Five farmers who are outstanding in both agricultural production and leadership will be honored in Bloomington on March 12. Plus: A new Honorary Master Farmer joins the ranks.
MARIETTA, Ill. (March 4, 2026) – Five Illinois producers will be honored as 2026 Master Farmers at Prairie Farmer magazine’s annual event in Bloomington, Ill., on Thursday, March 12. For more than 100 years, the award has recognized exceptional agricultural production skills, commitment to family and service to community.
The 2026 Master Farmers are:
- Steve Hettinger, Philo
- Mike and Lynn Martz, Maple Park
- Mike Pratt, Dixon
- Doug Winter, Mill Shoals
Look for profiles of each winner in the March 2026 Prairie Farmer and online at PrairieFarmer.com during the weeks of March 2 and March 9.
Prairie Farmer has also named a new Honorary Master Farmer this year: Mark Gebhards. Gebhards retired last year following more than 20 years with the Illinois Farm Bureau, much of it spent leading governmental affairs. Gebhards is also known for helping develop the Illinois Livestock Management Facilities Act while at Illinois Pork Producers, and for helping create the national soybean checkoff while at American Soybean Association.
“The Master Farmer award is Illinois agriculture’s lifetime achievement award,” said Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer editor. “These farmers are at the top of their agricultural game. They’ve built farms and families, and they are as committed to community as they are to commodities.”
Prairie Farmer first offered the Master Farmer award 101 years ago, in 1925. Editors have continued the tradition annually since 1968, following a pause initially caused by the Depression. When Editor Clifford Gregory established the Master Farmer program, he felt the award would help give farm people a greater sense of “pride and permanence.” More than 300 Illinois producers have been inducted as Master Farmers or Honorary Master Farmers over the program’s history.
Candidates are nominated by family, farmers, neighbors, agribusiness leaders and farm organizations throughout the state. Judges for the awards were Karen Corrigan, McGillicuddy Corrigan Agronomics; Germán Bollero, University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences dean; Doug Schroeder, 2022 Master Farmer; Brad Zwilling, Illinois FBFM; Mike Gunderson, Farm Credit Illinois chief credit officer; and Mike Wilson, Farm Progress.
Some Master Farmers serve in state and national farm leadership positions. Others chair prestigious boards or serve with honor at the highest levels of government. Still others build their farms or businesses to regional or national prominence.
However, all serve their communities — building churches, chairing little-known but important committees, leading the township — and continue the service-minded commitment that earned them the Master Farmer distinction in the first place.
“There’s a saying that if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it — because they’ll get it done,” Spangler says. “These Master Farmers have succeeded not just in their business, but they also freely give their time and talent to the larger community. Those are the values that make rural communities special.”
Prairie Farmer is published 11 times a year for Illinois farm families, and its editors provide daily agricultural news at PrairieFarmer.com. Established in 1841, it is the oldest continuously published farm periodical in the United States.
To nominate a farmer for the 2027 Master Farmer award, email holly.spangler@farmprogress.com.
Master Farmer profiles and contact information
STEVE HETTINGER: LIFELONG LEARNER
Steve Hettinger embraces lifelong learning and constant improvement. These traits have helped him move his farm and family forward over time. The evidence? His son Casey will tell you he’s the rare son who can brag about his dad’s skill with new and changing technology.
“Once you stop learning, there’s a problem,” said the Philo farmer. “I want to keep pushing on the front edge of everything on crops and technology.”
Steve and his wife, Robin, farm 7,800 acres of corn, seed corn and soybeans in Champaign and Piatt Counties. They work alongside two of their four children, Lindi Ferris and Casey Hettinger, as well as Steve’s brothers, David and Ray. They have two other daughters, Amy Marx and Ashley Allwein.
After earning his associate degree in 1983, Steve began farming full-time in 1985 with his late uncles, Mark and Leo, renting 1,200 acres. By 1992, he bought out his uncles, but a year later, their largest landlord sold the land, forcing Steve to sell his equipment. This led him to join the farm with his father and brothers, eventually expanding the farm.
The family’s big break came in 1996 when Incobrasa Industries offered them land to rent in De Land, doubling their acreage. Hettinger grows seed corn for Bayer, which helps diversify risk, provides strong returns, has lower fertility requirements and allows for timely harvests.
Steve’s passion for continuous learning is evident in his role as a Certified Crop Advisor and his service to the Farm Credit Illinois board, where he recently completed his three-year term as chair.
Grounded in faith, Steve and Robin dedicate time to their parish, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where they currently serve as Eucharistic ministers, choir members and musicians. They formerly led a high school youth group for 12 years.
“I don’t know how people farm without faith,” Steve said.
Steve was nominated by Rod Stoll, Farm Credit Illinois.
Photo Caption: Steve Hettinger
For more information, contact:
Steve Hettinger
217-202-2098
MIKE AND LYNN MARTZ: PARTNERS FROM THE START
Mike and Lynn Martz farm near Maple Park, Ill., where corn feeds cattle, and cattle manure fertilizes corn. Mike manages the cattle, while Lynn oversees the crops, creating a seamless partnership. Together, they’ve built Larson Farms Partnership and Larson Grain Farms into a 7,100-acre operation producing corn, soybeans and finishing 7,000 cattle annually. Their family, including their son and Lynn’s parents and brothers, plays a vital role in the farm’s success.
The Martzes are known for meticulous financial management, resource stewardship and community involvement. Lynn and her father, Ray Larson, are the first father-daughter pair to be named Master Farmers, with Ray earning the title in 1970.
The farm operates two distinct divisions. The cattle side, managed by Mike, includes a 3,300-head feedlot and advanced ultrasound technology to optimize feeding efficiency and product quality. They’ve ultrasounded cattle for 30 years, sorting them into feeding groups, feeding efficiently and improving relationships with packers.
The grain side, led by Lynn, produces corn, soybeans, and wheat, with 800,000 bushels of storage. Lynn handles financials, marketing, and innovative practices like selective spraying technology and non-GMO soybeans for premiums.
Technology plays a key role, with y-drops, see-and-spray, and exact-apply systems reducing costs and improving efficiency. Renowned animal behaviorist Temple Grandin designed their cattle facilities, enhancing safety and animal welfare.
Beyond the farm, Mike and Lynn contribute to conservation and the Illinois beef industry. Mike helped pass a statewide checkoff in 2014, while Lynn serves on the soil and water conservation district board. Both aim to leave a legacy of faith, hard work, and excellence in agriculture, embodying the best of Illinois farming.
Mike and Lynn were nominated by Josh St. Peters, Illinois Beef Association.
Photo Caption: Mike and Lynn Martz
For more information, contact:
Mike and Lynn Martz
815-751-0519 (Mike)
815-761-1186 (Lynn)
MIKE PRATT: FARMING FOR THE LONG-TERM
Faith and family. Hard work. A glass half full approach. Humility. Teamwork. A privilege to farm.
These are core values for Mike Pratt, which have helped him build a successful farm and raise a family with his wife, Susan.
“This is just a good life, where we work hard,” said the Dixon farmer. “We work a lot of hours, but we enjoy doing it and it’s not, ‘Oh, I gotta get up and do this today.’ It’s, ‘I get to get up and do this today.’”
Mike began farming in 1972 after high school. He rented 80 acres and raised beef cattle and sows alongside his father, Ron Pratt. Today, he and Susan farm 9,200 acres of corn, soybeans and seed corn in Lee County, with their sons Andy and Peter, their wives Katie and Emily, and grandson Ethan.
Together, they manage 2,000 acres of seed corn for Wyffels Hybrids, using their own equipment to plant, manage and harvest the specialty crop.
Mike’s optimism has carried the family through tough times, including the 1980s farm crisis. “There were a lot of kids that left the farm because all they heard was doom and gloom,” Mike said. “I’m convinced that having an upbeat attitude made them explore the possibilities.”
Beyond the farm, he’s served his community through the finance council at St. Patrick’s church, the Lee County Zoning Board and the 1st Farm Credit Services Board. Mike served 16 years on the 1st Farm Credit and Compeer Financial boards, where he prioritized fair loan policies, especially for young farmers.
“When he deals with other people, he always wants to make it a win-win situation for both,” Susan said. “He wants everyone to walk away happy.”
Mike was nominated by his son, Andy Pratt.
Photo Caption: Mike Pratt
For more information, contact:
Mike Pratt
815-739-4799
DOUG WINTER: A LEGACY GROWS
This spring, fifth-generation farmer Doug Winter will plant the 157th crop on his family’s White County, Ill., farm, purchased by his great-great-grandfather in 1869. Doug and his wife Nancy have grown their operation from 60 acres and 70 Polled Herefords in 1975 to 3,200 acres of corn and soybeans today, thanks to careful management and conservation.
Doug began farming with his father after graduating from Southern Illinois University in 1975. He later partnered with his brother Richard until his retirement in 2017. Nancy, a CPA, manages farm financials, payroll and taxes, while Doug analyzes field-by-field data to maximize profitability. He also operates a Pioneer seed dealership and raises yellow and white corn, soybeans, and seed soybeans, using no-till, mulch-till, and cover crops on 65% of his acreage. Conservation efforts include buffer strips, tile systems and monitoring fertilizer runoff to protect the Little Wabash River.
Doug’s commitment to innovation began in 1996 with grid soil sampling and VRT lime, saving costs and improving efficiency. He’s now exploring drone sprayer applications for wet fields. While their children, Charisse and Neil, won’t farm, Doug and Nancy are preparing them to manage the land through “Ag 101” classes, teaching farm history, finances and conservation.
Doug’s impact extends globally. As a leader with the Illinois Soybean Association, United Soybean Board, and USSEC, he’s traveled to 26 countries, promoting U.S. soybeans and hosting international buyers on his farm. He also pioneered the U.S. Soy live cam, showcasing sustainable farming practices to global audiences.
Reflecting on his legacy, Doug cherishes family memories on the farm and looks forward to agriculture’s future. “I truly can’t wait to see what’s next for agriculture!” he said.
Doug was nominated by Doug Anderson, White County Farm Bureau.
Photo Caption: Doug Winter
For more information, contact:
Doug Winter
618-384-7665
***Courtesy of Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer***
