Arkansas Farm Bureau issued the following announcement on May 1.
County farm families for the 72nd annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program have been selected.
The county winners will be visited by a set of judges to determine the eight district winners, who will be announced June 17. They will be visited again by a different set of judges in July to determine a state winner, who will be announced Dec. 12 at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon in North Little Rock.
The county winners are:
East Central District
Lee – Jeff Hickman, Marianna
Lonoke – I.F. Anderson Farms Inc., Lonoke
Monroe – Curtis Kirkpatrick Family, Holly Grove
Prairie – Chris Berg Family, Stuttgart
Pulaski – Jeremy, Emily and Benjamin Bemis, Little Rock
St. Francis – Hobbs Family, Colt
White – Lester and Ouida Cossey Family with Flying C Ranch, Searcy
Woodruff – Johnny W. and Jennifer Taylor, McCrory
North Central District
Baxter – Wes Henderson Family, Mountain Home
Cleburne – Eldon and Anne Fry, Quitman
Fulton – Justin and Rachel Luther
Independence – Kenny and Edwina Hurley, Cushman
Izard – Bo and Whitney Lord Family, Evening Shade
Marion – Mike and Darcy King Family, Yellville
Searcy – Triple T Cattle Company, Marshall
Sharp – The Nathan and Eddie Walling Families, Cave City
Stone – Jerry and Barbara Davis, Marcello
Van Buren – Alan and Angela Mahan with Rabbit Ridge Farms, Bee Branch
Northeast District
Clay – David Hatcher Family, Corning
Craighead – Heath and Mari Ann McGaughey, Lake City
Crittenden – Cooper Morrison, Earle
Cross – Matthews Sweet Potato Farm, Wynne
Greene – Pillow Fish Farm and Family, Paragould
Jackson – Young’s Generation Three Partnership Farms, Tuckerman
Lawrence – Steve Graham, Alicia
Mississippi – Robinson Melon Farms, Leachville
Poinsett – Jason and Tabithia Mullins, Trumann
Randolph – Weitkamp Farms Partnership, Pocahontas
Northwest District
Benton – Kevin and Jacqueline Smith Family, Decator
Boone – Jeff and Debbie Atkinson, Harrison
Carroll – Josh and Tonya McMahan, Green Forest
Crawford – Richard and Earlene Boone, Natural Dam
Franklin – Michael and Kasey Post, Altus
Johnson – Tanner and Amy Storment, Flat Rock
Madison – Greg Wheeler, Combs
Newton – Gene Davidson Family, Kingston
Washington – Pitts Family, Lincoln
Southeast District
Arkansas, N. – Chris and Heather Simpson, Stuttgart
Arkansas, S. – Gary and Meagan Padget, Almyra
Ashley – Brad Graham, Portland
Desha – Tony Wells, McGehee
Drew – Eubanks Farms, Wilmar
Jefferson – Dewayne Goldmon Family with Dell-Cam Farm, Inc., Pine Bluff
Lincoln – Johnathan and Sara Bottoms, Gould
Phillips – John and Kaleb Hall, Elaine
Southwest District
Bradley – Hamilton Farms, Hermitage
Calhoun – Allen Primm, Hampton
Hempstead – Donald and B.J. Hampton, Hope
Lafayette – Jamie and Kalen Knighton, Lewisville
Little River – La Voice Family, Ashdown
Nevada – Mike Cottingham, Prescott
Union – Charles and Debbie Foot, Tinsley
Western District
Conway – Duvall Farms, Hattieville
Faulkner – Schaefers Brothers Farms, Conway
Logan – Clark and Tori Parker, Magazine
Montgomery – Bob and Denise McCord with Dixieland Farm, Norman
Perry – Steve and Flora Harrington Family, Casa
Polk – Dean and June Wiles, Mena
Pope – Rusty and Rebecca Davis, Russellville
Yell – Dusty and Melanie Walker
West Central District
Clark – Stockton Family Farm, Okolona
Cleveland – Gary and Melody Spears, Rison
Dallas – Michael and Cecilia Berry with Bluebird Farm, Sparkman
Grant – Chad and Katie Harper, Prattsville
Hot Spring – Chris and Piper Nelson, Malvern
Howard – The Greene Family, Athens
Saline – Renae Breckling, Benton
Sevier – Josh and Twyla Morris and Marilyn Morris, Gillham
“The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program recognizes great farmers and ranchers each year,” said Randy Veach, president, Arkansas Farm Bureau. “These families are involved in noble and important work to provide food, fiber and shelter to the world.
"Congratulations to these great farm families. We are pleased to honor their success, stewardship and commitment to Arkansas agriculture."
Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program has served as a vehicle to recognized outstanding farm families throughout the state. The objectives of the Farm Family of the Year program is,
To give recognition and encouragement to farm families who are doing an outstanding job on their farm and in their community;
To gain recognition of the importance of agriculture in the community and state;
To disseminate information on improved farm practices and management.
The Farm Family of the Year program begins each year with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the state Farm Family of the Year who will then go on to represent Arkansas at the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. Arkansas has had two overall winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey of Clark County in 2008 and Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016. All winners are judged on their farm production, efficiency, management, family life and rural/community leadership.
Sponsors of the Farm Family of the Year program are Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, and the three Farm Credit agencies that serve Arkansas: AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and Midsouth Farm Credit. Additionally, support for the program is provided by the Arkansas Agriculture Department, Arkansas Department of Career Education, Arkansas Press Association, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development.
Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Arkansas Farm Bureau
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