For the first time in its three-year history, the top three finishers of the Iowa Farm Bureau’s Grow Your Future Award this year were all women. The award offers cash prizes to Iowans between the ages of 18 and 35 who provide unique agricultural products and services or work in niche markets. This year’s winner was Lillie Beringer of Cascade, who recently purchased her grandfather’s cattle farm and created her own direct-to-consumer business. The second-place finisher was Jade Moret of Sioux City, who operates Holland Flower Farm. The third-place finisher was Melissa Nelson of Woodbury County, whose business, Hungry Canyon, creates agriculturally accurate greeting cards, gifts and apparel. “I know so many people see agriculture in Iowa as corn and soybeans, but we have so many awesome young people … who aren’t afraid to try something new,” Caitlyn Lamm, public relations coordinator at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, said. Women who have placed in the top three in previous years are Shelby Smith of Gym-N-Eat Crickets LLC and Shae Pesek and Anna Hankins of Over the Moon Farm and Flowers.