Recognizing a true steward of the land

Carmen Fernholz has been a steady hand at the forefront of sustainable agriculture in Minnesota for more than half a century.

He was part of an early groundswell of support for organic farming, starting his family’s organic farm near Madison, Minnesota, in 1972. When legislative support was rallied to link grassroots ideas for sustainability to University of Minnesota research and innovation, Fernholz was there, sleeves rolled up alongside lawmakers to create the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships in 1997. 

Those are only a couple highlights of Fernholz’s advocacy for producing food while protecting soil, water and air. In recognition of his leadership, Fernholz was awarded the prestigious 2025 Siehl Prize for Excellence in Agriculture.

“As a long-time innovator and visionary in agriculture, Carmen is truly deserving of this honor. He has been a strong advocate for adopting new crop varieties and a passionate champion for sustainable farming practices,” said Dean Brian Buhr of the University’s College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences. “Carmen exemplifies what it means to be a true steward of the land.”  

Farm kid to farming leader

Fernholz grew up living the link between healthy land and healthy people; his father set aside an acre of his farm each year to grow wheat for flour, along with a large garden. Trained and working as a high school English teacher, Fernholz was registered to begin graduate studies when his roots pulled him to a familiar calling. 

“The day before I was supposed to start school, I told my wife I’m going to buy a farm,” he remembered. 

Along with his wife, Sally, and four children, he raised organic corn and soybeans as well as an earlier hog operation on the family’s 450-acre farm, which earned organic certification in 1975. He “sort of retired” from crop farming five years ago, but soon began a small cow-calf beef operation. He’s also part of an active arts scene in the Madison area where he has directed dozens of high school and community theater productions.

From the start, he’s been laser-focused on the foundations essential to organic production: the ecological imperatives of stewardship, the social will to support organic food systems and the economic viability to ensure farmers can make a decent living 

Early on, though, the scarcity of science-driven information from the state’s land-grant university was a sobering reality check for farmers like Fernholz.

“Organic farming wasn’t ‘cool’ at that time. Somebody asked me, ‘Where do you go for knowledge about organics?’” Fernholz recalled. “The only thing that came out of my mouth was that I knew where I didn’t go: the University of Minnesota.” 

Each decade since, Fernholz has been a public advocate for the University’s expansion into organic growing and sustainable agriculture research and education. He helped found the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, a partnership between the university and public stakeholders. He served as the Organic Agriculture Research Coordinator at the Southwest Research & Outreach Center in Lamberton and as a board chair for the West Central RSDP (now Southwest and Central RSDP). 

“Carmen is inspirational. He empowered me to keep going, especially during times of institutional resistance to sustainability goals, and especially with agriculture practices and building a local foods system. His optimism and can-do attitude leadership helped create programs such as farm-to-school, renewable energy projects and rural healthcare initiatives,” said Dorothy Rosemeier, the former West Central RSDP executive director. 

A bittersweet recognition

Fernholz is carrying forward the work of his dear friend, Don Wyse, a University of Minnesota professor and co-founder of the Forever Green Initiative, who died in 2024. Wyse’s career championed regenerative agriculture, creating the building blocks for crops like Kernza, a perennial grain. Fernholz was among early planters of the crop and helped launch a cooperative dedicated to promoting its agronomic and economic vitality. Wyse was recognized posthumously with the Siehl Prize this year.

“If I had one wish, it would be that we could have been together at the Siehl Prize,” Fernholz reflected. But the spirit that drove their shared vision stays strong, grounded in Fernholz’s embrace of never-ending education. “My mentees sort of become my mentors because we’re all learning together.”