MANHATTAN — Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) recognized members and supporters at its 106th annual meeting, Dec. 7-9 in Manhattan. Photos of those honored are available here.
KFB presented its Distinguished Service Award for exemplary contributions to agriculture in the state to the following:
Dan Kerschen, Sedgwick County, who’s spent 50 years in the agriculture industry and has always been active off the farm as a leader for the industry. He was a Kansas Representative from 2009 to 2012, then was elected to the Kansas Senate in 2013, where he still serves today. He’s also served on the national level as a member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Kansas Livestock Association; and was appointed to the Cattleman’s Beef Board from 2005-2011 by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture among other boards and organizations.
Keith Miller, Barton County, represented KFB’s Seventh District on Kansas Farm Bureau’s board of directors for 17 years. He also served as the Barton County Farm Bureau president and was the American Farm Bureau Federation International Trade Committee chairman. Beyond Farm Bureau, he has held leadership roles that work to advance issues like international trade, regional water issues, and has helped high school students with state fair projects. In August 2024, The Kansas Soybean Commission elected Keith as its chairman.
The organization also presented Friends of Agriculture awards recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to Kansas Farm Bureau and agriculture. They are:
Donna Bates, Jefferson County, has been a Farm Bureau member for 70 years. She’s served as county president, vice president, secretary/treasurer and represented KFB’s 1st District on the women’s Leadership Committee (WLC). Donna has always been willing to find the time to promote Jefferson County and Kansas Farm Bureau. In fact, county residents lovingly refer to her as the “Farm Bureau Lady.”
Ron and Elaine Dunbar, Franklin County, have been Farm Bureau members since they were first married, and they have always believed in Farm Bureau’s mission. Ron served as Franklin County Farm Bureau president, was on the policy and marketing committee and Young Farmers and Ranchers committee chairman. Elaine served as county membership and communications chairperson, and for 10 years, she served on the KFB’s WLC.
Jeff Grossenbacher, Nemaha County, who retired as vice president from KFB’s board of directors in 2023. Jeff served on the board for 28 years with nine of those serving as vice president. He is the sixth generation to operate the family farm in Nemaha County.
Doug Harris, Crawford County, a past Crawford County Farm Bureau board member who is always willing to create opportunities for agricultural education – from clipping show steers with 4-Hers before the county fair, to hosting agriculture student teachers, to putting on livestock judging contests for youth. He’s also served on KFB’s hay and forage committee.
Kevin Holle, Rawlins County, served on KFB’s board of directors representing the 10th district from 2017 to 2022. Holle participated in Rawlins County Farm Bureau for the first time in 1982 and served as county president from 1984 to 1988. Kevin and his wife, Mary, served on the state Young Farmers & Ranchers committee from 1986 to 1988.
Vickie Hoover, Dickinson County, served Kansas Farm Bureau for 45 years and retired earlier this year. Through that time, she served in many capacities including with the legal department, governmental relations and KFB’s two foundations.
Duane Hund, Wabaunsee County, was the director of the Farm Analyst Program with K-State Research and Extension for 35 years. Hund has consulted with more than 1,000 Kansas farm families since 1985 and he has spoken on many farm succession extension programs and others related to the struggling farm economy.
Carolyn McGinn, Sedgwick County, has served agriculture for 31 years. She is co-owner of her family grain farm and diversified agritourism operation and was elected to the Kansas Senate in 2004. Before being elected, she served on the Sedgwick County Farm Bureau board and received KFB’s Natural Resources award.
Galen Niedenthal, Russell County, has served on the county Farm Bureau board since 1993, as secretary, vice president and presently the president. He has been an ag education and FFA advisor for 27 years and is a lifetime member of Kansas State University and FFA Alumni programs. He was awarded the Farm Bureau Century Farm award in 2004 and was named a Kansas Farm Family of the year in 2017.
Karl Dawn Stover, Ellsworth County, is the FFA advisor and agriculture education instructor at Ellsworth High School. She was a Kansas Teacher of the Year semifinalist in 2023 and has been on the Kansas FFA board of directors for a decade. She also serves as Secretary of Kansas Cattlewomen and judges regional youth livestock shows.
Kansas Farm Bureau’s Natural Resources Award was presented to Hayden Guetterman, Johnson County. Guetterman received the award for good land stewardship practices to reduce soil erosion on his farm through the use of no-till practices and cover crops, in addition to helping facilitate a large-scale, on-farm research project called the Kansas Soil Health Partnership.
Leadership KFB, which is focused on creating influential thought leaders who choose to engage, create change and look for solutions in agriculture and their communities, honored graduates from Class 10, including Jessica Johns, Riley County; Luke Kaiser, Gove County; Zoe Kaiser, Gove County; Keith Kelly, Jackson County; Brandon Kerwin, Jackson County; Caleb Mattix, Thomas County; Ivy Tatum, Cowley County and Katie VanAllen, Phillips County.
Members of the media were honored for telling the stories of Kansas farmers and ranchers across four categories. In the broadcast feature category, Brityne Rucker of KWCH received first place. Malley Jones, KSN, took second and Samantha Boring, KCTV, was third. For broadcast news, Rucker received first followed by Ken Rahjes, KBUF, and Jones. In the print feature category, the late Laurie Robinson, Harvey County Now, took first-place honors. Donna Sullivan, Grass and Grain, placed second and Macey Mueller, Kansas Stockman, was third. For print news, Emily Zahurones, Farm Talk, took top honors followed by Sullivan and Tery Hansen, Ellsworth County Independent.
Will Stutterheim, Ellis County, received the inaugural Rural Minds Matter Advocate of the Year award for his dedication to breaking down mental health stigmas in farming communities.
Justin Tadtman, Clay County, received KFB’s Partnership Award. This award recognizes someone from Farm Bureau Financial Services who has gone above and beyond for the state’s largest farm organization. In his role as an agent, Tadtman embodies the Farm Bureau brand every day in all aspects of his life.
