Meghan Klotzbach has been named 2025 Chester County Farmer of the Year, and State Representative John Lawrence has been recognized for Distinguished Service to Agriculture by AgConnect. Pictured (l to r): Don Cairns and Greg Newell of the AgConnect Executive Advisory Committee; Rachel Roberts, President, American Mushroom Institute; County Commissioner Eric Roe; Megan Klotzbach of Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms; State Representative John Lawrence; County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz; Gary Smith, CEO, Chester County Economic Development Council; and Jordan Peek, AgConnect.
AgConnect, the public-private partnership that supports farmers and agricultural businesses and that promotes the value of farming within Chester County, has named fifth-generation mushroom grower Meghan Klotzbach as Farmer of the Year, and Pennsylvania State Representative John Lawrence as recipient of the Duncan Allison Distinguished Service to Agriculture award.
At a special presentation at Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms, Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz and Eric Roe joined AgConnect Executive Advisory Committee, staff and guests, in recognizing two exceptional leaders shaping the region’s agricultural future.
“Chester County agriculture thrives because of leaders like Meghan Klotzbach and Representative John Lawrence,” said County Commissioners Maxwell, Moskowitz and Roe in a joint statement. “Their dedication, innovation and service ensure that our farming community remains strong for generations to come.”
Meghan Klotzbach, vice president of sales, marketing and operations at Mother Earth Organic Mushrooms, was honored for her leadership in continuing a fifth-generation mushroom-growing legacy and advancing organic production in southern Chester County.
At C.P. Yeatman & Sons, Inc. and Mother Earth, LLC, her family’s century-old farm, Klotzbach has played a central role in modernizing operations, strengthening food safety and traceability, and expanding product offerings. The farm became the nation’s first commercial mushroom producer to earn organic certification, and today all mushrooms grown are 100% organic.
Klotzbach also leads extensive community outreach, hosts school groups, and advocates for the mushroom industry at the state and national levels. She said receiving the Farmer of the Year award is “humbling and meaningful,” especially as she works to preserve the family farm for future generations.
State Representative John Lawrence was recognized for more than two decades of legislative leadership supporting Pennsylvania agriculture and championing the needs of Chester County’s farmers.
Lawrence, who represents the 13th Legislative District, has been a leading voice on the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and has advanced policies to strengthen dairy transparency, protect the equine industry, support small processors, and preserve farmland. His commitment to agriculture stems from childhood experiences on his grandfather’s dairy farm, which shaped his understanding of the challenges facing family farms.
Lawrence said the recognition is an honor and emphasized that protecting farmers is as important as preserving farmland. “The land feeds us — but it’s the people behind it who keep it alive,” he said.
