AFBF announces award recipients

Collin Peterson and Mark Haney will be honored during the organization’s 106th annual convention.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) announces Collin Peterson, former congressional leader from Minnesota, and Mark Haney, former Kentucky Farm Bureau president, as the recipients of its 2025 Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award (DSA) and Farm Bureau Founders Award, respectively. These prestigious awards, the highest honors bestowed by AFBF, will be presented during the organization’s 106th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Jan. 24-29.

Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award

Nominated by the Minnesota Farm Bureau, Peterson receives the DSA in recognition of his more than 40 years of dedicated service to American agriculture. As a U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s seventh congressional district, he played a pivotal role in advancing critical agricultural legislation, including the passage of the 2008, 2014 and 2018 farm bills. His tenure as chair of the agriculture committee demonstrated his unwavering commitment to farmers and ranchers nationwide.

Post-retirement, Peterson continues his advocacy through the Midwest Council on Agriculture, which focuses on sustainable agricultural policies, and as president of the Peterson Group, a public policy firm. Reflecting on the honor, Peterson stated, “It’s a high honor to get this award. I appreciate it.”

Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing praised Peterson’s bipartisan approach, saying, “What made him successful was his candidness and ability to work across the aisle.”

Farm Bureau Founders Award

Mark Haney, nominated by the Kentucky Farm Bureau, is recognized for his exemplary leadership and transformative contributions to agriculture. Haney served on the Kentucky Farm Bureau board for over three decades, including 15 years as its president, making him the organization’s longest-serving president.

His tenure saw the creation of impactful initiatives such as the Certified Farm Market Program, the Generation Bridge Program and the Legacy Farm Program, all of which have left a lasting impact on Kentucky’s agricultural community.

“It is very humbling for me to receive this award,” Haney said. “To be mentioned among such an elite group is a profound honor.”

Kentucky Farm Bureau President Eddie Melton lauded Haney’s contributions, saying, “Mark is an exceptional leader who has shown unparalleled dedication to farmers in Kentucky and across the nation.”

The Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, established in 1928, honors individuals who have devoted their careers to serving the national interests of agriculture. The Farm Bureau Founders Award, created in 2017, recognizes outstanding leadership and contributions to the Farm Bureau mission.

For more information, visit www.fb.org.

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