Beck’s and Indiana AgriNews have announced the Muegge family as the 2024 Indiana Farm Family of the Year. Residing in Hancock County, the Muegge family represents the dedication and service the award represents in a farm family.
Bruce and Linda Muegge spearhead their family’s cattle and grain operation, while their three children, Carli, Cari, and Chris, their spouses, and Bruce’s mother are also vital contributors to the success of the family farm.
Off the farm, Bruce and Linda have been active members of the Walnut Ridge Friends Meeting for 20 years, and Linda currently serves as the Monthly Meeting Clerk and Trustee. Bruce served on the Hancock County Co-Op Board for three years before its consolidation and on the Indiana Cutting Horse Association for three years. Linda has served as the Chamber of Commerce Board Director and President of the Morristown Chamber of Commerce, Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Blue River Community Foundation, and the Hancock Community Foundation for 14 years.
All three of their children are heavily involved in different community organizations, including FFA, Indiana Farriers Association, Once Upon a Prom, Leadership Hancock County, Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation of Hancock County’s Women’s Fund, Indiana Farm Bureau, Hancock County District, and so much more.
“Helping others is what’s most important,” Linda said. “We’ve worked hard to instill that in our children and our grandchildren.”
In 2021, the Muegge family hosted their first M5 Farm to Fork Market, a farmers’ market dedicated to bringing together local ag/home producers of food, crafts, woodworking, and produce. Their mission is to drive local production and purchasing and bring people together once a month.
“While agriculture continues to evolve, the resilience of farm families does not,” Beck’s President Scott Beck said. “The Muegge family represents an unwavering dedication to their hometown and Indiana agriculture that we are proud to recognize.”
Beck’s and Indiana AgriNews recognized the family at the 2023 Indiana Farm Bureau Convention held on Dec. 15 in Fort Wayne, Ind.
For the past 26 years, Beck’s and Indiana AgriNews have honored one Indiana farm family for their work on the farm, service to their community, and the agricultural industry. The award aims to increase awareness of the important contributions farm families make. Nominations for the 2025 Indiana Farm Family will open in the summer of 2024.