The take home theme of the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum this year came to be “bringing sexy back to agriculture.” Which begs the question – when was agriculture sexy before?

If sexy means sustainable, here are a couple of pretty sexy farmers. On the left is the Bayer CropScience 2013 Young Farmer Sustainability Award winner Jeremy Jack of Mississippi and next to him is the 2012 winner John Shepherd of Virginia.

John was on a panel at the recent Bayer Ag Issues Forum to talk about how he does things differently on his corn, wheat and soybean operation where taking care of the soil is most important to him. “My goal is to get it in better shape for future generations,” he said. “So I sow aerial cover crops – plant cover crops in plants already standing. I’ll fly rye on in soybeans that are standing so there’s already a cover crop growing when I cut the beans.”

Listen to some of John’s comments on the panel here: Virginia farmer John Shepherd

Jeremy is a partner in an 8500 acre operation growing cotton, corn, soybeans, rice and wheat. He currently serves as President of the Mississippi Soybean Association, and formally worked in Washington, D.C., under U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran during 2008 Farm Bill negotiations. After college, he returned to the family’s farm rather than pursuing a career in agricultural policy.

Jeremy said talking about sustainability is less important than doing something about it. “Our method of sustainability is sustainability in action,” Jeremy said. “With outreach and education we can make sustainability interesting.” And sexy too.

Listen to Jeremy’s comments here: Mississippi farmer Jeremy Jack