INDIANAPOLIS – Two young Indiana couples living within 60 miles of each other have received some of the most prestigious agriculture related awards in the state.

Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) selected Jacob and Jill Smoker, of LaPorte County, for its annual Achievement Award. This year’s Excellence in Agriculture Award from INFB went to Ryan and Marie Hilton, of Jasper County.

According to INFB, the awards are strictly for young farmers and other professionals in the agriculture industry.

The Achievement Award is for INFB members earning a majority of their income from production agriculture. Two panels of judges evaluate applicants on their leadership involvement and farm management techniques.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award honors INFB members whose earnings are mostly from outside the farm. Those applicants must actively contribute and grow their involvement in farm bureau and agriculture, INFB said.

Jacob Smoker manages daily tasks like crop contracting and feed truck deliveries at Smoker Farms, which raises corn, soybeans and cattle on about 1,400 acres near Wanatah, about 30 miles south of Lake Michigan.

Jill Smoker, an art teacher at Chesterton High School, helps out by scouting, picking up parts and running equipment.

Currently, Jacob Smoker is vice president of the board for the farm bureau branch in LaPorte County. He and Jill were also representatives of the state committee for Young Farmers and Ag Professionals from 2017 to 2019. Jacob was chairman of the committee in 2019.

“We are so grateful we had that opportunity,” Jill Smoker said, “Some of my favorite memories were from the time spent getting to know the greater ag community and connecting with them about the highs and lows that you can face on the farm.”

Jacob and Jill met in high school while participating in 4-H and both of them attended Purdue University. Jacob earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and horticultural production and marketing.

Jill, who grew up on a farm in the northeast part of the state, received a bachelor’s degree in visual art education and a master’s degree in education. They have a 4-year-old daughter and 2-year son.

No breaks appear in the chain linking the farm to the family since 1944.

“When I think about the future of the farm, I think about starting to transition from myself to my son and my daughter. It’s about growing the farm in a sustainable way and making sure they are set up to succeed when they are ready to take over the operation,” Jacob said.

Ryan Hilton has been employed for 15 years at Belstra Milling Co., a feed mill and transport operation dealing primarily with hogs, according to INFB.

He’s the livestock transport driver and logistics coordinator for the company near DeMotte, but has worked in areas like maintenance and delivering feed to farms.

Marie Hilton, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education, recently accepted an offer to teach ag science at Covenant Christian High School.

For the past six-years, she has provided day care for friends and neighbors in the farming community in addition to taking care of the Hilton’s own children.

“In the next five years, we have dreams of starting our own livestock transport business. We want to be able to help keep the food chain link unbroken,” Marie Hilton said.

Ryan and Marie are board members on the Jasper County branch of farm bureau. They also were representatives on the state committee for Young Farmers and Ag Professionals from 2017 to 2019.

“The best thing about being on the committee was making those connections and being able to advocate for those who may not have a voice of their own or may not have the time to go out and advocate for themselves,” Ryan said.

Winners and finalists will be formally recognized during the INFB state convention in December. According to INFB, each winning couple will receive an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the American Farm Bureau annual convention in Atlanta, Ga., in January.

The Smokers will also receive a $6,000 cash prize from Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and 250 hours of using an M-Series Kubota tractor at no cost. The Hiltons will be given a $3,000 cash prize from Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and John Deere Gator from Farm Credit Services.