"THE BEST OF THE BEST" - 2012 AWARD WINNERS
The Georgia Farm Bureau Federation recognized the best of the organization’s volunteers and county chapters during an awards program held Dec. 2 at the GFB 75th annual convention on Jekyll Island. The state award winners were honored for the programs they conducted this past year to promote agriculture.
“Every year I look forward to the opportunity to recognize our individual and county award winners. Our county Farm Bureau volunteers have worked hard this year to educate their communities about Georgia agriculture by hosting legislative meetings, farm tours, and Ag in the Classroom activities to highlight the contribution farming makes to Georgia’s economy,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said. “I’d like to thank all of our volunteers for giving of their time, talents and resources to make our organization the strong and effective voice of Georgia farmers.”
Georgia Farm Bureau named a McKemie Award winner - the highest honor given to a county in recognition of its outstanding member programs - from each of its three membership categories. Bacon County Farm Bureau, whose president is David Lee, received the McKemie Award for the 0 to 1,392-member division. Pike County Farm Bureau, whose president is Tom Lacey, won the McKemie Award for the 1,393 to 2,335-member division. Cherokee County Farm Bureau, whose president is William Grizzle, received the award in the 2,336 plus-member division. The McKemie Award is a memorial to one of the organization’s former presidents, W.J. McKemie.
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McKemie Award (up to 1,392 members) Bacon County |
McKemie Award (1,393 to 2,335 members) Pike County |
McKemie Award (2,336+ members) Cherokee County |
The Georgia Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. James E. “Jim” Strickland of Tattnall County. This award is the highest honor Georgia Farm Bureau gives to a volunteer leader and is designed to recognize Farm Bureau leaders who have made an outstanding contribution to Farm Bureau and agriculture over a long period of time.
For more on Mr. Strickland and the Distinguished Service Award, please click here.
Chris and Marilynn Hopkins of Toombs County were named the Young Farmer Achievement winners. The Hopkinses began their farming operation in 2006 growing 50 acres of cotton and five acres of watermelons on rented land. Seven harvests later, they’ve expanded their operation to about 600 acres of cotton, wheat, corn, peanuts, watermelons, and pecans. Earlier this year the couple won the 2012 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award in recognition of the conservation practices they have implemented to protect the soil and water quality on their farm. The Hopkinses received a $500 cash prize and a year’s use of a Kubota tractor for being named the state winner. They also won an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention Jan. 13-16 in Nashville, Tenn., to compete for national honors.
Other finalists in the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Contest were James and Brooke Hitchcock of Washington County and Charlie and Nancie Sanders of Greene County. The Hitchcocks grow corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans and maintain a herd of about 250 cattle. The Sanderses are active partners in their family dairy farm for which Charlie is the calf and heifer manager. The two finalist couples each received a $250 cash award.
Matt Bottoms of Pike County won the Young Farmer Discussion Meet and will enjoy an expense-paid trip to the AFBF Convention in Nashville to compete for national honors. Other finalists included, Kyle Dekle of Habersham County, B.J. Marks of Newton County and Clay Talton of Elbert County.
During the discussion meet, the contestants discussed what could be done to encourage young farmers to return home to the farm if it means living in a rural area that does not provide the same amenities as a metropolitan community. Bottoms received a $500 cash award, courtesy of Georgia Farm Bureau, and an Arctic Cat 500 all-terrain-vehicle courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance. The three finalists each received a $350 cash award from SunTrust Bank.
Georgia Farm Bureau presented a membership award to a county from each of its three membership categories in recognition of the counties’ membership campaigns that resulted in membership growth. Montgomery County Farm Bureau, whose president is David Carswell, received the GFB Membership Award for the 0 to 1,392-member division. Jenkins County Farm Bureau, whose president is Dobie Gay, won the award for the 1,393 to 2,335-member division. Elbert County Farm Bureau, whose president is Randy Ruff, received the award in the 2,336 plus-member division.
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Membership Award (up to 1,392 members) Montgomery County |
Membership Award (1,393 to 2,335 members) Jenkins County |
Membership Award (2,336+ members) Elbert County |
Other state awards presented included: Outstanding Women’s Leadership Award received by Crawford County Farm Bureau; Outstanding Promotion & Education Award received by Franklin County Farm Bureau; Outstanding Legislative Award received by Coffee County Farm Bureau; and Outstanding Young Farmer Committee Award received by Newton County Farm Bureau.
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Women's Leadership Crawford County |
Promotion & Education Franklin County |
Legislative Coffee County |
Young Farmer Committee Newton County |
Charlotte Wingate, Colquitt County Farm Bureau office manager, received the organization’s Outstanding Office Manager Award. She was recognized for her work to promote agriculture and Farm Bureau in her local community. Wingate works with other ag groups in the county each year to hold a three-day Ag Awareness Event for all fourth grade students in the county. Wingate also serves on the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee and is president of the Georgia Cotton Women.
Wingate has been employed with Colquitt County Farm Bureau since 2002. She and her husband, Gettis, have two children and four grandchildren.