the New Brunswick Young Farmers Forum. A true ag ambassador; the farm hosts many visitors including school groups.
Pedro Vigneau is a fifth-generation farmer, raising cattle and growing crops for fodder and grains, including GM soya, in Central Argentina. Passionate about the benefits of no-till farming and the use of technology to protect the environment.
Grow wheat, malting barley, rape seed, sugar beet and green peas on 3000 acres. Member of Swedish Parliament, 2007- Member of the committees on Agricultural and Environment, and Civil Law.
Terry Wanzek is a fourth generation North Dakota farmer. This family partnership raises spring wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, dry edible beans and sunflowers. Terry was elected to serve as a North Dakota State Senator, providing leadership to the agriculture committee and serving as Senate President Pro Tempore. Terry continues to provide leadership to the National Association of Wheat Growers and the NoDak Mutual Insurance. He has a degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Jamestown College and completed the Texas A & M Executive Program for Agricultural Producers.
PhD plant breeder and author of 4 registered hybrids. Involved in wife's family farm where they grow maize for seed, sweet maize for the fresh market, oil seed rape and have a cherry orchard.
Andrew Weidemann farms with his wife Julie, brother Rodney and his wife Andrea in the Wimmera region in Victoria, Australia where they grow wheat, barley, canola, broad beans, chic and field peas, lentils, oaten and vetch hay along with White Suffolk prime lambs.
Former journalist. His farm is the 2nd largest commercial rice farm in Nigeria by land size; 45,000 hectares; grows rice for millers. He was challenged with instilling peaceful coexistence between his workers and a largely permanent Fulani community. This led to the creation of a tech startup designed to bridge the gap between volatile agricultural communities in rural Nigeria and security agencies.
Growing cereals, legumes and potatoes, the hilly topography is what initially drove Jim into precision ag, aiming to improve productivity and reduce costs.
Returned to his family farm in 2007 after working in finance as an exchange trader. Raises lentils, wheat, canola and other crops. Family operates aerial spraying and crop inputs businesses.
Farms in partnership with his brother, where he also is a licensed grain dealer. Served on the state Corn Promotion Board and worked in leadership with the National Corn Growers Association’s Trade Policy and Biotech Action Team.