Elizabeth Schoeneberg is a CCOF Future Organic Farmers Grantee.
Elizabeth Schoeneberg is a sixth-generation farmer on her family’s land, where she helps to raise Holstein dairy-beef steers, grow conventional crops and Christmas trees, and host Wisconsin’s largest corn maze and pumpkin patch.
Schoeneberg is entering her first year at Iowa State University and has big plans for the future. “My academic studies in organic farming at ISU will give me the scientific and business tools to strengthen our family farm and build a resilient, first-generation operation of my own,” she says.
Schoeneberg’s family farm uses regenerative practices to grow their strawberries, peaches, pumpkins, and row crops, focusing on soil health, cover crops, natural repellents, and pollinators. “The modern food system prioritizes quick-growing, transportable crops, so farmers often rely on pesticides and synthetic fertilizers,” Schoeneberg says. “At Iowa State University, I plan to major in Agricultural Studies and pursue a career in agricultural policy so I can advocate for regenerative farming, support farmers, and eventually return to help run my family’s agritourism farm.”
She also plans to engage and strengthen the local farming community. “Through my time at Iowa State University, my main focus will be advocating and helping farmers to practice more sustainable ways of agriculture,” she says. “Educating other producers on the various ways in which we as farmers can improve our water quality, soil health, and limit erosion through holistic agriculture can all make a difference in improving human health overall.”
Schoeneberg is already active within her local community, where she advocates for farmers at county and township meetings and creates educational materials for up-and-coming farmers. “With my background in agriculture, I feel a responsibility to speak up for my community,” Schoeneberg says. “Watching my family fight industrial developers who are buying prime farmland has shown me that staying silent is not an option.”
Throughout high school, Schoeneberg has shown a strong leadership and a strong work ethic. She has participated in local festivals, clothing drives, and family events in addition to working on the family farm maintaining Christmas trees, operating farm equipment, and assisting with agritourism events. She feeds calves at a local dairy farm, works at a flower and gift shop, and has completed her Outdoor Recreation Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) and competed in Career Development Events (CDEs) and Leadership Development Events (LDEs) through the Future Farmers of America (FFA). She says, “These experiences prove that service not only helps others but also fosters personal growth.”
“By combining research-based practices with the lived experience I’ve gained on my family’s farm, I’ll be equipped to improve our farm’s stability, expand opportunities in our community, and mentor other small producers facing similar challenges,” she says. “I will be able to return to my family’s farm in partnership with my brother, and together, he and I can create our farm to be a more sustainable operation than it already is.”
The CCOF Foundation is proud to support producers like Elizabeth Schoeneberg with the Future Organic Farmers grant, which provides $5,000 scholarships to college and vocational students training for careers in organic.
