At the 2025 Organic Grower Summit in Monterey, California, Arnott Duncan, founder of Duncan Family Farms, received the Grower of the Year award. The John Deere-sponsored recognition honors Duncan’s three-decade transformation from small-scale agritourism operator to organic farming innovator managing 3,850 acres across three states.
Duncan’s path to organic leadership began with an accidental discovery in the 1990s. While operating a farm stand and petting zoo that attracted 30,000 children annually to his Goodyear, Arizona, property, Duncan and his wife Kathleen composted daily waste from the animals and farm operations.
“I didn’t know it at the time, but it was compost,” Duncan said. When the family used the pile as garden fertilizer, “it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. The colors were so vibrant and the texture was incredible. You couldn’t see any more perfect growth, and the flavor and texture—everything was fantastic.”
That revelation launched Duncan’s commitment to soil health and organic production. He pivoted entirely to organic farming, achieving full certification in 1994.
Composting at Scale
Today, Duncan Family Farms operates one of the Southwest’s largest private composting operations, processing 25,000 tons annually from feedlot manure, retailer food trimmings and municipal green waste. The operation spans locations in Arizona, Oregon and New York, specializing in organic leafy greens, microgreens, melons, herbs and specialty vegetables.
“Duncan has built a reputation as an innovative leader who champions compost-based soil health,” said Matt Jungmann, senior director of events at Farm Progress. “His nominators consistently highlighted his thoughtful approach to organic farming.”
Water Conservation and Technology
Duncan has pioneered water conservation through automated, soil-based greenhouses developed with Agbotic that use 90 percent less water than conventional methods. The farm integrates cover cropping, reduced tillage and laser weeding technology to achieve organic matter levels exceeding regional averages.
Community Impact
Beyond production innovation, Duncan Family Farms donates more than 10,000 pounds of fresh organic produce weekly to food banks, partners with schools for free organic salad programs and hosts educational field days for emerging farmers.
The operation supplies major retailers including Sprouts Farmers Market and Albertsons/Safeway.
The Organic Grower Summit, produced by Farm Progress, brings together organic growers and suppliers to explore trends, techniques and innovations in organic farming.
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