The 2024 Farm City Banquet was held on Tuesday, November 19th, at Rivertown Community Church. The annual celebration is organized by the Jackson County Agriculture Coalition, which is not a formal entity, but simply a cooperative effort of six organizations that support agriculture in Jackson County. The six organizations include Jackson County Farm Bureau, Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District, Jackson County Cattlemen’s Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, and UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County.
This year’s banquet was attended by 300 people from all across the community. No banquet is complete without a great meal. Dr. Terry Nichols and the Uncle Henry Farms crew, with assistance from Cattlemen’s Association members prepared 250 pounds of smoked brisket, and Brenda Pettis and staff catered the remainder of the meal, made complete with her wonderful pecan cobbler.
An event of this magnitude would not be possible without the financial contribution of organizations in the Ag Coalition and business sponsors. Platinum Sponsors for this years event were: Jackson County Teacher’s Credit Union, and People’s South Bank; Gold Sponsor was: Ham Peanut Company; Silver sponsors included: AgriGold, American Forest Management, American Peanut Growers Group, Clover Leaf Cotton Gin, Golden Peanut Company, Helena Agri Enterprises, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Southern Cotton Organization, Sowega Cotton Gin, SunSouth John Deere, Tidewater Ag & Construction Equipment, and West Florida Electric Cooperative.
Chris Franklin, Principal of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, organized and presided over the youth organization presentations. Chris said, “We are fortunate to have strong youth agricultural organizations in our communities, and they are represented to share with you their accomplishments from the previous year.” Representatives from the 12 youth agricultural organizations shared their annual updates. These organizations included: Cottondale FFA (junior and senior chapters), Graceville FFA (junior and senior chapters), Grand Ridge FFA, Malone Middle FFA, Malone High FFA, Marianna Middle FFA, Marianna High FFA, Sneads FFA, Jackson County Junior Cattlemen’s Association, and Jackson County 4-H.
Doug Mayo, County Extension Director, UF/IFAS Extension Jackson County, presented the Ag Award stories of 9 farm families, and Logan Chappell the Farm City Scholarship winner, and two AgVocator recognitions. The following are the full stories for each recipient:
2024 Farm City Awards Stories
Farm City Week is celebrated across America the week before Thanksgiving. In November of 1974, Jackson County civic clubs, Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, the county agent, and numerous volunteers planed and hosted a celebratory banquet for the first time. A banquet or breakfast has been used to celebrate farm family awards in Jackson County ever since.
As the county extension director, it is my great honor to be able to share the stories of 9 farm families and their contributions to farming, ranching, timber, and natural resource conservation, as well their service to local communities in the county. Farms and ranches generally don’t have store fronts, or even road signs, so while you may see some activity in the fields and pastures, you really don’t get much information about what these businesses do to support the economy of our county and the surrounding region. Annually these award honoree stories provide a few highlights from successful farming operations in our county.
–
Outstanding Farm Family – Steve Welch Family
Farming and the agriculture industry have played a huge role in the Welch Family. Steve’s father, George Welch, and his uncles worked for the Pender Family on their farm and at their Pender Peanut Mill that was a buying point, warehouse, and peanut sheller providing the first level of processing for peanuts. Steve is a graduate of the Greenwood K-12 school. Steve followed in the footsteps of his father and uncles working first on the Pender farm and then at Pender Peanut Company.
Overall, Steve has worked for the past 51 years in some form in the peanut industry. He started out working for the Pender family, while also managing his own row crop farming operation part-time. He worked in a variety of roles even driving a tractor trailer for a time, but what he is most known for is managing the peanut mill in downtown Greenwood, Florida. He shared that he had two key mentors that trained him, Robert Pender and Ed Ham, who gave him the opportunity and the support to be successful. In its hay day, the Pender Peanut Company handled 21,000 tons of peanuts annually with more than 100 employees. Today, the Golden Peanut buying point handles 10,000 tons annually for family farms in the area. Steve turned 69 this year but has no plans for retirement. Steve says, “When you recognize that every day is a blessing, then it’s not just a job but what you enjoy doing, so there is no rush to retire.”
They key to success as the Peanut Buying Point Manager is recognizing and embracing this role as the middleman, who must balance the need for a quality product to sell, as well as a place where farmers felt they were treated fairly. To be successful long-term, Steve had to ensure that both the company and the farmers were treated right. In the prime of the Pender Peanut Company, their Greenwood Mill was one of the few peanut marketing options available to farmers in Jackson, Calhoun, Washington, and Holmes Counites. Every year in October there were lines of trucks with peanut wagons waiting to sell their harvest. As the years went by other buying points and mills were opened to reduce the driving time required at harvest, but the Greenwood Buying Point has remained a market for farmers in both Jackson and Calhoun Counites. Steve has built life-long relationships with many of our local farmers, such as: Larry and Bud Baggett, Phillip Melvin, Lynn and Larry McKeithan, Howard Hodge senior and junior, Gary Ward, Calvin Williams, Dexter Gilbert, and John Hill, just to name a few. Without the trust and respect from local farmers, the buying point would not have been successful. Likewise, the customers purchasing dried whole peanuts from the warehouse must have a consistent quality product to further process. For farmers the peanut buying point is the market that ends their yearlong efforts, but for companies that utilize peanuts for peanut butter, candies and baked goods, oil, and numerous other peanut products, the buying point is the first stage of processing.
In addition to his vital work at the Greenwood Peanut Mill, under three different owners, Steve has also been a part-time farmer for most of his adult life. He started with growing peanuts and cotton in rotation but recognized this as a conflict of interest with his customers and the company he served. Steve made the switch to raising beef cattle and hay. Steve and his son Brandon, manage a 70-head commercial cattle and hay operation. Both have full-time jobs, Steve with the peanut mill and Brandon working for Alabama Power, so they raise cattle and hay in their spare time. Not only do they raise and harvest hay to feed their herd, but also harvest peanut vine hay from area peanut farmers following harvest. As in most farm families, everyone in the Welch family has helped make the operation successful at one time or another.
In recent years, the father son duo developed a new venture selling fed beef. Currently they raise 10-12 steers beyond weaning to maturity and have them processed at Jones Country Meats in Climax, Georgia. This direct-to-consumer marketing of fed cattle is frequently called freezer beef. The demand for locally produced freezer beef has really taken off since the COVID19 outbreak. Steve says they have enough demand that they could potentially feed and sell 40-50 head annually, if there were more capacity at the small meat processors in the area.
I have explained how busy Steve, and his family are during the daylight hours, but that is not the extent of what he and his family does in their local community. Steve is also the pastor of Hickory Grove Free Will Baptist Church, in Bascom. Every Sunday morning, he preaches, and on Wednesday nights he leads a Bible study. The other nights of the week he spends taking care of his church family. Plus, he also tries to attend many of the activities his grandkids are involved in too. As you can imagine, this family stays very busy and are very actively engaged in our local community.
Let me introduce you to the family we are honoring this year. Steve and his wife Gwen Welch have been married for 38 years and have three adult children and 5 grandchildren. Their son Steven is married to Kelsey, and they have two sons Jackson and Everett. Their son Brandon married Ashley, and they have a daughter Lauren, and a son Wesley. Their daughter Kayla married Kevin Warren and they have a son Brantley.
The Outstanding Farm Family Award is sponsored by the Jackson Couty Farm Bureau. Clearly the Steve Welch family are highly valued citizens of this county. Please join with me in congratulating Steve, Gwen, Steven, Brandon, and Kayla Welch Warren, Jackson County’s 2024 Outstanding Farm Family.
–
Peanut Farmers of the Year – Ashby & Mikaela Massey
The peanut farmers being recognized this year are the husband-and-wife team of Ashby and Mikaela Massey. As the average age of American farmers continues to increase, these two are great examples of young farmers taking on this challenging but rewarding career.
Mikaela is a 6th generation farmer, growing up on a farm but began farming herself in 2015 when she rented 40 acres of land from her dad, Michael, to pay for college tuition. Ashby and Mikaela attended Troy University and both majored in Business Management. They started dating in 2016, and despite not coming from a farm background, Ashby quickly grew to love it. He started working on the farm with her dad prior to their marriage, and in 2018 Ashby and Mikaela started farming together.
Ashby and Mikaela just celebrated their 6-year anniversary on November 10th and have two children. Their daughter Abby Lynn is 3 years old, and their son Hilton is 16 months. Abby Lynn loves to be out on the farm with them, and Hilton is sure to follow suit.
Over the past six years, Ashby and Mikaela have worked hard and slowly acquired more land to build their farm. This year they grew 168 acres of peanuts. All their 2024 crop acres were irrigated and planted with the variety Geogia 06G. They said that the annual crop rotation of fields determines how much of their peanut acres are irrigated vs dryland. Although they have their own farm, they also still work closely with Mikaela’s father Michael. Gary Smith and Jason Allen, who are like family, also help daily on the farm.
Ashby and Mikaela are graduates of the Peanut Leadership Class XI and received the Florida Outstanding Young Peanut Farmer of the Year Award in 2024. They are Farm Bureau members and part of Chipley First Baptist Church.
Joining them here tonight are their children, Abby Lynn and Hilton, as well as Mikaela’s parents Michael and Lisa Davis, and Ashby’s mom Krystal Mezera, and brother Spivey Massey.
The Peanut Farmer of the Year Award is sponsored by Florida Peanut Producers Association,
Ham Peanut, American Peanut Growers Group, and Golden Peanut Companies. Honorees are selected annually by the Jackson County Extension Service with assistance from the Florida Peanut Producers Association. Please join with me in congratulating Ashby and Mikaela Massey, our 2024 Peanut Farmers of the Year.
–
Cotton Farmers of the Year – Todd, Hudson, & Haisten Shelley
Todd is the patriarch and 4th generation farmer while his sons Hudson and Haisten are the 5th generation. Todd began farming on his own in 1991, and after finishing their education, Hudson joined him in 2013 and Haisten in 2017. Todd lives in Greenwood near the farm, and not far from him reside Hudson and his wife Savannah who have been married 9 years. They have twin three-year-olds, Winston and Clara. Haisten and his wife in Madison have been married 3 years and live just north of Malone in Cottonwood, Alabama.
They have a diversified operation that includes cotton, peanut, watermelon, tomato, eggplant, cucumber, and squash production. The farm has 3 full-time employees and part-time workers fluctuate based on time of year, from a handful up to 70 during vegetable harvest. All part-time employees are hired through the H2A program. The normal farm rotation for fields is one year of vegetables, one year of peanuts, and then one year of cotton. This year, the farm consisted of 575 cotton acres, with 500 being irrigated. They had two varieties, Delta Pine 1840 and 2055. 2055 was a new variety to the farm and they have been impressed with the results so far, favoring it more than 1840, which has been their staple variety.
Aside from growing 2055, the Shelley’s are no stranger to trying new things and innovation. Success in the farming industry means resilience and being open to new production ideas and strategies. Starting in 2022, this was their 3rd season intercropping cotton and watermelon. The practice studied at UGA has been a great fit for their farm, due to their production systems. Watermelons are planted on ultra narrow plastic rows and then the same day, the cotton planter runs through the field by the beds. Early season weed control is achieved through Reflex and Sonalan use, followed by a hooded application of Dual to prevent escapes. The cotton crop grows but is not actively managed until after watermelon harvest when the vines are killed. After terminating the melons, they start growth regulators and insecticides to manage the cotton.
Todd, Hudson, and Haisten are members of Farm Bureau, as well as the National and Gulf Coast Watermelon Associations. Hudson and Savannah are also congregation members here at RCC. Joining with them tonight are Todd’s parents, Mickey and Bonnie Shelley, as well as Hudson’s wife Savannah and Haisten’s wife Madison.
The Cotton Farmer of the Year is sponsored by the Southern Cotton Organization, Clover Leaf Gin, and the Sowega Cotton Gin. The honoree is selected each year by the Jackson County Extension Staff with the assistance of local Cotton Gins and Farm Service Companies. Please join with me in congratulating Todd, Hudson, & Haisten Shelley, the 2024 Cotton Farmers of the Year.
–
Corn Farmer of the Year – Craig Bishop
Of all our awards, the corn farmer award is the only yield-based competition that we still hold in the county. Annually, the Jackson County Extension Service performs standardized corn yield checks for all those who call in to request them. These yield checks are a minimum of an acre and a quarter following the National Corn Yield Contest rules, so that the growers are eligible to submit for that contest if they wish.
Craig is known for adopting new varieties and management strategies on the farm, he has won this award in previous years with DeKalb, AgriGold, and Pioneer varieties. For the 2024 crop season, he grew over 800 acres of irrigated corn. He planted seven different varieties on-farm, with two being the majority of its acreage. Ethan Carter performed five yield checks with Craig this year averaging 263 bu/ac, but his top check was 274 bu/ac with Pioneer 2042.
Craig farms around 5,000 acres of a peanut/cotton/corn rotation with some occasional soybeans when the market permits. He also incorporates winter grazing and livestock where possible through partnership with a local rancher. Bishop Farms has 12 full-time employees, and another 5-6 part-time that help during harvest season.
Craig and his wife, Kimberly, have been married 26 years, and have four children (Melinda, Marcus and wife Brianna, Caroline, and Emily) and one grandson (Aurelius). He gives all of the credit for his success to God and is thankful for the biggest blessing, Kimberly. She manages things at home while he works long hours managing the day-to-day activities of the large farming operation. Craig could not do what he does without her partnership. Marcus graduated FSU in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in business and has assumed a greater role in day-to-day management of the farm. This year he was also responsible for cutting out and harvesting the yield checks in the fields. Emily is a Junior at Florida State and currently pursuing a career in law. Caroline has graduated from FSU with a bachelor’s degree in cell and micro neurology. She is currently interviewing for PA school that will start next fall.
Craig feels as though he is extremely blessed and is thankful that not only has God blessed him with the desires of his heart, but also the fact that he has been successful as well.
The Corn Farmer of the Year Award is sponsored by AgriGold, and Tidewater Ag & Construction Equipment. This award is based on standardized yield checks provided by the Jackson County Extension Service. If you would like your corn yield tested in 2025, please contact Ethan Carter, Regional Crop IPM Agent, to schedule an appointment. Please join with me in congratulating Craig Bishop, the 2024 Corn Farmer of the Year.
–
Cattleman of the Year – Nicolas DiLorenzo
Nicolas or “Nico” as his friends and family call him, was born in Argentia and grew up working as often as he could on his grandfather’s cattle ranch. As he grew older, he spent summer and holiday breaks on the farm working with his grandfather, uncles and the cattle crew. Nico was the oldest of 12 cousins who all pitched in during school breaks. The ranch was a 600-head operation with 100 steers kept for finishing on high quality forage. Based on this wonderful family experience, Nico grew passionate about cattle production.
From 1994-2000, he got a bachelor’s degree in agriculture focusing on agronomy and animal science from the University of La Plata, in Argentina. This was a degree program they called Ag Engineering, that is somewhat equivalent to an Animal Science Degree here in the U.S. After graduation, he enrolled in an international study abroad program with the University of Minnesota. Unfortunately for Nico, he had no idea about the climate in this strange new place he applied to investigate. The program included a mix of production farming experience in Iowa as well as working on the research farms near campus in Minnesota. During this experience, he learned about cattle, corn, and soybean production in the Midwest.
While working on one of the University of Minnesota’s Research Farms, Nico met his future academic advisor. In 2002, he started graduate school, working on a master’s degree in animal science, with a focus on beef cattle nutrition. In 2004, he started on his PhD with the same focus. While in graduate school at the University of Minnesota, he met Liza, who was an exchange student from Colombia studying marine biology. They married in 2006, and in 2008 Nico graduated with a PhD. While in graduate school, Nico also worked with Cliff Lamb, who was a beef reproduction specialist in Minnesota, before moving to the research station in Marianna.
After graduation, Nico accepted an offer for a post-doctoral research position at Texas Tech, focused on feedlot cattle. In 2010, Cliff Lamb encouraged Nico to apply for an open position at the North Florida Research Center, in Marianna. Nico was offered and then accepted the research and extension position as a beef cattle nutrition specialist. In 2011, Nico and Liza’s daughter Luciana was born, and the family has been living in our area ever since.
Despite the remote location of the research center, Nico has made some significant scientific contributions to agricultural sciences. He is internationally renowned for his groundbreaking research on measuring and reducing natural cattle emissions of the greenhouse gas methane. He recently received a $5 million USDA grant to evaluate feed additives for their effectiveness in reducing methane without detrimental effects on cattle performance. So far, his research team has investigated 12 different feed additives, with one made from cashew nutshell extract shows real promise. Nico’s team is currently evaluating peanut shell extracts to see if it might have some value as well. Because of the success of his research program, Nico was named 2017 Researcher of the year by the Florida Cattlemen’s Association.
One of the real pluses, of serving in a remote location, is that through his extension program Nico can work directly with Florida ranchers. In 2017, he took over the management of the Florida Bull Test and the ensuing bull sale. He and his team have also conducted several trials to evaluate using both corn and sorghum silage grown in rotation with peanuts and cotton to feed to weaned cattle. One of his primary goals is to find methods to help local ranchers increase the value of the calves they sell after weaning. Another key part of his extension program is evaluating individual feed efficiency. Annually, his team evaluates individual animal feed efficiency for 450 head through the state-of-the-art facility at the beef research unit.
Nico’s program success can largely be attributed to the success of the graduate students has mentored. Over his career, Nico has been the advisor for14 PhD graduate students, and 15 master’s degree students. Currently, he oversees the work of 10 graduate students, with 6 at the PhD, and 4 at the master’s degree level. Each academic year, the Graduate School at the University of Florida bestows the Faculty Doctoral Mentoring Award to spotlight outstanding, innovative, and effective mentoring of doctoral students. For 2023-24 school year, Nico DiLorenzo was one of only six professors selected for this prestigious honor, and the only professor selected from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
When asked about his future, Nico shared that he and his family are happy here. His primary goal is to see progress made in the efficiency cattle production here in the Panhandle. Jackson County has been a great place for him and his family to work and live.
The Cattleman of the Year is sponsored by the Jackson County Cattlemen’s Association. Nominees are selected by a committee of past recipients of this prestigious award. Please join with me in congratulating Nico DiLorenzo, the 2024 Cattleman of the Year.
–
Hay Farmer of the Year – Bill Conrad
Bill Conrad is a 4th generation Jackson County farmer who farms north of Highway 2 in the Bascom Community. Over the years, he has raised several traditional crops including peanuts, soybeans, corn, wheat, triticale, and pine trees. For the past decade, however, he has shifted his focus to be a quality hay producer to sell to other farms. One thing that sets Bill apart from his competitors is that he sends in hay samples for quality testing from each cutting. He is able to market his hay on more than just reputation but can show the unbiased lab test results to prove the excellent quality of the hay he produces.
Bill, with the help of his sons BJ and Joe, produce perennial peanut and alfalfa for square bale hay to sell to horse, cattle, and goat farms. Their alfalfa hay is in high demand, as he is the only source available in our area. The challenge for Bill is finding a variety that is better adapted to Bascom fine sand soil and the blistering summer heat in the Panhandle. The past two years, Bill worked with the Drs. Estabon Rios and Jose Dubeux, from the University of Florida, to compare a potential new experimental cultivar of alfalfa to two commercially available varieties to see if it would provide a better alternative. The new cultivar has performed well compared to the commercial varieties and has better persistence that what is currently on the market. That is the primary issue with growing alfalfa in our region. Varieties do well the first year but succumb to disease pressure in the second summer of growth. This new variety had the best stand in the test at Bill’s farm at the end of the second growing season.
Bill submitted 14 hay samples into the Southeast Hay Contest this year, seven of which were perennial peanut, five were alfalfa, along with a sunn hemp and a ryegrass sample. His highest quality hay was an April cutting of mixed alfalfa varieties that had a relative feed quality or RFQ index of 234, with 28% crude protein, 68% total digestible nutrients or TDN, and crude fiber of only 18%. Think of RFQ as a single index number that represents overall hay quality by combining fiber digestibility, protein, and energy content. Anything over 100 is considered quality hay. This hay sample was preserved with 15% moisture or 85% dry matter. The lab test results estimated that, if fed free choice, animals would consume more than 4% of their body weight in dry matter intake (DMI), which is double what is traditionally estimated for average quality hay. In essence these numbers prove that this was PRIME QUALITY hay.
Bill also submitted a Tito Perennial Peanut hay sample that had an RFQ index of 214. Bill’s hay perennial peanut hay won 2nd place in the Southeast Hay Contest out of 23 entries in the Other Legume Hay division. Bill Conrad has been recognized as the Hay Farmer of the Year for eleven straight years because they annually produce the best hay in Jackson County.
The Hay Farmer of the Year award is sponsored by SunSouth John Deere. This award is based on the county grown hay with the highest Relative Forage Quality or RFQ score. Entries into this annual contest are now accepted year-round, so contact the Jackson County Extension Office to have your best hay cuttings sampled and submitted into next year’s competition. Please join with me in congratulating Bill Conrad, the 2024 Hay Farmer of the Year.
–
Specialty Crop Farmers of the Year – North American Farms
Nestled in Northeast Jackson County along Highway 2, North American Farms Incorporated specializes in watermelon and sweet corn production spread across 3,800 acres. Though the land is devoted today to commercial agriculture production, this was not always the land’s intended purpose. In 1943, four auxiliary airfields were constructed for the purpose of pilot training under the Marianna Army Airfield. After World War 2, the airfield was closed and abandoned until re-opening in 1950 as a contract pilot training school. The facility was then closed again in 1961, and in 1970, the center 700-acre airfield was purchased by Joe Hall.
Joe Halll was originally from Cairo, Georgia and began his career at an early age working the family farm operation and later ran his family feed mill in Cairo. After his purchase of North American Farms, his family settled in Donalsonville, Georgia. In 1978 he purchased land in Suwannee Couty, Florida which was later named Suwannee Farms and in the late 90s further expanded his farming empire by purchasing 3,500 acres of farmland in Okeechobee County, Florida which is known today as Eagle Island Farms. At the peak of his career, Mr. Hall managed three farms spreading over 12,000 acres of commercial production agriculture between South Georgia to south-central Florida to achieve his dream of a year-round growing season. Sadly, Mr. Hall passed away in December of 2020, leaving behind a legacy of true determination and hard work to his loved ones. His presence will be sorely missed for years to come.
During the later years of Joe Hall’s farming career, Danny Colvin joined the North American Farms team as a grower manager of the Bascom farm location, while also running his own entity of Colvin Farms in Dellwood and Two Egg, Florida. But, with production booming and more acreage obtained, another set of hands was needed to keep production running smoothly. In 2020 before Mr. Hall’s passing, Frey Farms joined the growing team as a business partner to North American Farms.
Frey Farms was founded by Sarah Frey at the age of 15 and the youngest of 21 children in Southern Illinois by starting her own fresh produce delivery service in the back of her family’s old pick-up truck. Two years later she took over her family’s farm and started doing business with some of the largest retail grocery stores in the United States. Frey Farms is now the nation’s leading producer of pumpkins, and not far behind for the same title for watermelon production. With business expansion in mind, Frey Farms took over North American Farms in 2021, with Danny Colvin still serving as their grower manager. In the near future, Danny’s daughter Blaire will be joining the group as the next grower manager when he retires.
Today, North American Farms’ reputation for excellent produce has won them top customers such as Publix, Walmart and Costco. To meet the demands for these large retailers, the farm needed a way to handle their own processing and shipping in-house. A state-of-the-art packing house facility was constructed in 2021, with one half dedicated to watermelon sorting and the other half for sweet corn with a stee-of-the-art hydro-bed cooler installed unlike any other.
Family values are what keeps the farm going, and North American Farms now employs a full-time staff of 26 people. The farm is enrolled in the FDACS Best Management Practices program and last year was recognized by the CARES farm program by Florida Farm Bureau for their efforts in water and soil conservation on the land they manage. North American Farms from the time of its opening has been one of Jackson County’s elite farms. Their hard work and perseverance have paid off by building a reputation for excelling farming and quality produce. Jackson County can be proud to have a farm entity that represents them so well.
The Specialty Crop Farmer of the Year is Sponsored by Helena Agri Enterprises. Nominees are selected annually by the Jackson County Extension Service Staff with assistance from the local farming industry. Please join with me in congratulating North American farms, the 2024 Specialty Crop Farmers of the Year.
–
Tree Farmers of the Year – Chipola Timberland LLC
Sherrie Swindle’s family moved from Plant City in 1995 and purchased a tree farm with their grandparents which was named Circle S Farms at that time. In 2015, the farm was renamed Chipola Timberland and was operated by Sherrie and her daughters Kim and Alysha and their families.
Over the years they have managed the tree farm within their family. After harvesting the timber, they provided their own land prep and tree planting. In October 2018, Hurricane Michael wiped them out and they faced challenges that seemed insurmountable at the time, as many of you did as well. After Micheal they experimented with new practices for land preparation, trying to get the trees cleaned up in the most cost-efficient way. In addition to raking/piling/burning they incorporated mulching to get ahead of the jungle of undesirable trees, weeds, and brambles that came up while trying to clean up the land.
This past year the family was able to complete the total reforestation of their land post-hurricane Michael. Today, as you ride through the woods now it looks like a tree farm again. The family knows their grandparents are proudly looking down from heaven over the family legacy they left behind! The family’s goal is to continue to teach our kids how to maintain and manage our tree farm for them and the generations to follow! Their perseverance and dedication to once again invest in timber production, after such devastating losses, is why this family was selected as the 2024 Tree Farmers of the Year!
The Tree Farmer of the Year is sponsored by American Forest Management. Nominees are selected each year by the Florida Forest Service’s County Forester, Barry Stafford. Please join with me in congratulating Sherrie Swindle, Kim Cooksey, and Alysha Edenfield of Chipola Timberland LLC, the 2024 Tree Farmers of the Year.
–
Conservationist of the Year – Michael Padgett
Mike Padgett’s dedication to improve forestland, preserve soil and water quality, and benefit wildlife makes him the perfect choice for the Conservationist of the Year award. The Padgett Farm is comprised of four tracts located in south-central Jackson County. It is a mosaic of upland pine forests, hardwood forests, planted longleaf pine and open land. One of the properties even borders a natural spring.
Mike began his stewardship journey by reforesting cutover timber land well over 30 years ago. He actively applied prescribed fire and timber thinning to his plantation management to maintain a healthy, well-managed forest. Mike has been a participant in multiple Natural Resource Conservation Service or NRCS Conservation contracts aimed at enhanced timber management and conservation. Practices have included site preparation, patch prescribed burning, brush management, wildlife forage plantings, maintenance of den trees, which are hardwood trees with natural cavities utilized by wildlife, and tree and shrub plantings.
Despite heavy damages from Hurricane Michael in 2018, Mike was able to reforest his downed and damaged timber and restore habitat for deer, quail, turkey, and even gopher tortoises. Today, healthy stands of pines stand as quiet reminders of his perseverance and can-do attitude in carrying out his life’s work on his property.
The Conservationist of the Year is sponsored by the Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District. Nominees are selected each year by the staff of the Jackson District of the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Please join with me in congratulating Michael Padgett, the 2024 Conservationist of the Year.
–
County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) Recognition – Bigham Farms and Sylvania Pines Farm
The County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship, or CARES, publicly recognizes farmers and ranchers who have voluntarily implemented Best Management Practices, or BMPs, on their farms. The public benefits of these conservation practices include open spaces, fresh air, wildlife habitat, and water recharge for our aquifers.
On behalf of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation and Jackson County Farm Bureau, I am honored to recognize two farm families who have gone the extra mile in preserving, improving and caring for our state’s natural resources. Tonight, we are proud to recognize these families with a THIS FARM CARES award. Billy and Lee Bigham of Bigham Farms, and Joseph Alday of Sylvania Pines Farm.
Our first recipients are Billy and Lee Bigham, of Bigham Farms in Marianna. The Bighams have implemented Best Management Practices or BMPs with support of the USDA’s nartual Resource Conservation Service or NRCS’s Environmental Quality Improvement Program or EQIP, which benefits water conservation and water quality, improves soil health and prevents soil erosion.
To reduce water usage, Billy worked closely with the Northwest Florida Water Management District and has installed low pressure nozzles on his pivots. As part of the EQIP program, Billy has installed fencing and cross fencing for rotational grazing, utilizes cover crops on the crop fields, and provides wildlife habitat.
Our second recipient is Joseph Alday of Sylvania Pines Farm in Marianna. Joseph provides a natural habitat and food source for wildlife on his farm and works to prevent erosion and reduce over fertilization and the negative impacts it has on the environment by utilizing BMPs.
Joseph utilizes rotational grazing and plants seasonal crops like millet, corn and sunflowers to assist with pasture recovery. He uses a hay wagon to feed hay evenly across each field to more evenly spread manure and reduce soil disturbance and compaction. He plants legume cover crops like clover during the winter and sunn hemp during the summer to add natural nitrogen back in the soil for the forages and crops that follow.
As Florida’s population continues to grow, sustaining our natural resources and ensuring clean water is vital to all communities. As farmers, we must work together to educate and share the sustainability story of our farm families who go above and beyond in protecting the unique natural environment that brings so many people to the Sunshine State each year.
Florida Farm Bureau annually recognizes farms with the “This Farm CARES” recognition. Recipients are selected with the help of the Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District, and the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Office of Ag Water Policy. Please join with me in congratulating Billy and Lee Bigham, and Joseph Alday, because these farmers really do care about the natural resources they manage.
–
Ed Jowers Future of Agriculture Farm City Scholarship – Madelyn Stoutamire
The Ed Jowers Future of Agriculture Scholarship is awarded to a high school senior or recent graduate that plans to pursue an education in agriculture. Mr. Jower’s understood the importance of raising up the next generation of Agriculturalist in an industry with a shrinking population, and we are thankful to have people like Ed Jowers in the community.
On Behalf of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce I would like to recognize our 2024 scholarship recipient Madelyn Stoutamire. Madelyn is the daughter of Ken and Allison Stoutamire of Marianna, FL. She is a 2024 graduate of Marianna High School and is currently enrolled at Chipola College where she will graduate with her AA this fall. Next spring Madelyn will continue her education at the University of Florida where she will major in Ag Education and Communication. Afterwards, that she plans to pursue a masters and/or attend law school. Madelyn says her “Ultimate career aspiration is to become and Agricultural attorney, dedicated to advocating for the interest of Florida’s farmers and ranchers”.
As part of a 3rd generation farm family, Madelyn has deep roots in agriculture on both sides of the family representing a variety of commodity groups, cattle, and show hogs. Madelyn has been heavily involved with Marianna FFA in both Middle School and High School. Throughout her FFA years she served in various leadership positions, including most recently as Chapter President of Marianna FFA her senior year. I could go on for a while talking about all of the other accomplishments Madelyn carried out, but the most important part of this is that we have excellent young people in Jackson County that are seeking careers in Agriculture.
The Farm-City Scholarship is sponsored by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Nominees are selected by a committee that evaluates each application based on exemplary scholastic, extracurricular, and agriculturally centered achievements. Please join with me in congratulating Madelyn Stoutamire, the recipient of the 2024 Future of Agriculture Farm City Scholarship.
–
Jackson County AgVocators – S & W Auto Parts and Anita Crossley
AgVocator is a term we use at Farm Credit to describe someone that supports or promotes the farmers and industries that keep us fed, clothed and sheltered. In 2022 we had the idea to add an AgVocator award to this program to recognize people who have gone above and beyond to support agriculture and youth in agriculture. This award has two categories: An individual volunteer AgVocator, and a business AgVocator that are not directly tied to agriculture, but have made an effort to support and/or promote agriculture in their communities.
Business AgVocator
The 2024 Business AgVocator is S&W Auto Parts, in Graceville. S&W Auto Parts was opened in 1984 by Harold Smith and Ralph Williams. S&W is not like most Auto Parts stores you find today. At S&W they carry a wide range of tractor and ag equipment parts, but if they don’t stock it they can get it for you quick. Max Polston is here tonight to accept this award. Max is the General Manager at S&W and has been working there since 1985. Max and his staff are the reason S&W has been so successful and have played a critical role in the support of agriculture in the Tri-State area. S&W Autoparts has built a reputation as a trusted partner to agriculture because of their knowledge and understanding of agricultural equipment and parts sourcing. Max and his staff at S&W understand the importance of getting equipment back in the field as quickly as possible, and they do their level best to keep the farmers in the area running until the work is done.
Please join with me in congratulating S&W Auto Parts, the 2024 AgVocator Business of the Year!
Volunteer AgVocator Award
The 2024 Volunteer AgVocator award winner is Anita Crossley. Anita is one of the most dedicated volunteers for UF/IFAS Jackson County Extension. You may recognize her from numerous Master Gardener and 4H Youth educational events where she has shared her knowledge and skills over the years. Anita has been a key volunteer for over twenty years and her story is certainly worth sharing. Several Extension Agents claim Anita as their “super” volunteer because she is always there to help whenever asked and goes above and beyond to ensure projects are completed with excellence.
Anita first started volunteering for the Jackson County Extension service in 2005, when she enrolled in the Master Gardener Volunteer Program. When she enrolled, there were only seven volunteers including herself, and now the group has grown to twenty, with ten more volunteers to be trained in the spring of 2025.
Through her many experiences volunteering for the Master Gardener Volunteer program, Anita also became heavily involved in the Jackson County 4-H program. She served as a club leader for many years and is now the Chair of the Jackson County 4-H Association Board. Anita said that “Most of my favorite memories working with the 4H youth were the many trips to Camp Timpoochee every summer.” Anita has also supported the Family & Consumer Sciences Program over the years with her sharing her expertise as the primary teacher in canning and food preservation workshops.
If you ask Anita what her favorite parts of volunteering are, her main answer would be familiarizing people about UF/IFAS Extension and its importance to its community. She will also tell you she enjoys the feeling of making a difference in people’s lives through the knowledge and expertise she has provided over the years. Anita has been a strong mentor for other volunteers at the Jackson County Extension Office and has recruited numerous other Master Gardner and 4-H volunteers over the past twenty years.
It is difficult to put into words the impact Anita has made on so many people and children that have come through the doors of the Jackson County Extension Office. Jackson Couty is blessed to have her be a part of this community, because she is the epidemy of the Volunteer AgVocator. People like Anita are critical to the future of agriculture, because they support our youth interested in agriculture and also bridge a gap between the ag community and those that don’t have any connections to ag.
Please join me in congratulating Anita Crossley, the 2024 Volunteer AgVocator of the Year!
The AgVocator awards are sponsored by Farm Credit of Northwest Florida. Nominations of award recipients were received from local agricultural organizations. S & W Auto Parts and Anita Crossley as true advocators of agriculture in Jackson County.
0
