Eastern Iowa Farmer Wins Award To Help Grow Small Business
Eastern Iowa farmer Lillie Beringer is the winner of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federations “Grow Your Future Award". The award, which was presented at the 2022 IFBF Young Farmers Conference, recognizes and promoted young agriculturalists in a niche market, agritourism, ag services or specialty business.
Beringer is an animal nutritionist and she recently purchased her grandfather’s farm- where her Angus herd would graze in the summer. She started a Facebook page for the farm and what started as a way to share her farm adventures turned into a business when someone asked “Can I buy beef from you?” Thus Beringer Family Farms was started.
Beringer Family Farms is celebrating its first year in business selling 21-day dry- aged Angus cuts.
As part of her award, Beringer took home $7,500 which she plans to use for a new walk-in cooler to store more products.
Jade Moret of Holland Flower Farm in Sioux County received the second-place prize of $5,000 that she plans to use to build a hoop house to extend her growing season. The third-place prize of $2,500 went to Melissa Nelson of Woodbury County for her business Hungry Canyon which created agriculturally- accurate greeting cards.
The award application process started back in September 2021. Young entrepreneurs ages 18 to 35 submitted applications which included a short video introducing themselves and their businesses. Applicants are also asked to share the impact their business has on the local community and their future goals.
The three awardees were among five finalists that were selected. A vote during the IFBF Annual Meeting narrowed the field down to three entrepreneurs who competed in a live “pitch-off” in front of nearly 500 other young farmers at the conference.