LITTLE ROCK – County winners for the 70^th 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, to be announced June 19. They will be visited again by a different set of judges in July to determine a state winner, which will be announced Dec. 7 at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon in North Little Rock.

The county winners are:

East Central District

• Lee – Bill Gerrard III, Marianna
• Lonoke – Robby & Stephanie Bevis, Scott
• Monroe – S & A Farms: Larry & April Johnson II, Holly Grove
• Prairie – David & Cindy Strohl, DeValls Bluff
• Pulaski – Brandon, Jessica & Julie Chapman, Scott
• St. Francis – Bill Dooley, Forrest City
• White – Larry & Belinda Shook, McRae
• Woodruff – Perry Galloway, Gregory

North Central District

• Baxter – Bernie & Mary Alice Wiesner, Mountain Home
• Cleburne – Billy & Susan Brewster, Wilburn
• Fulton – Brian & Lee Ann Davis, Mammoth Spring
• Independence – Chris Tharp, Floral
• Izard – Miller Cattle Ranch: Doug & Tammy Miller, Sage
• Marion – Brent & Glenda Rozeboom, Valley Springs
• Searcy – James, Mary, Michael & Lesley Horton, Marshall
• Sharp – Colton & Sara Asberry, Sidney
• Stone – Larry Musick, Timbo
• Van Buren – Matt McMahan, Damascus

Northeast District

• Clay – Darrel & Ellen Dalton, Piggott
• Craighead – Hook Farms: Mike, Karen, Casey & Emilee Hooks, Lake City
• Crittenden – Jamey Sharp, Crawfordsville
• Cross – Brandon Stephens, Cherry Valley
• Greene – Chad Agee, Marmaduke
• Jackson – Andrew Rowlett Farms, Tuckerman
• Lawrence – Mitchell and Jeff Worlow, Sedgwick
• Mississippi – Steve & Janet Metheny; Ashley & Justin Smith; Austin & Chelsea Metheny, Osceola
• Poinsett – James E. Wray, Trumann
• Randolph – Shawn Seagraves, Pocahontas

 Northwest District

• Benton – Garrett Gittlein, Gravette
• Boone – Matt & Lisa Widner, Harrison
• Carroll – James & Tonja Smith, Berryville
• Crawford – Tom & Sue Moore, Rudy
• Franklin – Johnny & Bridget Pruitt, Ozark
• Johnson – Jimmy Dickerson, Clarksville
• Madison – Mike & Jessica Ingram, Rogers
• Newton – TBA
• Sebastian – Jared & Michelle Pass, Hartford
• Washington – Allen & Cindy Moore, Lincoln

Southeast District

• Arkansas, N. – Cedar Corner Farm: Jason Smith & Chris Dickson, Ulm
• Arkansas, S. – James Phillips, Crocketts Bluff
• Ashley – Old Milo Tree Farms & Pumpkin Patch: Brad & Lonni Davis, Hamburg
• Desha – Danny & Theta Wilson, McGehee
• Drew – Mike & Shelly McGregor, Monticello
• Jefferson – Conyer Farms: Lawrence “Wink” Conyer, Pine Bluff
• Lincoln – Jon Kelly White, Star City
• Phillips – Timothy Jones, West Helena

Southwest District

• Bradley – Jim & Linda Davis, Prattsville
• Calhoun – Jimmy & Laura Hammack, Hampton
• Columbia – James Dixon, Magnolia
• Hempstead – Keaster Farms: Clovy Keaster, Ozan
• Lafayette – Jeff & Shelby Lamkin, Buckner
• Little River – Dale Sansom, Ashdown
• Miller – Rocking CK Farms: Chase & Krystal Groves, Garland City
• Nevada – Greg & Marcel Wilson, Prescott
• Union – Tom & Mary Loftin, El Dorado

Western District

• Conway – Honeycutt Farms: Timbo & Minnie Honeycutt, Clinton
• Faulkner – Robert & Tara Stainton, Vilonia
• Montgomery – Jason Cranford, Sims
• Perry – Butch & Kay Hoyt, Houston
• Polk – Luke & Deedee Alston, Mena
• Pope – Terry & Gail Small, Hector
• Yell – Michael & Judy Dixon, Ola

 West Central District

• Clark – Lynn & Debbie Pye, Arkadelphia
• Cleveland – James Farmer, Rison
• Dallas – Gene & Wilda Sue Brazeale, Sparkman
• Garland – Donnie Moore, Hot Springs
• Grant – Cody & Meg Harrington, Sheridan
• Hot Spring – Carl Shultz, Malvern
• Howard – Nathan & Nicole Hill, Newhope
• Pike – Chad & Kay Stewart, Kirby
• Sevier – Will & Sidney Bailey, DeQueen

“Each year, the Farm Family of the Year program identifies and recognizes great farmers and ranchers across our state,” said Randy Veach, president, Arkansas Farm Bureau. “These families literally power our state’s largest economic engine, agriculture.

“Congratulations to these great farm families. We salute 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:

• 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 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program is one of the oldest of its kind in the nation. The success and longevity of this program has only been possible because of our sponsors and partners,” said Mollie Dykes, coordinator, Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program. “We’re honored to recognize these hard working, passionate, and resilient families who work tirelessly to provide our growing world with food, fiber, and shelter.”

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 where Arkansas has had two 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, Armor Seed, 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.

—30—

Steve Eddington
(501) 228-1383
steve.eddington@arfb.com

or

Mollie Dykes
(501) 228-1394
mollie.dykes@arfb.com