Farm Foundation Awards Programs

Farm Foundation’s annual awards program recognizes those who exemplify our mission and values. There are two lifetime achievement awards and two innovator awards. See below for details on the individual awards, nominations requirements, and past recipients.

Lifetime Achievement Awards

The Farm Foundation Innovator of the Year Award 300x300

R.J. Hildreth Public Policy Award In the mid-1990s, Farm Foundation began awarding the R.J. Hildreth Award for Career Achievement in Public Policy, an award currently open to those in the field of public policy, through government service, as educators, or those researching agricultural policy.

The Farm Foundation Transformational Leadership Award 300x300

The Farm Foundation Transformational Leadership Award This lifetime achievement award honors an individual who has demonstrated innovative and transformational leadership in food and agriculture.

Innovator Awards

The Farm Foundation Innovator of the Year Award The focus of this award is to recognize those change makers that are an integral part to solving some of the most influential challenges we face today in the agriculture and food industries.

The Farm Foundation Emerging Leader Award 300x300

The Farm Foundation Emerging Leader Award This award recognizes an emerging young leader who is on the trajectory to make transformational change within the agriculture and food sectors.

2023 Award Recipients

R.J. Hildreth Public Policy Award: Round Table Honorary Life Fellow Joe Outlaw, Regents Fellow, Professor, and Extension Economist, Texas A&M
The Farm Foundation Transformational Leadership Award: John Foraker, Co-Founder and CEO, Once Upon a Farm
The Farm Foundation Emerging Leader Award: Emily Metz, President and CEO, American Egg Board
The Farm Foundation Innovator of the Year Award: Philip “PJ” Haynie III, Owner/CEO, Haynie Farms/Arkansas River Rice

View the 2023 Awards Ceremony

Nomination Requirements

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The awards are open to any candidate involved in the agriculture and food industries. Anyone may submit a nomination, including a self-nomination. Recommendations are also welcome from the Farm Foundation Round Table Fellows and board. Please see individual award pages for required nomination materials. We will follow up with all nominators and nominees throughout the review and selection process.

Submit nominations through this form https://www.cognitoforms.com/farmfoundation/_2024farmfoundationawards

2024 Awards Timeline

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September 18, 2023 – Nominations open
October 20, 2023 – Nominations are due
October 27, 2023 – Nominations sent to the Awards Committee for selection
November 10, 2023 – Award recipients and finalists notified
December 8, 2023 – Recipients submit the guest list and photo/biography
March 16, 2024 – Winners and finalists are announced
June 20, 2024 – Awards presented at the Farm Foundation Round Table Dinner in Denver, Colorado