Brownfield Ag News

Colton Hagner was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for his commitment and passion on and off the field and mat. What he loves most about high school sports is the camaraderie of playing football with his best friends, the individualism of wrestling alone on the mat, and the feeling, fun, and celebration of hitting one over the fence. He loves that sports allow him to compete and grow as a person, and to push himself to levels that he never thought he could reach. High school sports have allowed him to work with some amazing coaches. They have taught him that a positive attitude is a choice he has to make, and that attitude is contagious. He has also learned that handling adversity, respecting the game, and believing in himself are all key elements in sports. Colton competes in football, wrestling, and baseball and has served as his team captain for wrestling. When not playing sports, Colton's favorite extracurricular school activity is being a fan. He enjoys going to as many athletic events and supporting his classmates as they succeed. He was also on the class commission during his junior and senior years where he helped make decisions for his class, including things like planning and decorating for Junior Prom and graduation. Most of Colton's community activities revolve around sports and helping the youth. He enjoys volunteering at football and baseball camps. He has been a youth wrestling coach since he was a freshman. He was fortunate as a youth to look up to great role models, so giving back to his community is very important to him. He has also volunteered to help his father clean up a section of STH 26 as part of the Adopt-a-Highway program. This has allowed him to help the environment and he hopes to continue this action going into college. As a grandson of a veteran and being born into a patriotic family, he is honored to continue to show his support to the country and those who have served in the military. Colton helps his grandfather place wreaths on veterans' graves throughout Washington County when he can. He also helps his father put up and take down American flags in their town on the power poles for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekends. Growing up in a rural community, agriculture is all around Colton. Though he did not grow up on a farm, his grandfather did, and he has worked in the summers baling hay and tasseling/pollinating corn for local neighboring farms. Whether it is crops, dairy, or animal production, it is not lost on him that midwestern farmers are the ones that are feeding America. After he graduates high school, Colton's plans include attending the University of Oshkosh to obtain a degree in business and finance and pursue his MBA. He is interested in the business and finance side of agriculture operations, and also in farm and rural properties acquisition/financing. He is excited to play baseball at the college level as a catcher/utility player. Being able to stay close to home will allow him the opportunity to watch his little brother grow up and play sports which was one of the biggest reasons he decided to go to college close to home.

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Emma Moller was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court and field. What she loves most about high school sports is that even when she thinks she can't go further, she gets up and plays. She plays for herself, her team, and the younger kids looking up to her. Her participation in high school sports has taught her resilience, leadership, and the value of hard work. She will forever be grateful for all the important lessons sports have taught her. Emma competes in basketball, softball, and volleyball and serves as the captain of her volleyball and softball teams. She is also involved in FCCLA as a member VP of the chapter, is a football statistician, part of the National Honors Society, and is on the Alcester Hudson Honor Roll. When she isn't in school or playing sports, Emma is spending her time volunteering. She created the Royal Ball, which is an annual event that creates a magical night for boys and girls of all ages. All proceeds go to Santa and Mrs. C’s Kids, a non-profit to help families within a 30-mile radius of Alcester during the holidays. She also created Christmas in July, where young girls earn Christmas-themed titles and spend the year volunteering for the same cause. In addition to volunteering for Santa and Mrs. C’s Kids, each titleholder will be required to complete no less than ten additional volunteer hours with any nonprofit they choose. These projects not only support families in need but also inspire children to embrace service, proving that leadership can be both fun and transformative. You can also find her volunteering at the South Dakota Safety House, Ag Appreciation Day Sioux Empire Fair, painting cancer ribbons on driveways for donation for the Kobee Sherman Cancer Drive, assisting Miss South Dakota Jr. Teen, and being a Washington DC Youth Tour recipient. Beyond her career goals, her roots in her community run deep. Agriculture to Emma means heritage, hard work, and the foundation of life itself. Her future goal is to manage her family’s farm while bringing medical advancements to the people who need them most. As Emma grew up in a small town in South Dakota, she has always known that hard work is a way of life for many. In communities like hers, people don’t just wear one hat, they wear ten. The mayor isn’t just the mayor; he’s also the local bus driver, a farmer, a volunteer board member, a t-ball coach, a Sunday school teacher, an EMT, and a firefighter. Everyone pitches in, and no one has time to be laid up for long periods. That’s why she is passionate about pursuing a career in radiology, especially in non-invasive cancer screening and image-guided surgery. Advancements like these in the medical world can make a real difference in rural communities like hers, where access to healthcare can often be limited, and taking time off work for medical care is not always an option. 

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Isaac Detty was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for his commitment and passion on and off the course, field, and pools. The thing he loves most about high school sports is being able to spend time with his friends in cross country and being able to run and compete together. Isaac competes in cross country, track, and swim. Outside of sports, he is involved in the Zane Trace FFA poultry judging team, wildlife team, food science team, and ag sales team. He is also part of the Food For All committee, where he collects food items that would be thrown away and he donates it to local food pantries. He also participates in picking up litter alongside the road for runners in a local race that went through areas with lots of trash. Agriculture to Isaac is one of the most important things. Without agriculture, he believes people wouldn't be able to eat their favorite foods and so much more. After he graduates high school, Isaac plans to become a natural resource law officer and continue his poultry production business in the future.

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Brownfield's Meghan Grebner interviews Chad Eitmann, who raises corn and soybeans in west-central Iowa, at the 2025 Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado. Eitmann says when it comes to the 2025 growing season, there are a lot of things to consider, especially in the current ag environment.

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Sophia Nelson was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the course and field. What she loves most about high school sports is the family that she makes with her teammates. Everyone is always so supportive of each other and they encourage her. She has made many good friends from high school sports and has met the nicest people, supporters, and coaches. Sophia competes in cross country and track and field. In school, she participates in FFA, musical theater, one-act play, band, jazz band, choir, knowledge bowl, and honor society. She is also involved in 4-H as her club president and is her county's 4-H federation president and county ambassador. She shows beef cattle and meat goats and is a 4-H camp counselor. Agriculture is a very core part of Sophia's life and an important aspect of her growth. Growing up on a farm has taught her to be resilient and productive. Her involvement in 4-H and FFA has taught her leadership and responsibility while giving her a strong work ethic. Agriculture is a central part of her community and has provided many opportunities for her and many other students. Sophia plans on attending Southwest Minneapolis State University for communication arts & literature education and hopes to become a high school English teacher.

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Anistasia Smith was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court and field. What she loves most about high school sports is the friendships she has made and the confidence and passion she has built from playing sports. Anistasia competes in basketball, volleyball, and softball. She has also been involved in FCA, band, and FFA. Outside of school and sports, she participates in helping coach little kids basketball, softball, volleyball camps. She has also helped teach religion classes to little kids and helps the Wabasso Public Library annual holiday craft show. To Anistasia, agriculture provides food clothing and shelter. It is the foundation of living. Agriculture is very important to her daily life, as she would not be here today without it. Anistasia plans to attend Minnesota West in Worthington for two years. She will be going into the dental field, as she is looking to become a dental hygienist. She will also be playing basketball there for the next two years.

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Lacy Schilmiller was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the range. What she loves most about high school sports is how they bring excitement and challenging possibilities to life for all who participate. Lacy believes all school sports provide a mental break from schoolwork and she can put forth the best of her abilities. Lacy participates a lot in NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) and she is in the running for future Commander of her school's NJROTC. She volunteers at her school in various ways such as doing the presentation of colors (national anthem) at the football and basketball games, teachers assistant, participating on the Precision Rifle Team, helping with annual fundraisers such as the pancake breakfast, color run, and more. Lacy is deeply involved with her local 4-H, where she is the media producer, and has written and received two 4-H grants for her club. She enjoys helping the fair board to set up parking and animal barns, running the "My Little Farm," guiding younger kids with animals, and being the go-to help for a lot of people. She also shows meat pen chickens, pigs, and goats and helps the mini-4H'ers with their animals. Lacy is also very involved with her local church. She regularly attends the youth choir, serves at mass, helps with the High-School Hangout youth group, and attends camps and conventions. Lacy feels as though she has made an impact on her community by selling Kennebec potato bags and donating the money she made to a different organization each year. Agriculture means a lot to Lacy. It has taught her over the years that everything starts small like a seed, and as it grows or changes, adaptations and resources flourish. If she had to say one word that describes the agriculture grown in her, it is initiative. She has learned that in agriculture she needs to make her own decisions and be resourceful. In the future, Lacy has some possible college choices, but she does know that she would like to go into the Air Force ROTC or the Army ROTC to continue her passion for rifle and then become an officer in the medical field. Her overall goal is to work for the VA hospital so she can give back to those who gave their all and hear their stories of the good times with their friends and family.

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Braden Moore was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for his commitment and passion on and off the court and course. One of the things that he likes most about high school sports is the constant competitive atmosphere. The thrill of victory pushes him to succeed. Knowing that his teammates are just as willing to support each other as much as he does proves to cultivate a culture of success. Time and time again, his love for high school sports continues to grow. Braden competes in golf, tennis, and basketball. He participates in the National Honors Society, Business Professionals of America, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. When Braden is not in school or playing sports he spends time volunteering with his community. Some projects he has helped with include the Free Laundry Project where he assisted local community members who do their laundry for free for two hours on two Thursdays a month, the food pantry where he has helped pass out canned goods to the community and participated in food drives, and a local service project where his tennis team volunteers every year to complete yard cleanup for various shut-ins in his community. Agriculture has shown Braden the multitude of pathways to be successful in life. From a young age, his grandfather had shown him how hard work and a relentless effort to achieve his goals can pay off. Looking up to the farmers of his family, he immediately began to recognize how there was so much more to the agriculture business than just planting and harvesting seeds. From farming fields to selling steel, his grandfather has inspired him to take one step closer to reaching his goal of becoming a successful businessman. In the fall of 2025, Braden will be playing for the golf team and attending classes at Purdue Fort Wayne where he will major in business. After graduating high school with over 40 hours of college credits, he hopes to graduate early and begin taking classes for his MBA. With this background, his hopes are to begin his own business as well as acquire his real-estate license so that he can follow in his grandfather's entrepreneurial footsteps.

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Missouri Soybeans marketing mission identified export connections to a Mexico-based processor, reinforced by a Panama-based producer's shipment. Focus is on relationship building and market growth. Learn more at mosoy.org and the Spotlight on Soybeans podcast.

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Savannah Lucas was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court and field. The thing she loves most about high school sports is being able to play with her friends and grow together. She loves her coaches, especially her softball coach, and the whole town supports her no matter how good it how bad her team is. Savannah is currently involved in volleyball, basketball, track, and softball. She is also involved in FCCLA, FFA, NHS, student council, and pep club. Savannah is heavily involved in her community. Every year for 4-H she makes table favors for the residents at the nursing homes. In her junior year, she was inducted into the National Honor Society, where she helped with the elementary track and field day and donated non-perishable food items to West Central development. She has made hats for the warming shelter and personally delivered them to the homeless people at the warming shelter. She has volunteered at her local food and helped package meals for families during Thanksgiving and Christmas. At the beginning of her senior year, she started a project called Adopt a Family and raised over $1,400 by selling baked goods at volleyball games. This led her to adopt five children to buy them gifts, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies. Agriculture is very important to Savannah and her family. She comes from a family of farmers who rely on agriculture to support their family. Being able to provide for her family through agriculture is very important. Savannah plans to attend Iowa State University and major in business. Her goals are to become a successful businesswoman and start a family. She also wants to be able to provide for her family and give them the best lives that they could have. 

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