The annual Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under Forty awards program celebrates individuals who are the next generation of leaders, representing the best in the industry. The following 40 honorees were selected because they are truly making, positive marks in our industry.

Join us in celebrating the Class of 2024 in person at the Great Lakes Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in December.

Thank you to Stoke Seeds for supporting this year’s 40 outstanding individuals by sponsoring this year’s Fruit + Vegetable 40 UNDER Forty awards.


Class of 2023

Amy Rial
MyLand- A Soil Health Company

Andrew DeGroot
DeGroot's Vegetable Farms

Andrew Kirk
Ohio State University-Ashtabula Agricultural Research Station

Andrew Ochs
The Veggie Boys

Anna Testen
USDA-ARS

Bill Groenink
Endeavor Ag & Energy

Brent Christensen
Blake's Orchard and Cider Mill

Chad Reenders
Blue Mitten Winery LLC

Cliff Riner
G&R Farms

Cory Justus
Justus Orchard

Courtney Hamilton Griffin
Southern Valley Fruit & Vegetable, Inc.

Dane Hauser
Hauser's Superior View Farm and Apfelhaus Cidery

Emily Gant
AgroFresh Solutions Inc.

Emily Grabemeyer
Wilbur-Ellis Company

Erin Doughtie
Syngenta Vegetable Seeds

Ethan Rosen
Pure Line Seeds, Inc.

George Zhuang
University of California Cooperative Extension at Fresno County

Jake Emling
Emling Agricultural Services LLC

Jason Stanton
Stanton Farms

Jeremy Shank
Central Produce Sales, Inc.

Joseph Sutton
Sutton Agricultural Enterprises

Joshua Duley
Hartung Brothers, Inc

Justin Ballew
Clemson University

Kyle Rasch
Third Leaf Farm/ Tom Rasch & Son Orchards

Leonard Burger III
Burger's Farm

Leslie Holland
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Luke DeHaan
Crossroads Blueberry Farm

Marcio Resende
University of Florida

Matthew Macrie
Macrie Brothers Blueberry Farm

Mike Basedow
Cornell Cooperative Extension

Rachel Itle
University of Georgia

Rebekah Alstede Modery
Alstede Farms LLC

Travis Torrey
Torrey Farms Inc

Troy Bland
Bland Farms

Ty Torrance
UGA Extension

Valerie Ramsburg
Rice Fruit Company

Zach Wortiska
Seedway

Current Issue

Fruit Growers News November 2024 cover image

Michigan Ridgefest: Industry consumption push drives Ridgefest apple updates

Water quality management in orchards: Maintaining grove water

Grove insights: IFTA summer tour

Plum factors:  Successful varieties offer growers opportunities

2024 Great Lakes EXPO: Juice processing, berry fertilization and new crop nutrition techniques to be highlighted

40U40 honorees

2025 Fruit & Nut Buyers’ Guide

Anaerobic soil disinfestation: Researchers study natural method to help strawberry growers

Washington tree fruit growers react to H-2A ruling

Organic Grower: Blue Bird Fruit 

Fresh Views: Team approaches to disease management

Farm Market & Agritourism: Market channel assessment

Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas

 

 

see all current issue »

Be sure to check out our other specialty agriculture brands

produceprocessingsm Organic Grower