Three farmers received top honors at the American Soybean Association’s yearly recognition ceremony during Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, including a Delaware farmer who received the organization’s highest award.
The ceremony celebrates outstanding contributions to the soybean industry, honoring volunteer work and exceptional leadership. Awards recognize state-level volunteer service, leadership accomplishments spanning five or more years, and lifetime contributions to the soybean sector. Nominations are typically accepted from June through October, with a judging panel making final decisions.
Iowa Farmer Dave Walton Wins Outstanding State Volunteer Recognition
The American Soybean Association presented Iowa farmer Dave Walton with the Outstanding State Volunteer Award. This recognition honors dedicated volunteers who have contributed exemplary service for at least three years in any aspect of their state association’s activities.
Walton has committed more than ten years to advancing soybean farmers’ causes, holding important positions on the Iowa Soybean Association board, the ASA Executive Committee, the Iowa Biodiesel Board, and the Clean Fuels Alliance America board.
His efforts have bolstered the soybean sector through relationship-building with government officials, industry executives, and fellow farmers. Walton has exceeded expectations in advocacy work, playing a crucial part in developing his state’s biodiesel agenda.
While accepting his award, Walton credited his success to teamwork with his wife and oldest son, who enabled him to dedicate time to volunteer activities throughout the years. He also expressed gratitude to fellow directors who challenged him and helped him grow as both a leader and individual.
Currently serving as ASA’s vice president, Walton is positioned to become president in 2027. “I have a couple years left at the national level, and I have a lot more things to accomplish here in the next few years, so I got to get going,” he stated. “It’s going to go fast, but we have a lot of work to do and I have a good team around me, both at the director’s level and the staff level, so we’re going to get some things done in the next two years. I’m looking forward to it.”
North Dakota’s Monte Peterson Earns Distinguished Leadership Award
The ASA Distinguished Leadership Award honors soybean producers or association staff who demonstrate exceptional commitment and successfully guide others toward achieving goals that benefit soybean farmers. North Dakota farmer Monte Peterson received this year’s Distinguished Leadership Award.
Peterson has championed soybean farmers since 2006 when he joined the North Dakota Soybean Council board. He also held a position on the American Soybean Association board from 2014 through 2023.
Throughout his ASA tenure, Peterson led the Trade Policy & International Affairs Committee. He gained recognition for simplifying complex issues, including the China trade conflict, and directing efforts to remove trade obstacles and expand markets.
From 2017 to 2023, Peterson served on the U.S. Soybean Export Council board, holding positions as vice chair, chair, and past chair. Leading the USSEC board during the COVID-19 pandemic, he participated in hundreds of virtual meetings while maintaining crucial trade relationships and reinforcing U.S. soy’s reputation as a dependable, high-quality product.
Through the ASA Corteva Young Leader Program, Peterson worked with emerging farmer leaders, motivating them to participate in committee activities and explaining how national policies impact their farming operations.
Upon receiving his award, Peterson acknowledged the opportunities he had to collaborate with strong leadership and committed board members from ASA, USSEC, and North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, whose guidance continues to advance the soybean industry.
“Any leadership that I’ve shown has been the result of standing shoulder to shoulder with individuals who bring insight, who bring energy and integrity to the work that we do. If I’ve managed to look like a leader at all, it’s only because I’ve been surrounded by people who lift me up, that keep me on track, and occasionally remind me where I’m supposed to be next. Thank you for this recognition and for your confidence in me,” he said.
Delaware’s Richard Wilkins Receives Pinnacle Award, ASA’s Top Honor
The American Soybean Association honored the late Richard Wilkins from Greenwood, Delaware, with its most prestigious recognition, the Pinnacle Award. This industry-wide acknowledgment celebrates a lifetime of work showing the highest level of contribution and leadership within the soybean community and sector.
Throughout his 53 years of service, Wilkins consistently displayed innovative leadership that enhanced the soybean industry’s sustainability and cohesion. He fulfilled numerous roles as a soybean farmer advocate, including membership in the Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association, former ASA president, and former state executive director of Delaware’s Farm Service Agency.
Wilkins started farming in 1972 with just three acres of soybeans on leased land, growing to 65 acres by his high school graduation in 1976. These early experiences fostered a lifelong appreciation for hard work, innovation, and producer-led leadership – values that shaped his contributions at every level of the soybean community.
At the state level, Wilkins participated on the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, representing farmers during increasingly complex nutrient management requirements. In this role, he advocated for science-based, practical approaches that helped producers meet environmental regulations while maintaining yield and economic sustainability.
In 2015, Wilkins became ASA president and guided the organization through significant national policy discussions, particularly during the proposed Vermont GMO labeling law crisis. Under his direction, ASA rallied farmers and stakeholders to inform policymakers, leading to a consistent national food labeling standard that prevented confusion, protected consumers, and maintained market stability.
During the Awards Celebration, Wilkins’ wife, Donna, and his nephew, Chris, received the award on his behalf. Donna shared that Richard’s life passion involved continuing public education, mentoring future generations, and protecting agriculture’s future. She also read a letter Wilkins wrote to the ASA board in 2010 when deciding to run for ASA vice president. Wilkins wrote, “It is incumbent upon us as farmer leaders to advocate for policies that achieve societal wishes for a clean and safe food supply, but let’s also allow the American agribusiness industry to grow and prosper… I am driven by a passion to serve the industry that I have been a part of my entire life.”
Wilkins will be remembered for ensuring fair and equitable representation for smaller soybean-producing states within the American Soybean Association. His lasting impact will be measured not only by the policies he helped create and the markets he expanded, but also by the leaders he guided.
