Their turn to tend the land
By Kacey Watson

College of Agriculture alumnus Drew Wendland and his family were recognized as the Outstanding Young Farm Family of the year by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Drew and his wife, Lauren, received the Achievement Award at the federation’s Annual Convention held in January in Anaheim, California.

“My family and I were honored to represent Alabama,” Drew said. “We were definitely surprised to win, because there were so many strong competitors. We are very blessed to have had the opportunity to do this together as a family.”

The Wendlands, operators of the Autauga Farming Company, were selected as Alabama’s state winners before taking home top honors nationally.

But this success did not appear out of thin air. For more than a century, the family has tended the land in Autauga County and Montgomery County. Making the most of their business, the operation includes cattle, cotton, feed grains — corn, oats, wheat — hay, and seed crops. Nestled in Autaugaville, Alabama, Autauga Farming Company has played a central role in the agricultural community since the early 1900s.

In recent years, Drew, his brother Dan and their father Andy have worked side by side, each overseeing a piece of the farm’s daily operations.

With a laugh, Drew recounted his earliest jobs on the family farm, contrasting those beginnings with the responsibilities he carries today.

“My first job here was picking up sticks,” Drew said. “Dad started all of us kids with small tasks that eventually led to bigger responsibilities, but that’s the beauty of this place and I have grown with it.”

While Drew has spent most of his life at the family farm, he did spend time away to attend college. In 2016, Wendland graduated from the Auburn College of Agriculture and got his degree in agronomy and soils. There, he learned how to use research to guide sound management across the operation.

While Drew uses the practical knowledge and skills from his degree at Auburn, he also continues to keep up with the ever-changing advancements. His mantra is to stay future‑focused without losing sight of tradition. He credits Alabama Extension for helping him stay up to date with the latest trends that he can implement on the farm.

Drew says incorporating precision agriculture allows his operation to maximize efficiency and increase outputs. He works with partners like the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and Alabama Extension to apply science-based recommendations into practical decisions.

Scott Graham, Alabama Extension cotton entomologist and assistant professor at Auburn, teams up with Drew Wendland to test and apply research‑based practices.

“Our primary goal is to help farmers, like Drew Wendland, reduce their input costs while preserving and increasing yields,” Graham said. “With Drew, we have even been able to conduct some on-farm trials with everything from variety trials to fertility research.”

Just as the Wendlands hold tight to the traditions of farming, their Auburn roots run deep as well. His great-grandfather, father and some of his siblings all graduated from the College of Agriculture — his brother Dan, Autauga Farming Company and the Wendland Family were honored as the 2026 Beef Improvement Federation Outstanding Commercial Producer of the Year this spring, as well. Two of his relatives are members of the Alabama Agriculture Hall of Honor, administered by the Auburn University Agricultural Alumni Association.

But arguably the most important outcome of Drew’s time at Auburn was meeting Lauren. Their love story began on the plains and eventually led them back to the farm, where they’re now raising three growing boys — Mills, Smith and Rhett.

For several years, Drew and Lauren have served as active members of the Alabama Farmer’s Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Program. That same commitment to the organization paved the way to be honored with the Achievement Award.

“Our family farm has been here since 1919, so I think about the legacy aspect of it,” Drew said. “I think about this farm not as my own, but as if it is just my turn to tend this land. Our family takes pride in the generations before us. My hope is to provide the opportunity for my sons, nieces, nephews and the families of our team here to take their turn when the time comes.”

Inspired by their love of agriculture, Drew and Lauren Wendland continue to build a legacy rooted in family, faith and the future of Alabama farming.