Clayton and Dakota Rindlisbacher of Nephi, 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.

“This was so exciting to win this award. We’re thrilled to represent our county at the national level,” said Dakota Rindlisbacher. “We love being advocates for agriculture, and look forward to learning how to do this better.”

The Rindlisbacher family, representing the Juab County Farm Bureau, competed with eight other contestants for the award. The Rindlisbachers received an ATV courtesy of Western AgCredit and Prime Powersports in Nephi, an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Clayton and Dakota will compete at the American Farm Bureau (AFBF) annual convention against Achievement Award winners from across the nation. National winners of the Achievement Award receive $35,000 credit towards a new Ford vehicle and paid registration to the AFBF FUSION Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, 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 refine our agricultural business and improve as advocates for our industry,” Clayton said. “There were a lot of other great candidates, which points to the quality of young agricultural leaders we have in Utah.”

Clayton works for the Welfare Farm for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nephi, and Dakota works for the Nephi Irrigation Company as their “day jobs”, along with growing alfalfa, corn, and small grains on their own farm. They also sell beef for local customers every year. 

The Rindlisbachers are the proud parents of two kids. 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 and with the Juab County Farm Bureau.