The Alabama Young Farmers made a strong impression at the Alabama Farmers Federation Farm and Land Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on August 16th.
Participants from Autauga and Tallapoosa counties received accolades for their achievements in the Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) and agricultural excellence categories, with the final four competing in discussion meets.
Drew and Lauren Wendland earned the title of Outstanding Young Farm Family. They cultivate row crops, raise cattle, and produce hay in Autaugaville while parenting their sons Mills, Smith, and Rett.
The Wendlands will take home over $80,000 in prizes, which includes $40,000 associated with a tribute to Alfa Insurance’s new Ford Truck, along with a John Deere 835M Gator kindly offered by Alabama AG Credit and Alabama Farm Credit. They will also receive a one-year lease on a John Deere tractor provided by John Deere, San South, and Torigreen.
The first and second runners-up in the OYFF contest will get prize packages from Kubota and Corteva Agriscience, respectively. Each runner-up family is also awarded $500 from long-time supporters Alabama AG Credit and Alabama Farm Credit.
Garrett and Robin Dixon from Lee County were first runners-up, growing row crops while raising their kids, Chandler Jane and Cash, in Salem. They will utilize a Kubota M Series tractor, courtesy of Kubota.
Clay County’s Jacob and Misty Porter, coming in as second runners-up, will receive custom chemical packages from Corteva. Jacob manages a chicken and cattle farm and is a father to Oren and Usher.
After an initial interview for OYFF in February, a follow-up evaluation occurred in June, assessing families on business growth, diversity, community engagement, and leadership, as recognized by the Federation and the United States Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). To qualify, OYFF participants must earn over half their income from agricultural activities.
Agriculture winners Josh and Bailey Williams from Tallapoosa County underwent review based on their applications and presentations, showcasing farming’s significance in their lives alongside their ideas for addressing major industry challenges.
The winners, Josh and Bailey, will receive a zero-turn mower sponsored by Corteva Agriscience. Josh serves as the Director of Career Technical Education while Bailey works as a speech-language pathologist, and they also raise cattle.
Caleb Beason from Franklin County was the first runner-up, and Austin Blankenship from Lawrence County came in second.
The 25 young farmers examined their agricultural knowledge during the council meeting, which mimicked a committee discussion about tackling agricultural issues. New to this year was the sweet 16 progress rounds.
The final four contenders include Zach Amerson from Clay County, Emmanuel Bankston from Henry County, Drewware from Lawrence County, and Vencastlebury from St. Clair County. They will vie for the title and a four-wheeler from First South Farm Credit at the federation’s annual meeting in December.
All finalists received custom cedar chairs from the best Adirondack Chair Co. sponsored by the Union. The winners will represent Alabama at the National Conference of the American Farm Bureaus in California in January.
