Steve Hettinger Farm in Illinois: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Steve Hettinger Farm in Philo, Illinois, works 7,800 acres of corn, seed corn and soybeans in Champaign and Piatt counties. Prairie Farmer named Steve Hettinger a 2026 Master Farmer, and the operation pairs large-scale row crops with a Precision Planting dealership that serves about 200 customers. It is a clear example of a family grain business that grew by renting ground and adding a second income line.
| Location | Philo, Champaign and Piatt counties, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Founded | Family farm; acreage doubled after a 1996 rental from Incobrasa Industries (Prairie Farmer) |
| Sectors | Corn; seed corn for Bayer; soybeans; Precision Planting dealership |
| Scale | 7,800 acres; six full-time employees plus seasonal help (Prairie Farmer) |
| Why it is notable | 2026 Prairie Farmer Master Farmer; Farm Credit Illinois board service |
| Ownership | Steve Hettinger with wife Robin, brothers David and Ray, and children Lindi and Casey |
| Official website | Prairie Farmer 2026 Master Farmer profile |
History of Steve Hettinger Farm
Prairie Farmer reports that Steve Hettinger rejoined his father and brothers on the family farm after a farm sale when he was 30. A 1996 rental from Incobrasa Industries in De Land, Illinois, doubled the acreage, and the operation has grown through leased ground since then. Hettinger owns only about 4 percent of the land he farms, so most of the business rests on landlord relationships.
The family structure is clear. Steve makes the main decisions, his daughter Lindi handles payroll and invoicing, his son Casey runs the Precision Planting business, brother David handles spraying and trucking, and brother Ray runs equipment and maintenance. The Precision Planting dealership opened in 2007 with his brothers, and Steve bought it in 2019. In 2026 Prairie Farmer and FarmWeek listed him among the new Master Farmers.
What Steve Hettinger Farm Grows and Raises
The farm raises corn, soybeans and seed corn on 7,800 acres in east central Illinois. About one third of the corn acres are seed corn grown for Bayer, which Prairie Farmer notes offers better returns and lower fertility needs than commercial corn. The crew meets at 6:30 each morning to plan the day, and Hettinger gives staff flexibility and ownership of their jobs.
Technology runs through the business. The farm uses John Deere Operations Center, Climate FieldView, Trello, Precision Planting's Symphony Vision spraying system and electronic grain-recording tools. Conservation is growing too: cover crops began four years before the profile, with 25 percent of ground planted ahead of soybeans in 2025 and 50 percent seeded for 2026. Nearly 200 acres are in buffers, waterways and prairie strips. Hettinger is a Certified Crop Adviser, a seed consultant for Nutrien and a Farm Credit Illinois board member since 2018.
How Steve Hettinger Farm Makes Money
Commercial corn and soybeans
Row crops on 7,800 acres are the base of the business. The published coverage describes the acreage and rotation but does not give yields or sales figures.
Seed corn contracts
Growing seed corn for Bayer on about one third of the corn acres is a contract stream that Prairie Farmer says carries better returns and lower fertility needs than commercial corn.
Precision Planting dealership
The dealership serves about 200 customers and diversifies income beyond the crop cycle. It also keeps staff busy during winter, which helps retain skilled people.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Steve Hettinger Farm
The first lesson is that renting can scale a grain farm when relationships are strong. With only about 4 percent of the acres owned, the Hettinger operation depends on trust with landlords, and the 1996 rental that doubled acreage shows how one good lease can change the farm.
The second is to add a business that fits the workforce. A planting-equipment dealership gives a family member a clear role, spreads income, and uses the same technology skills the farm needs anyway. The third is to define jobs: with named roles for payroll, spraying and maintenance, a seven-person family and staff team can run thousands of acres without confusion.
A man who spends 30 minutes in silence each morning before work has clearly found the one quiet half hour in a seed corn season. At farm.FM our farm satire desk imagines the 6:30 meeting where seven jobs and one Trello board meet 7,800 acres. We keep the farm humor and ranch humor friendly, with farm jokes about how many apps it takes to plant one field in Piatt County.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Steve Hettinger Farm
Website: https://www.farmprogress.com/names-in-the-news/steve-hettinger-lifelong-learner
No official farm website was found in November 2026, so this is the Prairie Farmer profile. Business contact details were not published. Reach the operation through the Master Farmer program or Farm Credit Illinois.
Steve Hettinger Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Prairie Farmer profile - Steve Hettinger, 2026 Master Farmer
- FarmWeek 2026 Master Farmers - Illinois Farm Bureau members named Master Farmers
- News-Gazette farm leader feature - Local coverage of Hettinger
- USDA Census of Agriculture - National and state farm statistics
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - County and state crop and livestock data
Steve Hettinger Farm FAQ
Where is Steve Hettinger Farm?
It is based in Philo, Illinois, and farms in Champaign and Piatt counties.
How big is it?
Prairie Farmer reports 7,800 acres of corn, seed corn and soybeans.
What honor did Steve Hettinger receive?
He was named a 2026 Prairie Farmer Master Farmer.
How does the farm diversify?
About one third of corn acres are seed corn for Bayer, and the family also owns a Precision Planting dealership serving about 200 customers.
Steve Hettinger Farm shows how a leased-ground grain operation can add seed contracts and a dealership to stay resilient. For soils, markets and programs across the state, read our Illinois farms guide and the other profiled operations.