Duluth, Ga. -- AGCO Corporation, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, named Randy Bauwens of Town & Country Supply Association in Laurel, Montana, its 2024 Operator of the Year at the ARA Annual Conference & Expo in Houston on December 4.
The annual award honors application professionals for their skills, dedication and service to their customers and local communities.
"Application plays an increasingly important role in sustainable farming, boosting farmers' yields, supporting local economies and helping feed the world," said Tanner Lund, AGCO Senior Marketing Product Specialist. "Randy Bauwens and all our finalists embody the dedication and skills needed to ensure healthy yields across U.S. farms, and we're excited to recognize their valuable contributions."
Bauwens personally covers 50,000 acres across 12 counties in southcentral Montana, a vital area in America's farm-heavy breadbasket region. His expertise is frequently requested by customers, and his skills are shared in training sessions with Town and Country's operators.
Bauwens is well known for meticulous care of his equipment, intense attention to detail and thorough communication with colleagues and farmers that leads to reliable and outstanding results. As one of Randy's colleagues said, "When Randy finishes a field, he's made note of every tight corner, ditch or dike, so the next go around is even more effective."
Travis Hughes of Bollmeyer Inc. in Akron, Iowa, and Jeff Jablonski of GreenPoint Ag in Loxley, Alabama, were Bauwens' fellow Operator of the Year finalists and attended the event in Houston. "Travis and Jeff are such skilled operators, and I'm very honored to be included with them," said Bauwens. "I was a finalist in 2013, and it took me another 11 years to actually win it. I'm sure those guys will keep pushing themselves – and everyone else around them – until they take it home, too."
For more information about AGCO's Operator of the Year program or its award-winning application equipment, visit AGCOaward.com, Fendt.com, MasseyFerguson.com and ApplyLikeAPro.com.