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Pam Henderson Smith was reared on a diversified grain and livestock farm in west-central Illinois where five generations of family still till and toil. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois and currently is a seed technology and production editor for Farm Journal.

We’re unlocking the mystery and getting inside the heads of Top Producer of the Year winners and finalists. Check out what they’ve learned along the way and tips that you might be able to incorporate into your own farm.

John Dillard grew up on a beef cattle farm in Amelia, Va., which is still operated by his parents. John’s work on farms and ranches in Virginia, South Dakota and Wyoming provided him with an appreciation for the unique challenges faced by agricultural producers across the United States. He earned bachelor’s degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics at Virginia Tech. John also earned a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. Prior to attending law school, he worked for a consulting firm that advised agribusiness clients (seed, renewable fuels, cooperatives, equipment) in marketing and business strategy development. Additionally, Mr. Dillard was an economist for USDA’s Economic Research Service, where his work focused on preparing farm income reports and reports examining the financial health of the agricultural sector. Now an attorney practicing with OFW Law in Washington, D.C., John concentrates his practice on litigation, with an emphasis on environmental and agriculture-related litigation. Mr. Dillard has represented clients in complex matters involving Clean Water Act disputes, livestock odor nuisance tort actions, and government contract regulations. He also advises clients in the food and agricultural industries regarding the impacts of litigation, government regulations and legislation on their businesses.

Tanner Ehmke is the content manager for AgWeb.com. He is orignially from western Kansas where his family farms wheat, rye, triticale and milo. Prior to joining AgWeb, he was a news reporter for Dow Jones at the Chicago Board of Trade and a commodities analyst with AgResource Company in Chicago.

Bob Utterback has more than 26 years of experience and offers producers a disciplined approach to marketing and preparing for the future. Utterback Marketing Services, Inc. is a commodities brokerage firm based in the small farming community of New Richmond [West Central] Indiana, serving clients throughout the U.S. who trade agricultural and related commodities. Trades are cleared by a family owned futures commission merchant based in Chicago since 1914. Utterback Marketing Services, Inc. and its staff are registered with the National Futures Association.