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John Hummel of Canal Winchester is the winner of Ohio Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer Award for 2022. The contest is designed to help young farmers strengthen their business skills, develop marketing opportunities and receive recognition for their accomplishments. Contestants are judged on the growth of their farm businesses and involvement in Farm Bureau and their community.

Hummel is the fifth generation to carry on the farming tradition in his family. He, along with his wife and two sons, reside and farm in central Ohio. He is a graduate of Ohio University where he studied business while working full-time on the family farm. Today, Hummel farms alongside his great uncle and uncle raising corn and soybeans. Together, they have doubled the size and capacity of their operation in the last 15 years.

“My senior year of high school, the farm added close to 1,000 acres, and I made the choice to stay on the farm and commute to a satellite branch campus for college so that I could be on the farm to help every day,” Hummel said in his application. “I have never regretted my decision to be on the farm full time as soon as I could. My long-term goal is to keep the family farm alive and thriving well into the future.” 

Hummel is an active member of the Franklin County Farm Bureau, where he currently serves as vice president on the board of trustees. He is a member of the Ohio Soybean Council and the National Corn Growers Association, and he also serves on a variety of local and state boards. In addition, he is an active member of his church congregation. 

As the 2022 winner, Hummel receives expense-paid trips to the 2023 Young Agricultural Professionals Winter Leadership Experience and the 2022 Ohio Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, a media package and a $3,000 prize of choice. Prizes are courtesy of Farm Credit Mid-America, Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau.  He will compete at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico in January 2023. 

The Outstanding Young Farmer contest is a part of the Ohio Farm Bureau Young Agricultural Professionals program. Program participants are ages 18 to 35, single or married, who are interested in improving the business of agriculture, learning new ideas and developing leadership skills.

2022 YAP awards finalists

The 2022 YAP awards finalists include (in no particular order): Aaron Harter of Preble County, Katie Esselburn of Wayne County, and Isaac Gray and Susan Manchester of Auglaize County. All contest finalists will receive an Ohio Farm Bureau embroidered jacket and complimentary registration to the 2023 YAP Winter Leadership Experience. Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association sponsored the 2022 YAP award finalists’ prize packages.

This is a news release for use by journalists. Questions should be directed to Ty Higgins, 614-246-8231 or [email protected].

Editors: A high-resolution photo of Mr. Hummel is available for download.