Dennis is the wheat systems specialist at MSU. In partnership with the Michigan Wheat Program, Dennis conducts research and extension programming aimed at helping wheat farmers increase yields, manage disease, reduce inputs, improve environmental sustainability, and maximize profits.
Month: January 2024
Jon O’Connor is the co-found and co-owner of Long Road Distillers, the first distillery in the history of Grand Rapids, MI. Long Road was founded upon the belief that world class spirits could be crafted by taking advantage of the abundant agricultural resources and diversity found in west Michigan. Jon and his business partner, Kyle, have a firm commitment to doing things the right way, hence the name Long Road – there are no shortcuts. Their commitment to quality in sourcing ingredients, utilizing world class equipment, practicing time honored processes and ultimately being honest with their customers has earned them accolades from across the country for the quality of their spirits. In addition to running his own distillery, Jon serves as the president of the Michigan Craft Distillers Association where he represents nearly forty other Michigan small distillers. Prior to starting Long Road Distillers, Jon owned and operated West Michigan Real Estate Advisors, a residential real estate appraisal and brokerage firm and he still hods a Broker’s License in Michigan.
Chris Neidert is the North American Training and Development Manager for Trelleborg & Mitas agricultural tires, part of the Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. With over 40 years in the tire industry, Chris possesses in-depth product and application knowledge and has consistently helped customers gain the most value from their tire investment. Based in the Akron, Ohio area, Chris is readily available to assist you in your tire needs. He can be reached at chris.neidert@yokohama-tws.com
Noelle Nachreiner is the executive director of the Michigan Ag Council. Through the Michigan GROWN, Michigan GREAT brand, Noelle works with the council of farmer organizations and agribusinesses to establish a trusted voice in Michigan for agricultural information between consumers, retail, and farmers themselves. A graduate of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University, Noelle has focused her career on communicating on behalf of and advocating for farmers. She resides in Charlotte, Mich. with her family.
Rebecca Larson has worked in agriculture for more than 20 years in both the private and public sector. Early in her career she worked as a principal investigator for the USDA-Agricultural Research Service using proteomics to advance the understanding of native plant disease tolerance. She then moved on to Syngenta where she started as Plant Scientist supporting the sugarbeet seed division and ultimately became the North American Head of Biological Assessment for Diverse Field Crops. Currently, she works for Western Sugar Cooperative, a farmer-owned beet sugar cooperative operating in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. She leads the cooperative’s internal research, developed and operates their sustainability program, leads their Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant and handles local, state and federal issues facing the cooperative.
Jenelle Jagmin is director of the Michigan Craft Beverage Council, a program within the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). She works to advance a well-connected craft beverage industry at the intersect of agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and community and economic development. Prior to this role, Jenelle served as an economic development specialist at MDARD and the marketing specialist for the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council. Jenelle received her BA in cultural anthropology from Michigan State University and lives in Lansing. She is a graduate of the Great Lakes Leadership Academy’s Emerging Leader Program and is a Certified Culinary Destination Marketer. Jenelle is inspired by seasonal food and beverage, music for creative writing, and time in the woods with her family.
Jeanie Igl of Hawkins Homestead has seen both sides of succession planning. She and her husband Tony farmed with her parents, Sid and Carol Hawkins since 1991 and took over the reins for the centennial farm in 2021. They are now navigating the transition of the 2500-acre crop farm to their daughter and son-in-law, Amanda and Christian, while being fair to another daughter, Stephanie, who works on the farm, and daughters Samantha and Christina, who are off the farm.
Mitchell Hora is a 7th generation Iowa farmer and the Founder/CEO of Continuum Ag, a soil health software company. The Hora family has used no-till since 1978 and cover crops since 2013 and have realized great profit impact from stabilized yields and reduced input costs. Mitchell started Continuum Ag to take soil health systems and data to the masses. Today, Continuum Ag focuses on Carbon Intensity scoring, wholistic farm data, and enabling their network to tap into tax credit opportunities and sustainability programs. The team has grown to 27 people and their customer footprint spans 43 states and 20 countries. For his efforts, Mitchell has been named to the Forbes Under 30 list, Ag Grad 30 Under 30 List, and is a National Association of Conservation Districts Soil Health Champion.
Courtney Heller, Director of Export Services at the U.S. Meat Export Federation is part of the association’s Technical Services team, responsible for developing and implementing strategies for resolving market access issues and assisting companies with exporting red meat and red meat products around the world. She is a Meat Scientist with a MS in Meat Science from Colorado State University, and a BS in Animal Science from Michigan State University. Courtney lives on a sheep farm, with her family, in southeast Michigan.
Marc Hasenick of Hasenick Brothers Farm located in Springport Michigan has incorporated prairie strips to improve the profitability of the farm. The same data driven decision making that has allowed the farm to become efficient in seed and fertilizer use also allows for conservation practices to be adopted without risk of financial burden.