RJ Hildreth Public Policy Award: Dr. Andrew Muhammad

Dr. Andrew Muhammad is Professor and Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. He brings considerable experience and research to the Blasingame Chair position where he focuses on assisting stakeholders in the evaluation of opportunities, policies, and programs on international trade.

Emerging Leader Award: Dr. Mya O. Price

Dr. Mya O. Price is a prominent social impact strategist, recently named Executive Vice President & Chief Social Impact Officer at Creating Healthier Communities (CHC) in February 2026. She previously served as President and CEO of The Root Cause Coalition and led Feeding America’s Food Security Equity Impact Fund.

Innovator of the Year Award: Joel Harris

Joel Harris is an active member in Iowa’s biotech industry through both of his roles; CEO of Genvax Technologies and Executive Director of the Ag Startup Engine. As co-founder and CEO of Genvax Technologies, Joel is leading his team to develop mRNA + nanoparticle vaccines for livestock.

The Farm Foundation Book of the Year Award: Agribusiness Management, 7th Edition

By: Jay T. Akridge, John C. Foltz, Elizabeth A. Yeager, Brady E. Brewer and Trey Malone

This seventh edition of Agribusiness Management provides students and managers with a fundamental understanding of the key concepts needed to successfully manage food and agribusinesses in a rapidly changing, global, high-tech, consumer-oriented, and uncertain world.

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.

Transformational Leadership Award:  Lifetime Achievement Recognition. The purpose of this award is to honor a person who has demonstrated a lifetime of innovative and transformational leadership in food and agriculture.

The Farm Foundation Emerging Leader Award: An individual under 40 making an impact in food or agriculture. As we look to the next generation to carry forward the most meaningful work, this award recognizes the emerging young leaders who are on the trajectory to make transformational change within agriculture and food sectors.

The Farm Foundation Innovator of the Year Award:  An individual, company, or organization. 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.

 Farm Foundation Book of the Year Award: This award is open to a book published within the last 24 months, that is non-fiction, published in English, and focused on food and/or agriculture.