2017 Entry Form Iowa Farm Bureau Federation

Young Farmer Achievement Award

Eligibility • The ideal candidate(s) for the Achievement Award is an individual or couple involved in production agriculture with a majority of

their income subject to normal production risks.• Contestants shall be regular Farm Bureau members in good standing with their county Farm Bureau, between the ages of 18 and

35. Individual or spouse shall not have reached their 36th birthday by January 31, 2018. If spouse is over 35 years of age, the applicant must apply as an individual.

• The Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Achievement Award recognizes both husband and wife. This is derived from the names on the applicant line. If the applicant is married, but only one of the partners is eligible, do not include any details concerning the spouse. Each county may submit one entry to be considered for state recognition.

• Not eligible to compete are: past and present members of the AFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Committee or their spouses; current members of the IFBF Young Farmer Advisory Committee; past state Achievement Award winners; previous AFBF Achievement Award competitors; county or state Farm Bureau employees or employees of John Deere.

Entry Form & Application Guidelines • Do not use your name, name of your county, or any names that may bring about the recognition or identification of you or your

county beyond the entry form (page 1).• The application must be completed in 10-point type with the universal font Times New Roman on the template available at

www.iowafarmbureau.com in the Young Farmers section (Farmer Resources>Farm Bureau Leaders>Young Farmer Program>Achievement Award). Handwritten applications will NOT be accepted.

• Do not use abbreviations or acronyms.• Recreating the application on a computer is not allowed.• Limit answers to space provided. Do not add extra space to complete question.• Application must be properly signed with no additional pages used.• Letter of recommendation, scrapbooks or other visual additions will be grounds for disqualification.

Deadline • Applications must be received by IFBF on or before 4:30 p.m. August 1, 2017.• Please direct any questions to Mary Foley Balvanz at 515-225-5463 or mfoleybalvanz@ifbf.org.• Mail to: Iowa Farm Bureau Federation

Attn: Mary Foley Balvanz 5400 University Avenue West Des Moines, IA 50266

Judging • A panel of qualified judges will review applications, and select and rank the top three applicants. Each application will be coded

upon receipt to maintain confidentiality. Information contained in each application is considered confidential. Judges scores willnot be shared with the contestants due to the confidentiality of the applications.

• Values used in judging the applications will be:Farm Operation & Growth: 70 points Financial Progress of Operation: 60 points Farm Bureau Leadership: 40 points Other Leadership: 30 points (Agriculture = 15 points, Community = 10 points, Youth = 5 points) TOTAL: 200 points

• The Top 3 finalists will be featured in a video shown at the IFBF Annual Meeting. The videos will include an interview withparticipants, video footage of the family and the finalist doing chores, etc. A family portrait will also be taken. IFBF staff willmake arrangements to visit their farm (weather permitting, it will take one full day).

• The final placements will be announced and awards will be given at the Iowa Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Des Moines onDecember 5, 2017. The Top 3 finalists are expected to attend.

• The Achievement Award winner will represent Iowa in the American Farm Bureau Federation competition during the AFBFAnnual Meeting in Nashville, TN in January, 2018.

Iowa Farm Bureau Prizes All applicants will receive up to three hours of Farm Financial Planning (FINPAK) assistance from ISU Extension, a $150 value provided by the Iowa Farm Bureau. FINPAK provides one-on-one financial counseling and a computerized analysis to help young farmers continue planning for future growth and success.

First Place • John Deere Tractor/Loader combo (5-7R Series)* for 1 year/300 hr lease OR TX Gator (valued at $9,500)• John Deere Financial Certificate (up to $5000), 90 day no payment, no interest (NPNI)**• Expense paid trip to 2018 AFBF Annual Convention in Nashville, TN in January, 2018• Expense paid trip to 2018 GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago in August• Expense paid trip to 2018 IFBF Young Farmer Conference• Video of farm and family, family portrait and award plaque

Second Place • Parts on Site Bin (valued at $3000)• John Deere Financial Certificate (up to $5000), 90 day NPNI• $500 gift card to FAST STOP or local FS Cooperative from GROWMARK (can be used for fuel or merchandise)• Video of farm and family, family portrait and award plaque

Third Place

• A Case IH Farmall 50A• $2,500 cash prize• $500 in STIHL merchandise

In the event any of the above prizes are unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value.

• John Deere Branded 23 ft3 Safe (valued at $1000)• John Deere Financial Certificate (up to $5000), 90 day NPNI• $1,000 Grainger gift certificate• iPod from FBFS• Video of farm and family, family portrait and award plaque

* Lease includes up to 300 hours of use, with no lease payments, and physical property damage insurance on the equipment for oneyear. Subject to approved credit and prize winner’s agreement to the terms and conditions of lease agreement. Approximate retailvalue of the lease payments and insurance premium for one year is $9,500. Lease is for agricultural/commercial use only. Prizewinner is responsible for any and all expenses, costs and taxes for operating and using the equipment and any other applicableexpenses and costs as may arise under the lease agreement.

** Purchase up to $5,000 must be made by December 31, 2018 and is subject to approved credit on a Multi-Use Account, a service of John Deere Financial, f.s.b. For agricultural/commercial use only. After the promotional period, interest charges will begin to accrue at the regular Multi-Use Account rate. Available at participating merchants.

Taxes are the responsibility of the award winners. Awards are not transferable, assignable, and/or redeemable for cash.

American Farm Bureau Prizes (2017 prizes listed below. 2018 prizes have not been announced.)

Winner: Choice of a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2017 GMC Sierra

The three (3) Runners-Up each receive:

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Applicant(s)*: A1 A2

*Will be used in the program and for recognition

Phonetic Pronunciation:

Address:

City: State: Zip Code:

Phone:

Email: A1 A2

Date of Birth: A1 A2

Education/Degree: A1 A2

Short Courses/Specialized Study: A1 A2

I (we) hereby certify the information on this entry form and attached application to be accurate and true statements. IFBF reserves the right to use your photos and/or any video footage for use in promoting

Farm Bureau. The photos and/or video footage of undersigned contestant may also be available to our

Applicant(s) Signature(s): A1 A2

sponsors of Farm Bureau events.

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer Achievement Award

2017 Ent ry Form

The applicant(s) should carefully read through this entry form and application before filling out any part of it. This application must be sent to the office of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Attn: Young Farmer Program, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA 50266, on or before 4:30 p.m., August 1, 2017, and email a copy to mfoleybalvanz@ifbf.org.

The data below and throughout the application applies to you and your spouse/spousal-equivalent , if married. Please indicate “Applicant 1” (A1) and “Applicant 2” (A2) when applicable.

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Iowa Farm Bureau FederationYoung Farmer Achievement Award

2017 Application

Note: This application should reflect the operations of the immediate past tax accounting year. Remember to complete the application using first person narration for questions I-VI, and using A1 and A2 for question VII.

I. PERSONAL BACKGROUND (family, education and personal interests)

II. AGRICULTURAL STATUS (Select all that apply)

A. Owner Renter Manager

Please explain if: Partnership Corporation Joint Venture Other

Explanation:

B. Please indicate and justify the percentage of contribution in the operation by the applicant(s) in thefollowing areas:

% personal capital involved

% management/decision making

C. Please list specific responsibilities of the applicant(s):

D. Total acres operated: Acres owned:

E. Year applicant(s) started farming or ranching:

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III. AGRICULTURAL OPERATION

A. List Major Crops* First Year: Current Year No. of Acres No. of Acres Yield per Acre

*Indicate if irrigated

B. Under “Volume of Production,” indicate number of head, pounds, dozen or other appropriate measureof volume.

Volume of Production Enterprise First Year: Current Year

C. Please be creative in explaining the operation if the agricultural enterprise does not fit within SectionsA and B.

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III. AGRICULTURAL OPERATION (continued)

D. How was the agricultural operation acquired? Indicate, in narrative form, what portion of the operationwas purchased or personally earned by the applicant(s), acquired through inheritance, or acquiredthrough partnership conversion, rental, or by a contract or management arrangement.

E. List other agricultural or related business enterprises, describing the size, relationship and importanceto the total operation (i.e., custom harvesting, processing, ag tourism, etc.).

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III. AGRICULTURAL OPERATION (continued)

F. Describe significant changes, expansion or improvement in management and marketing practices, andthe acquisition of agricultural machinery, equipment and irrigation systems, and/or buildings built ordevised by the applicant(s) since his/her involvement in the operation began.

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IV. APPLICANT’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTNote: All information submitted is regarded as confidential, and upon completion of judging, all applications are returned to the IFBF office to be destroyed.

Current market value of the share of just the applicant(s) of:

A. ASSETS First Year: 2016 2015 20141. Value of land, building & other improvements2. Value of machinery & equipment3. Value of livestock & poultry4. Value of crops & supplies on hand5. Value of cash, stocks, bonds, other personal assets6. Non-ag assets (primary dwelling, rental homes, etc.)TOTAL ASSETS

B. LIABILITIES1. Current liabilities (less than one year)2. Intermediate liabilities3. Long-term liabilities (10 years and up)TOTAL LIABILITIES

NET WORTH (total assets-total liabilities)

DEBT/ASSET RATIO (total liabilities/total assets)

C. AG EXPENSES AND RECEIPTS1. Total agricultural expenses2. Total agricultural receiptsOPERATING EXPENSE RATIO

(total ag expenses/total ag receipts)

Please explain any situations or circumstances that may have affected the above financial numbers:

Banker/Loan Officer/Tax Accountant Signature:

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IV. APPLICANT’S FINANCIAL STATEMENT (continued)Note: All information submitted is regarded as confidential, and upon completion of judging, all applications are returnedto the IFBF office to be destroyed.

D. Indicate other sources of income and property acquisition during the years the applicant(s) has beenfarming, such as off-farm employment, spouse/spousal-equivalent’s income, gifts, prizes and/orinheritances.

E. Discuss any unusual situations/problems that may have affected the operation that the applicant(s) hasovercome and solved.

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V. Progress of Operation

A. List specific goals or objectives and achievements gained for production efficiency developed by the applicant(s) in improving the quality ofthe farming program such as: weight of pigs at 56 days, ratio of pounds of feed to pounds of gain, cost per 100 pounds of gain, pounds ofbutterfat per cow or yield per acre, efficient land use, or acreage increases.

Goals in First Year Current Achievement Future Goals

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V. PROGRESS OF OPERATION (continued)

B. Describe ways in which the applicant(s) measures and evaluates the management of his/her farmingoperation.

C. Indicate plans the applicant(s) has for future expansion, improvements or changes in the agriculturaloperation.

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VI. GOALS

A. What goals does the applicant(s) have for the next five years related to his/her career, Farm Bureauinvolvement and involvement in other organizations?

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VII. LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCENote: This applies to both applicants, if applying together. Please indicate A1 and A2 when applicable.

A. List Farm Bureau leadership roles, involvement opportunities, recognitions and/or awardsreceived by the applicant(s), indicating service on committees, boards or as officers.

County Farm Bureau Years

State/American Farm Bureau Years

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VII. LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE (continued)

B. List other agricultural leadership roles, involvement opportunities, recognitions and/or awardsreceived by the applicant(s), indicating service on committees, boards or as officers. (For example,Farm Credit, Soil Conservation, Farm Service Agency, farm cooperatives, 4-H, etc.)

Organization Description Years

C. List other community and non-agricultural leadership roles, involvement opportunities,recognitions and/or awards received by the applicant(s), indicating service on committees, boardsor as officers. (For example, civic/service clubs, church, school, volunteer leadership, etc.)

Organization Description Years