Rick Nelson is not just a farmer from Paxton, Illinois – he’s a Master Farmer – and as such, he is helping to cultivate other master farmers in the state.

I talked with Rick at the Farm Progress Show in the GROWMARK tent, since Rick is also Vice Chairman of GROWMARK, and we talked about the Cultivating Master Farmers program that GROWMARK helps to sponsor in Illinois. “In the Cultivating Master Farmers program, one of the Master Farmers who’ve been around for a while spend some time with young, up and coming farmer couples who are just getting started in their careers,” Rick explains.

The two year mentoring program pairs up young farmers with Master Farmers. “Part of what we try to do in that program is to allow them to ask the questions that are on their minds,” Rick says. That includes topics like technology, record keeping, marketing, estate planning and much more.

The Cultivating Master Farmers program is coordinated by Prairie Farmer magazine in Illinois. Young farmers have the opportunity to apply for the program in odd years, so the Class of 2013 is already started up, but those who will still be 35 or younger by the end of 2012 will have a chance to apply for the next class.

Listen to or download my interview with Rick here. GROWMARK Vice Chairman Rick Nelson

2011 Farm Progress Show Photo Album