Tom and Sheryl Geissel, a farm family from Larned, Kansas, received the 2006 Isidore and Maria Award, recognizing their efforts for justice and ethics in rural life as did Isidore and Maria in the history of the Catholic Church. Tom Giessel is a member of the Kansas Farmers' Union members, and together with Sheryl are long-time members of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. They have provided generous and ethical leadership, acting out of their faith convictions on behalf of social justice and support of the family farm.

"The Isidore and Maria Award honors a rural couple who exemplify fidelity to a dream, to a vocation and to love which combines family, integrity, stewardship and religion, " states Brother David G. Andrews, CSC, executive director of the NCRLC. "How appropriate it is that Tom and Sheryl Giessel, who are devoted farmers, parents, and community leaders, be recognized as "partners with God" giving witness to love of the earth, each other, their community and their God," says Andrews. "We are happy to celebrate this commitment."

In a web blog for the Kansas Farmers Union, Tom Giessel wrote:

"As a western Kansas farmer, what I do best is grow grain. You know: till the earth, plant the seeds and harvest the bounty. One might describe me as an expert and/or professional in my field (no pun intended). We all know there is a lot more to farming than meets the eye. Or do we?? It really depends on whose eyes we are looking through. I believe this is why we have so much difficulty developing farm programs, let alone a meaningful food and fiber policy.

Too many experts. Think about it - a true surplus of ideas. Who really determines agriculture policy? Could it be "many eyes" see many different things? I believe this to be the case.

Does a trader in Chicago have a different vision than a farmer? Does a shopper in a Kroger store see something different than a panhandler on a busy city street? Does a congressman view it as a fiscal/monetary item or a humanitarian issue? For processors, is it food, feed or fuel? There are so many ways to see the issue when we are not hungry.

No wonder we do such a poor job with policy. We are all well-fed experts. We are all looking for ways for someone else to change what they do, to make things better for us (or cheaper)."

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Saint Isidore and Maria are the patron saints of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. St. Isidore was born in Madrid, Spain about the year 1110. From childhood he worked as a farm hand on the De Vergas estate outside of Madrid. He and Maria were prayerful, devoted to religion, loved the earth, animals, and his community. The earthly remains of the couple are found over the main altar in the cathedral of St. Isidore in Madrid.