Fourteen finalists have been announced across Michigan Farm Bureau’s 2026 Young Farmer awards program, celebrating outstanding young leaders in the state’s prodigious farm sector.
The Young Farmer Achievement Award recognizes successful young farmers (individuals or couples) who derive a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture enterprise and showcases their achievements in the business of farming.
Each finalist is awarded $400 in cash and MFB apparel sponsored by Farm Bureau Health Services. The 2026 state winner will receive a $1,000 AgroLiquid gift certificate, an equipment lease, and an all-expense paid trip to the AFBF Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This year's Young Farmer Achievement winners are Karl & Katie Wernette of Mecosta County; see more about her here. Here's the other finalist in this year's Achievement category:
Chylie Sweeney — Sanilac
Chylie Sweeney and her husband Mark operate Speaker Farm Market & Orchard, near Melvin in southern Sanilac County. Working side-by-side most days, they raise a variety of fruits and vegetables, from apples, tomatoes, sweet corn and zucchini to squashes, cucumbers, peppers and pumpkins.
They also keep a 60-head herd of sheep, rotate hay production across several properties, and maintain an on-farm bakery where pies are scratch-made.
Purchasing the orchard and storefront in 2024 expanded the business and allowed Chylie and Mark to achieve full-time farming status. The 20-acre site includes the apple orchard, storefront and bakery. Since the purchase, Chylie has expanded their offerings to include more agritourism options, including some u-pick options.
From there the plan is to keep growing, adding more agritourism components and creating memorable experiences to better engage visitors — and to keep them returning year after year, better connecting the greater community with food and agriculture.
As an involved Farm Bureau member, Sweeney has found the organization opening several doors to opportunity.
“To me, the connections I make in my local area and across the state are so important,” Sweeney said. “I’m learning and growing as a leader every day.”