Brady & Amanda Spackman of Lewiston, Utah were the winners of the Utah Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) ‘Excellence in Agriculture Award’. The award was presented at the recent Utah Farm Bureau Annual Convention and is considered a top honor for young farmers and ranchers in Utah.

The YF&R program helps young Farm Bureau members shape their future and American agriculture through leadership development and personal growth opportunities. Three competitions are held to enable members to showcase their leadership experience, communication skills, and successful business plans as they compete against the best of the best from each state Farm Bureau.

The Excellence in Agriculture award is a competition that was initiated several years ago to recognize young farmers and ranchers involved in agriculture, but who do not necessarily derive a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture operation.

“It was exciting to win this award. We look forward to representing our state at the national level,” said Amanda Spackman. “We love being advocates for agriculture and look forward to learning how to do this better.”

The Spackman family, representing the Cache County Farm Bureau, competed with nine other contestants for the award. The Spackmans received an ATV courtesy of Western AgCredit and Karl Malone Plaza Cycle, and an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer & Rancher Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.

From left to right: David Brown (President & CEO of Western AgCredit), Amanda & Brady Spackman, and Valjay Rigby (President, Utah Farm Bureau Federation).

Brady and Amanda will also compete at the American Farm Bureau (AFBF) annual convention against Excellence in Ag Award winners from across the nation. National winners of the award receive $35,000 credit towards a new Ford, courtesy of Ford. The runner-up receives $25,000 credit towards a new Case IH piece of equipment, courtesy of Case IH. Others receive prizes courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker.

“Competing for this award has been a great way to help us get a fresh perspective for our farm, and helps us improve as advocates for our industry,” Brady said. “There were a lot of other great candidates, which points to the quality of young agricultural leaders we have in Utah.

Having graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Animal and Dairy Sciences, Brady works on the Spackman Brothers Dairy in Lewiston with his extended family. He also works as a commodity trader and feed salesman. Amanda also graduated from USU with a degree in Family, Consumer and Human Development and is a stay-at-home mom while also working on the farm. The family also has their own small beef herd and trucking company, and also farm 1,500 acres of alfalfa, corn and small grains. 

The Spackmans are the proud parents of two boys who also love to be on the farm. Together as a family they work on the farm and help promote agriculture in any way they can. They have served on the State Young Farmer & Rancher Committee, recently being elected as chairs of the committee. In this role, Brady also serves on the Utah Farm Bureau Board of Directors.


About the Utah Farm Bureau

The Utah Farm Bureau is the largest general farm and ranch organization in the state with more than 35,000 member families. Its mission is to inspire all Utah families to connect, succeed and grow through the miracle of agriculture. It strives to bring value to every citizen and community through love of God, family, country, and the land through political action, educational and informational means. For more information, visit www.utahfarmbureau.org or connect on social media on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) and on YouTube.