Indiana Farm Bureau has announced the 2025 winners of their top awards for Young Farmers & Ag Professionals—the Rising Star, the Excellence in Agriculture and the Achievement awards.
- Cody and Samantha Otten of Tippecanoe County
- Megan Espinda of Henry County
- Brock and Laura Kiesler of Floyd and Washington counties
All three awards recognize young farmers and ag professionals for their leadership and involvement with their state or local Farm Bureau, in addition to their commitment to strengthening agriculture across Indiana. A panel of judges evaluated this year’s participants.
Cody and Samantha Otten, Tippecanoe County, won the Rising Star Award, which honors outstanding members who are active in Farm Bureau, display personal and professional growth by participating in those activities, and are passionate about agriculture. The Ottens will receive a $2,000 cash prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to Portland, Oregon, for the 2026 Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference.
Megan Espinda, Henry County, is the winner of the Excellence in Agriculture Award. The award honors Farm Bureau members who do not derive the majority of their income from a farming operation but who actively contribute and grow their involvement in Farm Bureau, the agriculture industry and other community organizations. Espinda will receive an $8,000 cash prize courtesy of Farm Credit Mid-America, a $3,000 cash prize courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and an all-expenses-paid trip to Anaheim, California, to compete at the 2026 American Farm Bureau convention in January.
Brock and Laura Kiesler, Floyd and Washington counties, won the Achievement Award, which recognizes and rewards young farmers who derive the majority of their income from a farming operation and are judged on their leadership involvement and farm management techniques. The Kieslers will receive a $6,000 cash prize courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a $5,000 cash prize courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc. and an all-expenses-paid trip to compete at the 2026 American Farm Bureau convention in Anaheim, California, in January. The Kieslers also will be awarded the David L. Leising Memorial Award.
Winners and finalists will be formally recognized during the Indiana Ag Gathering presented by INFB in December.
Learn more about this year’s winners below.
Cody and Samantha Otten, Tippecanoe County:
Cody and Samantha Otten grew up in agriculture and have been committed to it from a young age. Samantha grew up on a small grain farm in north central Indiana, and Cody worked on a local farm during high school. Both were actively involved in 4-H and FFA, in fact, the two met during a 4-H goat project.
Both Cody and Samantha continued their passion for agriculture through professional and personal endeavors. After working at a CAT dealership, Cody decided to go after his dream of farming, and with Samantha, established Otten Family Farms – a corn and soybean operation. They are currently working on an active succession plan with another couple in Tippecanoe County to acquire additional farmland.
As a first-generation farmer, Cody embraced the entrepreneurial spirit and established Red Dirt Excavation, LLC, which specializes in tree line removal, tile repair and barn pad construction. Samantha is a Purdue University graduate with a degree in agricultural economics. She works at Farmers and Merchants Bank as an ag and commercial loan officer.
The Ottens currently serve as the YF&AP chairs for Tippecanoe County Farm Bureau, where they have doubled membership engagement over the past two years. They are also on the county Farm Bureau fair planning and annual meeting committees.
“We do not come from a family background involved in Farm Bureau, but after getting married in 2020, we actively sought ways to engage more deeply with the agricultural community,” said Samantha. “Two organizations that have been especially meaningful to us are the Tippecanoe County Fair and Tippecanoe County Farm Bureau. What began with attending local meetings has since grown into participation in statewide conferences, social events and training opportunities.”
The Ottens are active in other agriculture organizations, such as the Tippecanoe County Fair Board and the Tippecanoe County Goat Barn. Samantha is also a current member of AgrIInstitute’s Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program Class 21, which prepares leaders to advance agriculture and serve the industry’s related communities.
The Ottens are excited to continue expanding their farm operation in the future, purchase farm equipment and continue their involvement in INFB at the state level. The couple resides in Clarks Hill, Indiana. They have a two-year-old daughter and a baby on the way.
“Looking ahead, we want to add acreage, deepen our agricultural knowledge and build a strong foundation to support our growing family.”
Megan Espinda, Henry County:
Megan Espinda grew up on a sixth-generation family farm in Henry County and her agriculture journey began by working with local dairies to develop business plans for their transition from traditional milking to organic production, opening her eyes to the vast career opportunities in agriculture.
Espinda’s passion for agriculture took her to the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, where she double majored in animal science and biology. She also has a master’s degree in agribusiness from Kansas State University. She now applies her education and experience to her role as agricultural liaison for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).
In the role, Espinda serves as a bridge between farmers and regulators, ensuring that policies are fair, practical and supportive of the long-term viability of agriculture. She connects production agriculture and regulatory framework to ensure that policies support both environmental stewardship and economic stability.
Espinda is also active in her local agricultural community, serving as the Henry County Farm Bureau education and outreach coordinator.
“My involvement really grew out of the relationships I had with the people in Henry County,” said Espinda. “Although I wasn’t a farmer myself, I grew up alongside many of the board members, and I truly consider them family. When I moved back to Indiana, joining Farm Bureau felt like a natural step. I’m blessed to be part of a group that so selflessly serves the community, and that welcomed me so genuinely. Being involved has not only allowed me to give back, but also to grow as a leader surrounded by people who share the same heart for agriculture and community.”
Espinda also is a current member of AgrIInstitute’s Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program Class 21. She is a leader in a variety of state agricultural organizations, such as the Agribusiness Roundtable Committee, Fertilizer Advisory Board, Certified Crop Advisory Board, Conservation Partnerships Board and a member of the Soil and Water Conservation District. She resides in Greenfield, Indiana, with her husband.
Espinda’s goal is to serve on the INFB YF&AP state committee and participate in leadership development programs.
“Winning this award is an incredible honor because it represents more than just my individual efforts—it reflects the strength of the Farm Bureau community and the support of people who have invested in me along the way.”
Brock and Laura Kiesler, Floyd and Washington counties:
Brock and Laura Kiesler both grew up with a love of agriculture instilled in them. Brock grew up next to his grandfather’s small, diversified operation in Floyd County, which included hay and cattle. After graduating from Indiana University Southeast with a degree in business management, he took over his grandfather’s farm and slowly started adding more acres. He also continued to diversify by adding row crops and more cattle.
Laura was raised on a cow/calf operation in Washington County and her family also raised chickens. She attended Indiana University Southeast as well, where she majored in education. Laura is a fifth-grade math and science teacher at East Washington Middle School.
Brock and Laura met at the INFB YF&AP conference in 2018 where their love of agriculture brought them together. They reside on Laura’s family farm in Salem, Indiana, and have recently added a small direct-to-consumer pork business, in addition to Brock’s hay, row crop and cattle operation in Floyd County. They have two sons – a four-year-old and a one-year-old.
The Kieslers are leaders not just within their county Farm Bureaus but on the state and national level as well. Laura serves as the YF&AP chair for Washington County Farm Bureau, and from August 2022 to February 2025, Brock and Laura served as the District 10 representatives on the YF&AP state committee. While on the state committee, Brock was elected the chair by his peers and sat on the INFB state board of directors.
“Our experience in Farm Bureau has provided us with lifelong friends with whom we go on trips, who come and help us in the straw field, as well as several people across the state who we stay in contact with on a regular basis,” said Laura.
In addition to their involvement in Farm Bureau, Brock sits on the American Forage and Grassland Council and State Forage Council. Laura is an associate supervisor for the Soil and Water Conservation District and a Washington County See What Ag Gives (SWAG) founding board member.
The Kieslers hope to expand the farm and increase their cattle herd. They would like to eventually buy a few of the farms they rent and pursue poultry farming. They would also like to take on additional leadership roles at the county level and participate in more INFB leadership development programs, such as the L.E.A.D program, which is designed for individuals interested in building their professional network and understanding socioeconomic impacts on the agricultural industry.
“It is definitely an honor to win this award. I feel that we make a great team, and we are excited for the opportunity to compete at AFBF in California. We are proud and thankful for the recognition of our hard work with INFB.”
Source: Indiana Farm Bureau
