Abby Brichacek was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court and field. The thing she enjoys most about high school sports is the connection she has made through the games and tournaments with other teams and her teammates. Abby competes in trap shooting and skeet teams, track and field, and volleyball. She is also the '24-'25 Staples-Motley FFA Treasurer. Abby volunteers at the Catholic school in Staples, Minnesota and she supports small family farms. To Abby, agriculture is central to how she lives and works. It represents a sustainable future by growing crops and raising animals to feed the population. Abby plans to get her associate’s degree and continue to culinary school to become a pastry chef.

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Theodore Schatz was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for his commitment and passion on and off the court. What Theodore loves most about high school sports is the lessons he learned along the way and how he can correlate the game of basketball to his life. Basketball has taught Theodore how to handle himself in times of struggle or tough times during a game. Theodore is the president of his FFA chapter, president of his 4-H club, and the President and Ambassador of the Le Sueur County 4-H Federation.

Agriculture, for Theodore, is more than just growing crops and raising livestock; it is the backbone of the world as he knows it. Agriculture supplies all grocery stores with food and meat markets with meat. It grows fibers for clothing and creates materials to build homes. Agriculture has been a huge part of his life growing up. Living on a farm and raising livestock, he eats, sleeps, and breathes agriculture. All of these factors play a huge role in his life. Theodore plans to attend a 2 or 4-year school to study something within the agricultural field.

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Rachel Ehlers was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court and field. Her love for high school sports is associated with competition, leadership skills, and lifelong learning. As team captain of varsity volleyball and track this season, Rachel knew her leadership qualities had flourished both vocally and through her actions. Furthermore, she appreciates how sports have allowed her to serve as a role model for younger players and students.

She is involved in the National Honors Society, Newspaper Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Senate, JA Titans, and Falcon Friends. Rachel is also the Vice President of FBLA, Senior Class Secretary, Business Ambassador, and a Junior Rotarian. She has participated in various community projects such as making fidget mats for dementia patients, welding 110 cemetery markers for the Walcott Cemetery, sewing forty port pillows for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, and cleaning & re-mulching the Walcott Library, and many more. Throughout her experience in 4-H, she has discovered the importance of community service and helping those around her.

To Rachel, agriculture means bettering the world around you, putting others before oneself, and establishing the value of hard work. Within the last five years, Rachel has learned the importance of a good work ethic while growing her business and helping others grow as well. She plans on attending Iowa State University to major in Accounting with minors in Agricultural Business and Finance.

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Cale VanSickle was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for his commitment and passion on and off the field and court. He appreciates the competitiveness, challenges, and leadership skills that sports give him. Cale also enjoys spending extra time with his friends. He is involved in football, basketball, baseball, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), FFA, 4-H, and Emanuel Lutheran Church.

To Cale, agriculture represents sustainability and opportunity. Being committed to nurturing crops and livestock with hard work takes pride, long hours, and responsibility. It represents a way of life, while also helping to contribute to the communities and the economy. He plans to attend Iowa Central Community College or Iowa State University to pursue a degree in Agricultural Studies. Cale eventually wants to be able to come home and tend the family farm while continuing to keep small family farms successful and sustainable.

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Cord Hamilton was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for his commitment and passion on and off the field and mat. The thing he loves most about sports is the team aspect and how close you can become as a family. During school, Cord is involved in football, wrestling, FFA, strength and conditioning, livestock judging, Interact Club, Student Council, International Club, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. To stay involved within his community, he is part of the Decatur County Achievers 4-H club and church youth group. He also participates in local and state livestock shows. Cord volunteers for many community activities including Meals for the Heartland and highway cleanups, and has helped organize the Top of the World Lamb Show as well as a Kids Day at the County Fair.

Agriculture means a lot to Cord, as most of his life has been based around it. His whole family has grown up involved in agriculture and has taught him about hard work and responsibility. He raises show cattle and sheep and has shown pigs until this year. He was given the opportunity to show cattle and pigs all around the United States and plans to do the same with his sheep. Cord plans to go to a community college and study as an agriculture major. When he graduates college, he plans to continue raising show livestock to sell around the U.S. 

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Madelyn Reiter was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the course. Her favorite thing about high school sports is the family atmosphere within the team. Ever since she was little, she’s been around her family's cow/calf herd and helped raise their orphaned bottle calves. Madelyn also raised pigs to show at the county fair. To her, agriculture is the environment she has always been surrounded in and it holds some of the friendliest people she has ever met.

She is involved in FFA and serves as her chapter's reporter. Madelyn is a member of the Science Club and serves as her school's sacristan. She is a long-distance runner for her track team in the spring as well as a varsity runner for the girls’ cross-country team, where she has been a three-time state qualifier. She is also the drum major in her band and a member of the jazz band. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been the president of her 4-H club for the past 3 years. Madelyn is also an active member of her church parish where she serves mass and distributes communion on the weekends. Her future plans are to attend college to become a large animal veterinarian.

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Ava Perry was nominated as a Beck’s Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the field and court. Her favorite thing about high school sports is the friendships that she has made while playing basketball and soccer. Ava loved having the opportunity to help out the younger girls’ basketball program.

She is involved in Student Council, SADD, FFA, Beta Club, and has been part of 4-H for ten years at the Lawrence County Fair. Ava is also class president, helps in an elementary classroom, interned for the athletic department, participated in the IHSAA leadership conference, and volunteered for the Jug Rox Make a Difference Day.

To Ava, agriculture is a way of life. Agriculture is more than providing products and food to the world. It teaches respect, responsibility, work ethic, leadership and so much more. These are skills that are useful throughout your whole life. After graduating high school, she plans on attending college to get a degree in animal science.

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Brownfield Commodity Market Reporter John Perkins has your look at the higher move in soybeans, the mixed corn and cattle, and lower wheat and hogs.

What to watch:

Soybeans are seeing more demand support.

Corn and wheat are monitoring fieldwork.

Cattle are looking at this week's show list.

Hogs continue to be wary of domestic demand.

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Harvest is underway across the Midwest. In this week’s Managing for Profit, a partnership with Brevant seeds and Brownfield Ag News, Area Product Manager Craig Solomon talks about having a safe, successful harvest and planning for next year.

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The Indiana corn and soybean checkoff is investing dollars to help farmers address farm management challenges.

Scott Gabbard, Purdue On The Farm senior administrator says the program uses research-based solutions.

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