Rice County Fair 2015 Ag Awards

Honorees of the 2015 Rice County Ag Awards were recognized Wednesday, July 22, at the Rice County Fair. KDHL Farm Director Jerry Groskreutz emceed the event.

Honorees:

Doug Wertish: Rice County Agriculture Hall of Fame Inductee. Wertish is a former farmer and farm business management instructor at South Central College and helped develop the Ag in the Classroom program and farm tours for county schoolchildren.

Randy and Brian Hanson: Farm Family of the Year. The brothers own Hanson Farms near Nerstrand, which has been in the family since 1945. They and their sons grow corn and soybeans, and raise finishing pigs. The Hansons also are involved in the Rice County Farm Bureau, the Minnesota Corn and Soybean Growers and Pork Producers.

Richard and Robert Sommers: Outstanding Conservationist of the Year

St. Olaf College: Wildlife Enhancement Award

Carleton College: Forest Stewardship Award

Rice County Century Farms: Turek Family Farm, Montgomery, 1915; Mohn Farm, Northfield, 1886; Kopet/Shetka Farm, Webster, 1897

FFA Achievement Recognition: Medford State Champion FFA General Livestock Judging Team -- Hank and Carl Schultz, Lexi and Mikayla Wetzel