December 29, 2011

Atlanta, IN. December 29, 2011 - Beck's Hybrids is pleased to announce the Hayden family from Lake County, Ind., as the 2012 Indiana Farm Family of the Year. The Hayden's were honored during a presentation at the Indiana Farm Bureau State Convention. For 15 years, the award has been presented annually by two family-owned agricultural businesses, Beck's Hybrids and Indiana AgriNews.

Pictured above is the Hayden Family, the 2012 recipient of the Indiana Farm Family of the Year Award.

"Over the past 15 years, we have enjoyed getting to know each of the families and the unique ways they work together to sustain their operation and serve their communities," said Scott Beck, vice president of Beck's Hybrids. "Our selection of the Hayden family gives us one more reason to celebrate the good things that are happening with Indiana farm families."

Jerry and Susie Hayden were recognized with their children and grandchildren - their son, Matt, and his wife, Chari, and their children, Conner and Zach; their son, Jeremy, and his wife, Kelly, and their children, Drew and Erin; their daughter Jamie, and her husband, Ryan Thompson, and their child, Jacinda; and their son, Bobby. The family farms about 4,000 acres, owning about 500 acres of that land and renting the rest from about 20 different landlords. Jerry,Susie, Matt, Chari, Bobby and one full-time employee are responsible for all of the day-to-day operations.

"The Haydens continually strive to promote agriculture in their county, state and beyond," states Beck. "They work tirelessly, writing, talking and passing along the good message about American farming to people who know less and less about its benefits and its importance in the nation's economy and society."

The past two years, the Haydens have hosted a Day on the Farm, showing how a farm works to about 170 preschool students, their teachers, parents and others. This October, they worked with the Indiana Truckers Association and Indiana Farm Bureau to gift a trailer full of round hay bales to cattle farmers in drought-stricken Texas.

Jerry currently is the vice president of Eagle Creek Township and is a Range Line Community Presbyterian Church elder. Susie is a Lake County Farm Bureau Women's Leader, a Lake County Farm Bureau Board member and the Indian Trail Grange secretary. Matt is on the Lake County Farm Bureau Board; president of Eagle Creek Township; a member of the Purdue Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching; chairman of the Lake County Extension Board; a county committeeman on the FSA Board; and a 4-H leader.

Chari teaches special education at Lake Village Elementary School and is the District 1 Farm Bureau secretary. Jeremy is a member of the Lake County Farm Bureau Board and was a chairman on the Lake County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee. Jamie teaches preschool to special needs students in Crete, Ill. Bobby is the Lake County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee chairman and is a member of the Lake County Farm Bureau Board.

Thank you for all the nominations submitted for the 2012 Indiana Farm Family of the Year. Beck's Hybrids and Indiana AgriNews look forward to 2013 and selecting another deserving farm family.