Palo Alto County Farm Bureau

06/12/2026

🔥 Know a teen who rules the grill? 🔥

If they take pride in crafting the perfect grilled or smoked meat dish, encourage them to enter Iowa Farm Bureau's Cookout Contest!

📅 When: Tuesday, August 18, 2026

📍 Where: Iowa State Fair on the Grand Concourse

👨‍🍳 Who: Youth ages 13–17 who love outdoor cooking!

🏆 Prize: $300 cash + a gas grill valued at $1,000, courtesy of the Iowa Propane Gas Association

⚠️ Spots are limited!

👉 Register and learn more:

The Cookout Contest is a celebration of Iowa-raised meats and the farmers who provide this high-quality product with animal care and environmental sustainability as their top priority.

06/09/2026

“Real Talk to Real Timelines,” builds on Iowa Farm Bureau’s Take Root programming with a two-day, hands-on experience designed for farm families who want to protect what they’ve built and prepare for what comes next.

05/28/2026

🎓🌟 Celebrating Academic Achievement! 🌟🎓

Congratulations to Shane Moran, a Ruthven-Ayrshire High School graduate, for being recognized this spring at the 24th Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony in Des Moines!

Shane was honored by Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer for his outstanding academic achievement—an incredible accomplishment that showcases his hard work and dedication. 👏

This prestigious event, sponsored in part by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, recognized 429 exceptional high school seniors from across Iowa.

Way to go, Shane! We are proud of your success and excited for what lies ahead! 💙

05/26/2026

🎓🌟 Celebrating a Scholar’s Success! 🌟🎓

Congratulations to Cecilia Mielke, a Graettinger-Terril High School graduate, for being recognized this spring at the 24th Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony in Des Moines!

Cecilia was honored by Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer for her outstanding academic achievement—an impressive accomplishment reflecting her dedication and hard work. 👏

This prestigious event, sponsored in part by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, celebrated the achievements of 429 top high school seniors from across Iowa.
Way to go, Cecilia! We’re proud of your success and excited to see what your future holds! 💙

05/25/2026

🚜🌱 Planting Season Complete! 🌱🚜

There’s nothing quite like the sense of satisfaction that comes with wrapping up planting season! A big thank you to Trent Bruhn, director with the Palo Alto County Farm Bureau, for sharing these special moments from the Bruhn farm, where planting was completed in early May.

“Looking at the pictures, everyone from my family had their fair share of rides,” Trent shared. ❤️

From left to right:
📸 Trent with his oldest son, Trae
📸 Trent’s youngest son, Cam
📸 Son C**t (top right)
📸 Wife Ally with Cam (middle right)
📸 Daughter Quinn (bottom right)

Moments like these highlight the true heart of farming—family, hard work, and making memories along the way. 🌾💚

05/23/2026

🎓🌟 Celebrating a Remarkable Achievement! 🌟🎓

Congratulations to Tyra Schupbach, a West Bend-Mallard High School graduate, for being honored this spring at the 24th Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony in Des Moines!

Tyra was recognized for her outstanding academic achievement by Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer—a well-deserved honor that reflects her hard work and dedication. 👏

This prestigious event, sponsored in part by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, celebrated the accomplishments of 429 exceptional high school seniors from across Iowa.

Way to go, Tyra! We’re proud of all you’ve achieved and excited to see what’s ahead! 💙

05/22/2026

🎓🌟 Honoring Academic Excellence! 🌟🎓

Congratulations to Ella Auten, an Emmetsburg High School graduate, for being recognized this spring at the 24th Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony in Des Moines!

Ella was honored by Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer for her outstanding academic achievement—an accomplishment that reflects her dedication, hard work, and commitment to success. 👏

This prestigious event, sponsored in part by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, celebrated 429 exceptional high school seniors from across Iowa.

Way to go, Ella! We’re proud of your achievements and look forward to all that lies ahead! 💙

05/21/2026

🌽🚜 Hands-On Learning with EPAK! 🐝🌱

Educational Partners, Agriculture and Kids (EPAK) – Palo Alto County Farm Bureau is proud to help sponsor this long-standing, interactive program that is offered to schools in Emmet, Palo Alto, and Kossuth Counties!

This program gives students a fun, hands-on opportunity to explore agriculture through engaging sessions, including:

🌽 Turning corn and soybeans into plastic in “More Than Just a Seed”
💩 Playing the “Pitch the Poop” game in “Feeding Frenzy”
💧 Discovering how pollution travels and how soil filters water in “Nature’s Filters”
🥚 Learning an egg’s journey in “From the Hen House to Your House”
🐄 Exploring how animal products are used every day in “Animal Bits & Pieces”
🚁 Flying drones in “Scouting From the Sky”
🐝 Understanding the importance of pollinators in “Honey Heroes”

This program continues to inspire curiosity and connect students with the important role agriculture plays in their daily lives. Thank you to all involved in making this educational experience possible year after year! 👏

05/21/2026

🚜🌍 Farmers—stay ahead of what’s next!

U.S. trade policy is at a critical turning point, and the decisions ahead will have real impacts right here in Iowa. Join us at Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2026 Economic Summit to explore how global trade affects Iowa agriculture, where future demand for U.S. ag products is headed, and what it means for your farm or ag business.

💰 Early bird savings available through May 31! Don’t miss the chance to register at a discounted rate.

👉 Secure your seat and invest in the future of agriculture.
Register now at:

05/19/2026

🎓🌟 Celebrating Our 2026 Scholarship Recipients! 🌟🎓

At this year’s Senior Awards Ceremony, we were proud to recognize the outstanding recipients of the 2026 Palo Alto County Farm Bureau Scholarships.

Congratulations to:
👏 Leah Hoffman
👏 Krayton Rutledge
👏 Lilly Morey

These students exemplify hard work, leadership, and a strong commitment to their future and our community. We are honored to support their next steps and can’t wait to see all they accomplish! 🌱

We are also excited to share that Leah Hoffman was selected as a 2026 Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) Scholarship recipient! Leah was awarded a $2,500, four-year renewable scholarship—totaling up to $10,000 in support of her education. 👏

Palo Alto County Farm Bureau Board member Kipp Fehr had the honor of presenting students with these well-deserved awards.

Congratulations to all of our recipients—we are so proud of you! 🎉