Fourteen finalists have been announced across Michigan Farm Bureau’s 2025 Young Farmer awards program, celebrating outstanding young leaders in the state’s prodigious farm sector.
The Excellence in Agriculture Award is designed to recognize young farmers (individuals or couples) for their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau. Let’s meet this year’s finalists in the Excellence category:
Tera Baker — Berrien County
With her husband and parents, Tera Baker owns a cash cropping farm and precision agriculture dealership. By day she’s a marketing manager with Nedap Livestock Management, a leading provider of dairy-farm technology.
“My goals for the future are to grow precision dairy technology adoption rate and implementation,” she said. “I also hope to expand the acreage we farm and increase the user base working with our family's precision ag equipment business.”
She credits Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer program for developing her leadership skills and understanding of the legislative process.
“It’s important for farmers to get involved in order to secure our future in business,” she said. “Farm Bureau does a tremendous job implementing programs for members to learn, grow, gain influence and network, and I think any farmer or agribusiness owner who wants to be around for the long term should find a way to get involved.”
Chase & Samantha Bos – Ottawa County
Chase and Samantha Bos split their time between ag-education careers and helping run her family’s sheep farm.
At the Newaygo County Career-Tech Center, Chase coaches students’ management of both livestock — cattle, sheep and pigs — and greenhouse crops including cool-season vegetables and annuals. As an agriscience instructor he serves high school upperclassmen in half a dozen area schools.
Meanwhile, Samantha holds a similar role in Coopersville, leading grades 9-12 in state-certified agriculture, food and natural resources programming as an agriscience teacher and FFA advisor.
Samantha’s experience on her family’s commercial sheep operation led to her leadership role with the Michigan Sheep Producers Association, where for four years she served as executive director.
“Farm Bureau provides opportunities for connections with others in agriculture,” Samantha said. “Membership is invaluable because it provides a strong sense of connection, access to limitless resources and the opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself and my local community.”
Together they look forward to acquiring land and someday starting their own farm business.
Erica Drake – Washtenaw County
A water utility technician by day, Erica Drake helps maintain the City of Ann Arbor’s stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure. At her family’s Drakelan Farms she works alongside her parents and brother raising 200 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, barley and wheat — and beef cattle for direct-market sale.
“One accomplishment I’m proud of is being a 4-H leader, sharing my passion for agriculture with youth members in my community,” she said. “As a youth member of my local ag community, I was very fortunate (still am) to have many mentors who invested their time and knowledge in me. I’m delighted to be able to pay this forward by now being a mentor myself.”
The fourth-generation farmer looks forward to helping expand Drakelan Farms so another four generations beyond her can enjoy the same prosperity from it she has.
“Farm Bureau offers countless opportunities to become a better leader, learn new skills, grow my voice and experience things I wouldn't have ever pushed myself to do,” she said. “There is always something to learn!”
Taylor and Ryan Schomaker – Saginaw County
Beyond their day jobs as a registered dietician (Taylor) and journeyman lineman (Ryan), the Schomakers keep plenty busy transforming their century-old farm into an updated, consumer-facing agritourism destination. Cash crop fields became plots for more than 30 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus a mixed herd of livestock that plays a key role in the facility’s educational component.
“Our mission is to serve up fresh, local goodies while giving folks a fun peek into where their food comes from and how it grows,” Taylor said. “Every year we roll out an educational series that dives into everything from animal husbandry to seasonal produce. Plus we provide sponsorship and education for select youth to raise their own livestock, on-site, from start to finish.”
Community support so far has been encouraging.
“We’re eager to enhance our community engagement and educational initiatives at Schomaker Farms, and aim to strengthen our 4-H sponsorship capabilities and increase the number of youth educational events we can host, including field trips and summer camps.”
Share Story
Article Tags
