After earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and youth development/agricultural education from Purdue University, Lisa Koester began her professional career as a sales representative for Ciba (Syngenta).

Levi Huffman is owner/operator of Huffman & Hawbaker Farms. Levi’s farm responsibilities include grain marketing, crop insurance and government program decisions, along with support of both grain and vegetables enterprises.

David W. Howell is the co-founder and owner of Howell Farms near Middletown, Ind. Along wit​h his wife, Mary, David founded Howell Farms in 1972 on rented land with borrowed equipment.

David Hardin is the manager of Hardin Farms near Danville, Ind. He received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Purdue in 1996.

Sam Halcomb grew up working on​ his family’s grain and hog operation in south central Kentucky during the ’80s and ’90s.