Wylie Schwebach (left) and his brother, Aiden Schwebach (right)
Wylie Schwebach and Aiden Schwebach, two brothers who are fourth-generation farmers from New Mexico’s Estancia Valley, have turned hard work and determination into national recognition. Both earned a National FFA Proficiency Award in the Diversified Crop Production-Placement category.
Working on their family’s 2,500-acre irrigated farm, the Schwebachs have managed a range of crops, including sorghum, triticale, alfalfa, corn for silage and barley. When major market disruptions hit in 2021, they refused to let uncertainty define their operation. Instead, they developed a new idea: transitioning into a malting operation that would allow them to process their own products and sell directly to brewers.
Triticale harvest on the Schwebach LLC.
Wylie Schwebach, the 2023 Diversified Crop Production-Placement winner, says that he applied for the proficiency award because it offered a rare chance to highlight a unique operation built in a place where resources are limited. To get there, he put careful work into creating a resume that accurately reflected his roles and responsibilities at Schwebach LLC, which showed how his efforts contributed to time efficiency and cost efficiency across the entire operation.
“It proved that when resources are limited, you can still make do with what you have,” Wylie Schwebach says. “It showcased the capabilities of four generations, passion and like-minded goals.” He then shared that winning allowed for opportunities that would not have been possible, like applying for and winning the American Star in Agricultural Placement Award in 2024.
Aiden Schwebach, the 2025 Diversified Crop Production-Placement winner, says that applying for the proficiency award felt like the next step in his FFA career that would ultimately help him achieve his future goals. To make it possible, he put in countless hours reviewing old records and ensuring every detail was accurate, as well as working closely with his family, former advisors, Mr. Cole Andes and Mr. Kade Pittman, and others in the agriculture community to format his Supervised Agricultural Experience correctly.
To Aiden Schwebach, becoming a top-four finalist was a major accomplishment alone. “Not because of the title itself, but because of the area we come from,” he says. “Then, to further win it, opened the door to countless new opportunities.”
The brothers work on the same operation; however, they each have their own jobs and responsibilities. Coming from a state where national recognition in these categories is rare makes the achievement more meaningful to them and their family. The Schwebachs showcased how anything is possible if you have dedication, hard work, goals and support.
