Wisconsin
Who’s who in Wisconsin agriculture, 2024 edition
The Master Agriculturist program is one of the longest-running career-achievement honors programs in American agriculture, dating back 94 years. In 1930, Wisconsin Agriculturist started honoring farmers for their hard work, dedication, success in farming and exemplary leadership.
The winners are selected for their proven ability and accomplishments as progressive farmers, and for the time, effort and leadership they contribute to community, church and agricultural organizations, as well as conservation efforts on their farms.
The Master Agriculturist award honors the selected individuals and their families.
The 2024 Wisconsin Master Agriculturists are Matt Lippert, Pittsville; Brian McCulloh, Viroqua; Scott, Daun, Keith, Lynn, Patrick and Courtney Maier, Waunakee; and Keven Schultz, Fox Lake. Also in 2024, the first Honorary Master Agriculturist is being honored: David Schneider, Oconto, Wis.
Here is a list of the Master Agriculturists from around the state of Wisconsin honored since 1977:
1977
Clarence Boyke, Fond du Lac
Wayne Danielson, Cadott
Lawrence Eberle, Lone Rock
Edward J. Kaderly, Juda
Edgar Rudolph, Sturgeon Bay
Edwin Stauffacher, Mineral Point
1978
Byron Berg, Blanchardville
Richard Kruschke, New Richmond
Norman Maass, Seymour
Lyman McKee, Madison
Norbert Nuttelman, West Salem
Kenneth Rhein, Brownsville
1979
Karl Kappelman, Manitowoc
Richard Kretzschman, Mellen
Harold Kringle, Barron
Clayton Nichols, Wisconsin Dells
Bruce Odeen, Viroqua
Richard Scullion, Highland
1980
Craig Beane, Fort Atkinson
Kay Garvey, Eastman
Leonard Peck, Chippewa Falls
Philip Peterson, Oregon
Don “Hokey” West, Rice Lake
1981
Alten Blaser, Gillet
Bob Lentz, Dallas
Leslie Rahn, Sheboygan
Audrey Sickinger, Cato
Mike Wehler, Plain
1982
Gregory Blaska, Marshall
Robert Draxler, Glenwood City
Claude Epping, Salem
Ray Johnson, Brodhead
John Ver Voort, Appleton
1983
Philip Hein, Stratford
Roy Kirchner, Clintonville
John L. Malcine, Waterford
Robert Marr, Mineral Point
Louis B. Rodriguez, Delavan
1984
Harvey Kirking, Viroqua
William C. Kitzrow, Union Grove
Keith Long, Weyauwega
Donald Long, Weyauwega
Peter Senn, Campbellsport
Hilman Schroeder, Sauk City
1985
Duane Hegna, Baraboo
Paul May, Mineral Point
Oliver Miller, Brodhead
John Selz, Humbird
Louis Wysocki, Custer
1986
Ray Koepp, Fremont
Maurice Cooper, DeForest
John McClellan, Delavan
Norma Swan, Ogema
1987
Roy Brenizer, Cushing
Joseph Julka, Malone
Alan and Jim Koepke, Oconomowoc
John Louis, Richland Center
1988
Wallace Emmerich, Hamburg
Craig Guthrie, Elkhorn
Henry Hayes, Fond du Lac
Robert Trampf, Berlin
1989
John Hoffmann, Whitewater
Jerry Keller, Lodi
Donald Schmidt, Melrose
Dale Schuler, Kiel
1990
Vernon Newhouse, Kaukauna
Paul Ruedinger, Van Dyne
Loren Wolfe, Cochrane
Carl Pulvermacher, Lone Rock
1991
Jim Costello, Malone
Leonard Bayer, Schofield
Gerald Vesperman, Lancaster
Damon Szymanski, Pulaski
1992
Donald Riemer, Chilton
Roger Fust, Wausau
Richard Doerfer, Verona
Frederick Gay, Reeseville
1993
Joe Sarbacker, Belleville
Philip Tetzner, Washburn
George Rau, Dorchester
Bob Gardner, Pittsville
1994
Robert Crane, Burlington
Frank Jasurda, Philips
Thomas Klahn, Lodi
Jerome Servais, St. Joseph
1995
Burt Tuckey, Lancaster
Donald Newman, Clark County
Allen Sievert, Bonduel
Melvin Strauss, Mequon
1996
Jim Bradley, Sun Prairie
Ken Congdon, Galesville
Joe Polak, Merrill
Allen Timm, Seymour
1997
Albert Greenheck, Lone Rock
Joe Mertens, Kiel
Howard Richards, Lodi
1998
La Verne Ausman, Elk Mound
Loren Hanson, Elk Mound
Bill and Rich Creaser, Menomonie
Note: There were no awards given between 1999 and 2004
2005
Dallas Grenawalt, Beloit
Doug Hodorff, Eden
Jim Holte, Elk Mound
Mark Riechers, Darlington
2006
Jack Banker, Black Creek
Mike McCullough, Juda
Roger Rebout, Janesville
Jim Senn, Campbellsport
Don Slama, Hillsboro
2007
Edward Engen, Brodhead
E. Budd Gerrits, Greenleaf
Doug Mueller, Fall Creek
Don Rickert, Eldorado
2008
Michael Birling, Black Creek
Gerald Dannenberg, Mineral Point
Larry Pollack, Ripon
Howard Roth, Wauzeka
2009
Wallace Behnke, Brooklyn
Steve Holte, Westby
John Ruedinger, Van Dyne
Ronald, Alfred, Mark, John David and Ryan Schneider, Hilbert
2010
Robert Bahn, Berlin
Gary Boyke, Fond du Lac
Randy Geiger, Reedsville
Kenneth Hein, Stratford
Gary Ruegsegger, Stratford
Brian West, Rice Lake
2011
Ken Brown, Elmwood
Jack and Jim Hanke, Sheboygan Falls
Jim Harsdorf, River Falls
Don Mielke, Menasha
2012
Paul Buhr, Viroqua
Rosalie Geiger, Reedsville
Dale Hines, Ellsworth
Greg, Jason and Travis Lindner, Oxford
2013
Roger Grade, Eldorado
Mel Pittman, Plum City
Herb, Gary, Alan, Steve and Greg Tauchen, Bonduel
2014
Clarence Boettcher, Fairchild
Paul Schmidt, Bonduel
Charles Untz, Lake Mills
Nodji Van Wychen, Warrens
2015
Jim Fitzgerald, Newton
Tom Kestell, Waldo
Jeff Sommers, Plainfield
Dan Vosberg, South Wayne
2016
Dick Cates, Spring Green
Mark Dietsche, Bloomer
Ken Feldt, Stevens Point
Hank Wagner, Oconto Falls
2017
Mike Cerny, Sharon
Rick Dado, Amery
Jim Rickert, Eldorado
Wally, Sherry, Dan and Paul Siemers, Newton
2018
Tom Kriskovich, Ashland
Dan Natzke, Greenleaf
Lyle Ott, Brillion
Keith Ripp, Lodi
Tom Sarbacker, Verona
2019
Rick Adams, Elkhorn
Sue Bellman, Delavan
Joe Brantmeier, Sherwood
Joe Henry, Dane
2020
Charlie, George, Tom and Mark Crave, Waterloo
Jeff Hendrickson, Belleville
Eric Rygg, Eau Claire
Kent Wendorf, Viroqua
2021
Brian Brown, Belleville
Brian Forrest, Stratford
Jack Herricks, Cashton
John Judd, Mount Horeb
2022
Paul Beach, Monroe
Jon, Doug and Les Danielson, Cadott
Darren Schroeder, Columbus
Pam Selz-Pralle and Scott Pralle, Humbird
2023
Marty Hallock, Mondovi
Eric and Carol Hillan, Ladysmith
Jim and Robin Seaquist, Ellison Bay
Roger and Tammy Weiland, Columbus
2024
Matt Lippert, Pittsville
Brian McCulloh, Viroqua
Scott, Daun, Keith, Lynn, Patrick, and Courtney Maier, Waunakee
Keven Schultz, Fox Lake
Honorary Master Agriculturists
2024
David Schneider, Oconto
President Donald Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, in his bid to be the next governor of Wisconsin.
Trump announced the endorsement Tuesday night, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Tiffany had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
“He will fight to advance Common Sense Values, and put WISCONSIN, AND AMERICA, FIRST,” Trump wrote.
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The endorsement puts to bed the questions of whether — and when — Trump would weigh in on the GOP primary for governor.
Tiffany, who has represented northern Wisconsin’s 7th District in Congress since 2020, was considered an early favorite to clinch the Republican nomination against Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, but recent fundraising numbers suggested Schoemann could put up a fight.
The backing from Trump has proven critical in Republican primaries across the country, and it’s almost certain to give Tiffany a boost. Four years ago, Trump’s endorsement helped propel businessman Tim Michels over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in the 2022 GOP primary for governor.
But whether the president’s nod is a help or a hindrance in the general election is an open question, especially in a cycle that polling suggests could favor Democrats. Four years ago, Michels lost to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the general election. And almost immediately after Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin looked to seize on the president’s support of Tiffany as a condemnation.
“We agree with Donald Trump—Tom Tiffany has been by his side for all of it: ICE murdering Americans in the streets, the Big Ugly Bill, ending funding for the Affordable Care Act, invading Greenland, and raising every day costs,” read a statement from state Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker. “Donald Trump just made Tom Tiffany the general election nominee, and we will stop him from bringing his chaotic and dangerous agenda in November.”
At least seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for governor, where many of them have made attacking Trump central to their campaigns. The winner of the general election will replace Evers, who is not seeking a third term.
Trump’s announcement came as part of a slate of endorsements posted to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday evening. He also endorsed Michael Alfonso, who is running for Tiffany’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in Congress.
Alfonso is the 25-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy, who represented the 7th District before Tiffany. He’s one of four Republicans running to replace Tiffany.
Trump called Alfonso “a young ‘STAR’.”
In a post on X, Alfonso wrote that it is his “greatest honor to accept this endorsement from President Donald J. Trump,” and pledged “to be a steadfast MAGA warrior.”
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
The move comes after Polaris announced it was separating from Indian Motorcycle.
Powersports company Polaris has announced it plans to wind down the operations at its facility in Osceola which specializes in manufacturing Indian Motorcycle.
The move impacts roughly 200 Wisconsin workers at the facility.
On Jan. 27, during a fourth quarter and full year earnings call for 2025, Polaris said the company expects to sell Indian Motorcycle by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to Carolwood, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles. However the company plans to maintain some stake in the company.
Polaris officials said called the sale of Indian Motorcycle was a “difficult decision” and added it was a “move that we believe is best for Polaris and Indian Motorcycle.”
In a post on X, Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin said:
“We have seen this story in Wisconsin too many times – a private equity firm buys a company, hollows it out, & fires its workers, all to pad their profits. It’s simply wrong.”
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