As lead editor for Farm Progress’ Midwest publications, Tonneson specializes in translating economic trends into operational guidance for crop and livestock producers. His coverage areas include:
Recent Recognition: 2024 South Dakota Corn Growers Association Media Award for balanced ethanol industry reporting
We’ve followed Lon Tonneson’s career for over two decades, observing his evolution from a regional reporter to a trusted voice in U.S. agricultural journalism. His work at Farm Progress and affiliated publications like Dakota Farmer has cemented his reputation as a pragmatic analyst of farming economics and sustainable practices.
Tonneson began his journalism career writing for Minnesota Farmer, where he honed his ability to translate complex agricultural policies into actionable insights. His transition to Dakota Farmer as editor marked a shift toward deeper analysis of Midwestern farming trends. Today, his byline appears across Farm Progress’ 18 regional publications, reaching over 80% of U.S. farm operators.
This March 2025 analysis challenged conventional wisdom about dairy market saturation. Tonneson combined USDA data with interviews from 14 mid-sized dairy operations to reveal how regional cooperatives are maintaining profitability through value-added products. His breakdown of cheese consumption trends became a reference point for Dairy Management Inc.’s 2025 marketing strategy.
More than a standard advisory, this piece operationalized Federal Milk Marketing Order reforms into a month-by-month action plan. Tonneson’s integration of Chicago Mercantile Exchange forecasts with local feed cost projections demonstrated his unique ability to bridge macroeconomics and farm-level decision-making.
Amid 2020’s pandemic-driven pessimism, this feature spotlighted regenerative grazing practices increasing yields by 18% on South Dakota ranches. Tonneson’s case studies of multi-species cover crop systems became required reading in USDA conservation workshops.
Tonneson prioritizes stories demonstrating how national trends manifest in the Upper Midwest. A successful 2024 pitch from Land O’Lakes paired satellite imagery of reduced tillage adoption with interviews from cooperative members in his coverage area.
His coverage of nitrogen management guidelines explicitly valued longitudinal data. PR professionals should highlight farmers who’ve maintained records of yield variations relative to application rates across multiple growing seasons.
When profiling a new cover crop seed blend, include third-party verified ROI calculations. Tonneson’s 2023 piece on cereal rye integration cited a North Dakota State study showing $27/acre cost recovery through reduced herbicide use.
While open to precision agriculture trends, he typically delegates gadget-focused stories to Farm Progress’ dedicated tech reporters. A John Deere pitch about autonomous tractors was redirected to colleagues in 2024.
His trusted sources include South Dakota State’s Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Farm Financial Management. PR teams should facilitate introductions between researchers and early-adopter farmers.
“Tonneson’s work exemplifies data-driven storytelling that respects farming’s complexities.” – 2024 South Dakota Corn Growers Association Media Award citation
The 2024 SDCGA honor recognized his decade-long coverage of corn ethanol market fluctuations. Judges noted his balanced reporting during the 2022 pipeline debates, where he gave equal weight to landowner concerns and renewable fuel targets.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Agriculture, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
