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DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will present the Knupp family of Washington County with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award at an open house Friday, Sept. 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the farm of Tanner Knupp, located between Washington and Kalona.
The award honors Iowa livestock farmers who demonstrate strong environmental stewardship, quality animal care and a commitment to being good neighbors in their communities.
A Farming Legacy Spanning Six Generations
Marc and Mary Ann Knupp represent a Washington County farming legacy stretching back more than 170 years, with the family farming in the county since 1854. Marc is the sixth generation to work the land, and this year marks his 51st crop on some of the same ground he first rented and planted in 1975. He farms independently and also serves as the primary operator of the Knupp & Sons grain operation alongside his nephew, Tanner Knupp.
Livestock has long been central to the operation. Marc’s father raised hogs and cattle after returning from World War II, and Marc and his brother, Carl (Zues), launched a farrow-to-finish hog operation in the 1970s before shifting to contract finishing in 1994. The family’s hog barns are now transitioning to the next generation, including nephews Tanner and Austin Knupp, while Marc continues raising corn and soybeans and using manure as a key nutrient source.
“Six generations on the farm represents an incredible legacy, but what stands out about the Knupp family is their willingness to continually adapt while staying rooted in the values that have sustained their family for generations,” Secretary Naig said. “Marc and Mary Ann have embraced new opportunities, cared for their land and livestock and invested countless hours in their community while creating opportunities for the next generation to lead. That same spirit is evident throughout the Knupp family, whether they’re farming, building agricultural businesses or serving agriculture at the local and national levels. Their commitment to leaving their farm and community stronger for future generations makes them very deserving of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”
Diversification and Conservation
Beyond corn and soybeans, Marc has grown seed corn and seed soybeans and currently raises specialty plots for Corteva. During difficult commodity markets from 1983 to 1991, the Knupps diversified further by growing tomatoes for Heinz — one example of the family’s longstanding willingness to pursue new opportunities.
Conservation practices are woven throughout the operation. The Knupps use filter strips, terraces, grassed waterways and minimum tillage, and began adding cereal rye cover crops on rolling ground in 2021. Marc’s goal is to continually improve the land and pass it on to the next generation in better condition than he found it.
A Family Enterprise
The extended Knupp family remains deeply involved in agriculture across multiple ventures. Carl(Zues) and Tanner operate Knupp Trucking, and Jared Holmes runs Holmes Trucking. Austin Knupp contributes to row-crop production, manure hauling and trucking, and both Tanner and Austin are taking on greater responsibility for the family’s hog facilities as those operations transition to the next generation.
Marc and Mary Ann’s daughters have also built careers rooted in agriculture. Jen Knupp and her partner, Dwayne Faidley, raise and sell Miniature Herefords and genetics and maintain a commercial cow-calf operation southeast of Colfax, where Dwayne also serves as an associate professor of agriculture at Ellsworth Community College. Courtney Knupp currently serves as director of global supply chain at the National Security Council and was recently named the incoming CEO of the United Soybean Board, a role she begins Oct. 1.
Decades of Community Leadership
Marc and Mary Ann have devoted decades of service to Washington County and Iowa agriculture. Both have held leadership roles with local corn and soybean grower organizations and continue to volunteer with the Washington County Fair. Marc previously served on the Washington Community School Board and as president and board member of the Washington County Fair Association, and has been active with the Washington FFA Alumni. Mary Ann currently serves on the United Presbyterian Home Board of Directors, the YMCA Finance Committee and the Washington County Board of Review, and previously served on the Washington County Riverboat Foundation Board of Directors.
The Knupps are members of the Washington County Farm Bureau and have maintained long-term involvement with local, state and national corn and soybean organizations, as well as the Washington County Pork Producers. After decades of leadership, Marc and Mary Ann have intentionally begun stepping back from certain roles to create space for younger generations to step up.
About the Award
Now in its 22nd year, the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award is made possible through a partnership between the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers, The Big Show on WHO Radio, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. It recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in caring for the environment and their livestock while being good neighbors and community leaders.
About the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship advocates for Iowa’s farmers and protects consumers, animals, our food supply and our shared soil and water resources. Its programs strengthen rural communities, support a thriving agriculture economy, and build a stronger future for all Iowans.
Join the Celebration
Pork producers, livestock haulers and fellow row crop stewards throughout the region are invited to celebrate the Knupp family’s six generations of agricultural leadership at the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award open house on Friday, Sept. 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the farm of Tanner Knupp, located between Washington and Kalona, Iowa. The event offers a chance to recognize a family whose hog operations, grain production and trucking businesses reflect the same values of stewardship and community that define Iowa agriculture.
