The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its 2025 District Farm Families of the Year.
The 78th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its eight district farm families, encompassing the breadth of Arkansas agriculture, the state’s largest industry.
Judges will visit these farms to determine the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who will be announced Dec. 12.
The District Farm Families of the Year are:
- East Central District: the Mitchell family of Des Arc (Prairie County) – Brothers Drew (Audrey) and Luke (Elise) Mitchell have been farming for 10 years. They grow rice, corn and soybeans on nearly 4,000 acres. Drew and Audrey have four children: Baylor, Anniston, Rivia and Laken. Luke and Elise have one child: Lyndon.
- North Central District: the Henley family of Evening Shade (Sharp County) – Bryan and Mary Ellen Henley have been farming for 20 years. They raise cattle and grow hay on more than 500 acres. They have two children: Audra and Addley.
- Northeast District: the Dilldine family of Blytheville (Mississippi County) – Dalton and Skiver Dilldine operate Dilldine Farms, marking 99 years of the family’s multi-generational operation. They grow cotton, soybeans, rice and corn on nearly 6,000 acres. They have one child: Daphne.
- Northwest District: the Spears family of Fayetteville (Washington County) – Randy and Dawna Spears have been farming for 45 years, with the help of their adult children. The raise cattle and sell direct-to-consumer beef, and grow silage and hay on more than 1,000 acres.
- Southeast District: the Hoover family of Monticello (Drew County) – Charles and Carolyn Hoover have been farming for 49 years. They raise cattle and grow hay on more than 900 acres, along with operating a logging business. They have two adult children who assist with the farm.
- Southwest District: the Lockeby family of Ashdown (Little River County) – Shane & Kim Lockeby have been farming for nine years alongside their adult children and spouses. In addition to raising poultry, they grow hay and pecans on more than 600 acres.
- West Central District: the Smith family of Dierks (Howard County) – Jared and Cathren Smith have been farming for 17 years. They raise cattle and poultry on nearly 250 acres. They have two children: Cooper and Clara.
- Western District: the Staton family of Magazine (Logan County) – Bruce and Laura Staton have been farming for 53 years with the help of their two adult children. They raise cattle and grow hay on more than 1,000 acres.
Beginning with the selection of top farm families in each county, the Farm Family of the Year program comes to a close in December with the selection of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year. The Arkansas Farm Family will go on to represent the state at the Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year competition. Arkansas has three Southeast Farmer of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey (Clark County), 2008; Wildy Family Farms (Mississippi County), 2016; and the Cobb, Lyerly and Owen Family/Partnership (Craighead County), 2023.
Families are judged on farm production, efficiency, management, family life and rural/community leadership.
Sponsors of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program are Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas. 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.
The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its 2025 County Farm Families of the Year.
Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has helped to recognize outstanding farm families throughout the state. The objectives of the Farm Family of the Year program are:
- To give recognition and encouragement to farm families who are doing an outstanding job on their farm and in their community;
- To recognize the importance of agriculture in the community and state; and
- To disseminate information on improved farm practices and management.
Selection criteria for the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year includes efficiency of production, conservation of energy and resources, leadership in agricultural and community affairs, home and farm improvement, and home and farm management.
The county Farm Families of the Year are:
- Arkansas, North – Matthew and Sally Feilke, Stuttgart
- Arkansas, South – Eric and Jennifer Smith, Almyra
- Benton – The Harris family, Gravette
- Boone – Michael Watkins family, Harrison
- Bradley – Richard and Karen McDougald, Sumpter community
- Calhoun – Keith Gresham/Gresham family, Thornton
- Carroll – John Asbury family, Oak Grove
- Clark – Matt and Kim Wingfield, Okolona
- Clay – Casey and Jade Simpson, Rector
- Cleburne – G.L. and Angela Sutherland, Drasco
- Cleveland – Diana Watts, New Edinburg
- Columbia – Josh and Melissa Smith, Waldo
- Conway – Hill families, Springfield
- Craighead – Christian Family Farm, Cash
- Crawford – Brandon James, Mulberry
- Crittenden – Dusty Carlson, Marion
- Cross – Ryan and Chris McGruder, Wynne
- Desha – Randy, Kendall and Stella Cox, McGehee
- Drew – Chuck Hoover, Monticello
- Faulkner – Charlie Parsons and Sons, Vilonia
- Franklin – Cody Fox, Charleston, Charleston
- Fulton – Jason and Tricia Guffey family, Viola
- Garland – The Carl Hawthorn family, Hot Springs
- Grant – Blake and Emily Barnes, Sheridan
- Greene – Felty/Rowe families, Delaplaine
- Hempstead – Johnny and Priscilla Johnson, Hope
- Hot Spring – Benji and Kayla Cranford, Malvern
- Howard – Jared and Cathren Smith, Dierks
- Independence – Nathan, Kimberly, Kallie and Nash Crouch, Newark
- Izard – Ryan and Sabra Smith, Violet Hill
- Johnson – Mike Meek, Clarksville
- Lawrence – Richey and Doty families, Walnut Ridge
- Little River – Lockeby Farms, Ashdown
- Logan – Bruce and Laura Staton, Magazine
- Lonoke – Freeze and Summerside families, Keo
- Madison – Elmer and Mackenzie Robertson, Huntsville
- Marion – Kory Brewer family, Everton
- Mississippi – Dalton and Skiver Dilldine, Blytheville
- Monroe – R.P. George and family, Clarendon
- Montgomery – T.J. Wilson family, Mt. Ida
- Newton – Philip and Julie Campbell, Vendor
- Perry – Fred and Brandi Nutt, Bigelow
- Phillips – Brian Chastain, Poplar Grove
- Poinsett – Joe, Wade and Will Drace, Tyronza
- Polk – Jimmy Morris, Cove
- Pope – Duffey and Kaylynn Rye, Russellville
- Prairie – Drew and Luke Mitchell families, Des Arc
- Pulaski – Tyler and Laura Beaudreau, Roland
- Randolph – Kent and Blake Bennett, Pocahontas
- Searcy – Adam and Briana Redman, Marshall
- Sebastian – Paul and Amy King, Huntington
- Sevier – Julian Dorse family, De Queen
- Sharp – Bryan and Mary Ellen Henley, Evening Shade
- St. Francis – Ryan Carey, Marion
- Stone – Tracy Verser family, Edgemont
- Van Buren – Clay and Chalet Gustafson, Bee Branch
- Washington – Randy, Dawna and Mack Spears, Fayetteville
- White – Brandon and Lauren Martin, Judsonia
- Woodruff – William Brant and Jessica Burkett, Wynne
- Yell – Michelle and Steven Blankenship, Ola
The families will be visited by a set of judges to determine eight District Farm Families of the Year, which will be announced June 9. The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year will be announced in December at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon, who then represent Arkansas at the Southeastern Expo Farmer of the Year event in Georgia. Arkansas has had three Southeast Farmer of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey of Clark County in 2008, Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016 and the Cobb, Lyerly and Owen Family/Partnership of Craighead County in 2023. Farm Family of the Year participation is open to all counties and is voluntary. Each year participation varies, which is why there's not always a recipient for each county.
Sponsors of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program are Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas. 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.
For more information on the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program, please contact Matt Jackson at matt.jackson@arfb.com or 501-517-4237.
