Jordan and Megan Richner (RICH-ner) of El Dorado Springs were named the winners of the Missouri Farm Bureau (MOFB) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Excellence in Agriculture Award during the organization’s virtual annual meeting held earlier this month.
The Excellence in Agriculture Award is designed to recognize young farmers and ranchers who have not received a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture enterprise for the past three years. They received a $500 check from the MOFB Foundation for Agriculture and a $500 check from Ford Motor Company. The duo will also represent Missouri at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award Contest virtually this January. As part of the AFBF Virtual Annual Meeting, they will compete for the grand prize of a new Ford truck and paid registration to the 2021 AFBF YF&R Conference. The runner-up wins a Case IH Farmall 50A tractor from Case IH, while third- and fourth-place earn a combination of prizes, such as 40” tool cabinets, a $500 Case IH parts card and Stanley Black & Decker merchandise.
Both Jordan and Megan came from an extensive agriculture background. They were each members of their local 4-H clubs and FFA chapters, and showed a collection of hogs, cattle and sheep. They met while attending the same university and have since taken over the management of Megan’s family farm in Cedar County. In addition to the farm’s management, Jordan works for a sawmill business, performs soil evaluations and installs onsite wastewater treatment systems. Megan is a science teacher, and the couple has a five-year-old son.
A major project underway is the process of improving herd genetics. Their beef cattle herd fluctuates around 40 cow/calf pairs, supplying both a local store and consumers directly with beef cuts. During the COVID-19 shutdown, Jordan and Megan created a series of videos titled, “Stories from the Farm.” They also helped start a “More Beef for More Kids” program in their local school district to help place local, donated beef on school menus.
Both serve on the state Farm Bureau Resolutions Committee and are currently working to address the lack of inspected meat processing facilities and limited capacity in Missouri through a proposed resolution. They hope that their involvement on the state YF&R committee will spark the interest and dedication in their son, continuing the agriculture legacy in their family.
Second place for the Excellence in Agriculture award went to Dustin & Kyla Estes, of Bollinger County. Placing third was Brandi Ellis, of DeKalb County.
