Lillie Beringer, 25, of Cascade, Iowa was named the first-place winner of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) “Grow Your Future” Award during the 2022 IFBF Young Farmer Conference, held Jan. 28-29. 

The Grow Your Future Award promotes young agriculturalists, ages 18-35, with a niche market, agritourism, ag services or specialty business. As the 2022 winner, Beringer will take home the top cash prize of $7,500 to grow her direct-to-consumer beef business. 

Beringer, who also works off-farm as an animal nutritionist, recently purchased her grandfather’s farm where she raises an Angus herd. To chronicle her farm adventures, she started her own Facebook page—Beringer Family Farms. What began as a way to share her story with people unfamiliar with animal agriculture turned into a business when someone asked, “Can I buy beef from you?” 

Beringer Family Farms, just celebrating its first year in business, sells 21-day, dry-aged Angus cuts from tomahawk steaks and sirloins to meat bundles. Beef sold through Beringer’s website is available for pickup at her farm or shipped direct to all 50 states. With her Grow Your Future Award winnings, Beringer plans to purchase a walk-in cooler to store more of her product.  

“The Grow Your Future Award allowed me to share my story and financially take my beef sales to the next level with increased freezer space,” says Beringer. “I enjoyed networking with like-minded, young farmer entrepreneurs and am truly humbled by this opportunity and constant support.”