Karl and Katie Wernette of Mecosta were recently secleted as winners of the 2026 Young Farmer Awards.

The two won the 'Achievement' award, which is given to young farmers who "derive a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture enterprise, showcasing their achievements in the business of farming."

Wernette Cattle Company, which the couple runs with Karl's father, Kevin Wernette, is a farm outside of Remus with over 350 Angus-Tarentaise cattle. The company has been run in the family for multiple generations.

Also known as Wernette Beef, the company hosts the MCA-MSU Bull Evaluation program on their farm in Remus. This program and facility measures things like residual feed intake, average daily gain, and structural and breeding soundness in 80 to 100 bulls every year.

"We’re proud of our partnership with MSU’s Lake City Research Station and the Noble Research Institute,” Karl Wernette said. “By adding monitors we’re able to evaluate the effect of rotational grazing on carbon sequestration.”

The company also does cash crops and hay sales within Wernette Beef. 

The 2026 Young Farmer Awards are presented by the Michigan Farm Bureau. Winners of each of four awards are given $1,000 in AgroLiquid gift certificates, an equipment lease, and a trip to the annual Bureau meeting in North Carolina.

“Farm Bureau has helped us build our network and provided opportunities to grow as leaders,” said Katie Wernette.

For more information on Wernette Beef, visit their website at https://www.wernettebeef.com.

_{Photo and release information courtesy of Michigan Farm Bureau and Werner's Cattle Company.}