A local farmer will be celebrated for his agricultural acumen.

Practical Farmers of Iowa has chosen Panora resident Earl Hafner as the recipient of this year’s Sustainable Agriculture Achievement Award. Each year this award is given to someone who has shown exemplary commitment to sustainable agriculture, and an ability to use their knowledge to improve communities, farms, and food quality.

Hafner farms with his son Jeff at Early Morning Harvest and Hafner Incorporated, a 2,000-acre farm that includes: crops, livestock, vegetables, honey, and even tilapia. The farm doesn’t currently use any synthetic chemicals and Hafner believes sustainability must include not just economic resilience, but also land stewardship.

Hafner also has an extensive history with Practical Farmers of Iowa. He has hosted several field days and farm tours, along with sessions at previous annual conferences and on-farm research. Earl will receive the award during PFI’s annual conference this Friday at 5:15pm in the Iowa State Center Scheman Building at Iowa State University in Ames.