Boyd County Farm Bureau Couple Take Home NEFB’s Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award
KEARNEY, NEB. – Kyle and Tiffany Lechtenberg of Boyd County Farm Bureau were honored as Nebraska Farm Bureau’s 2018 Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement in Agriculture Award winners at the Nebraska Farm Bureau 101st Annual Convention Tuesday, Dec. 4 at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney.
Farm Bureau members 18 to 35 years of age apply for the award. The Lechtenbergs were selected on the basis of performance in farm or ranch management, setting and achieving goals, overcoming obstacles, and service to the community and Farm Bureau.
The Lechtenberg farm is near Butte, where Kyle grew up. They have diversified their farm, raising row crops, alfalfa, cattle, and managing a trucking business. Tiffany grew up with an agriculture background in Broken Bow as her family owns and operates Arrow Seed Company. Kyle earned two degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in agricultural economics and animal science. Tiffany earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and now works as a registered nurse in O’Neill. The couple married in 2009.
The main profit center of the Lechtenberg’s Farm, which has been named NorthView Family Farms, LLC, is a commercial alfalfa operation where they provide a custom hay brokering, harvesting, and hay hauling business. Having diversity in the operation allows the Lechtenbergs to purchase and/or produce additional commodities to sell at premium rates.
Kyle started farming and ranching in 2002, when he started a cow herd with his brother. In 2003, two additional brothers and his parents joined all their cattle assets together and named it Lechtenberg Cattle Company. In college, he then began working at a hay company, named Eagle Alfalfa. The owner asked Kyle if he would be interested in buying his commercial alfalfa business, and in 2008 Kyle purchased the Eagle Alfalfa company and merged it with Lechtenberg Cattle Company. At this point the only remaining partners in the company were Kyle and his parents, with Tiffany joining the business partnership after their marriage. Then in 2012, they rebranded their farm and renamed it NorthView Family Farms, LLC.
“Renaming the company has allowed us to pursue other diverse enterprise opportunities. Since the rebranding and setting a clear vision for our future, our farm has expanded to employ five full-time, and two to four seasonal employees along with multiple independent contractors,” Kyle said.
Setting marketing goals is important to the success of NorthView Family Farms, LLC. They recently launched a website to add value to both customers and land owners alike. They have an active Facebook page and send out monthly newsletters, customer letters, and pride themselves in building strong customer relationships.
“We are always planning for the future in our operation and are excited to find new ways to serve those in our community. We work diligently to find new opportunities, analyze those options, and plan for future growth and improvements. There’s no better feeling than knowing the work we are doing literally puts food on the table for both us as produces and for consumers all over the world,” Tiffany said.
The Lechtenbergs balance busy schedules with farm life, volunteer activities, and with Nebraska Farm Bureau. The Lechtenbergs have four children, Joycin, twins Addison and Austin and their youngest son Jackson. Both Kyle and Tiffany serve as the North Central representatives on the Nebraska Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and they both serve on the Boyd County Farm Bureau board of directors. Tiffany is cofounder of a MOMS group at the Butte Community Bible Church. As winners of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award, the Lechtenbergs will receive a $500 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to the 2019 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana in January, where they will compete in the national contest.
The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service and advocacy efforts. More than 61,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit www.nefb.org.
