Agriculture education in Alabama will be stronger thanks to a meal and an auction held at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 91st annual meeting in Montgomery, Dec. 2-3.Through the generosity of Federation members, more than $20,000 was raised for the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation at the Young Farmers Silent Auction and the Agriculture Foundation Breakfast held during the meeting.Money raised from the auction – where members bid on items from furniture and jewelry to tools and high-tech gadgets – totalled $10,448.An iPad, donated by Wells Fargo, racked up the highest bid of the night at $590. Other high-earning items were a Lincoln Electric Welder donated by the Montgomery County Young Farmers Committee, which brought in $430; two Yeti coolers, donated by First South Farm Credit and the Hale County Farmers Federation; and a Coach purse donated by the Baldwin County Farmers Federation.“With the silent auction, our members know their money is going to a good cause, and they get to take home a nice item or two,” said Young Farmers Director Jennifer Himburg. “It really is a joint effort among Young Farmers committees, county Federations, Federation staff and vendors. It even provides entertainment. It’s fun to watch the bidding wars as the auction comes to a close.”A breakfast Monday morning also raised funds for the foundation. Nearly 700 Federation members enjoyed a buffet breakfast of eggs, bacon, biscuits, grits and other Southern staples. Ticket sales for the event garnered an additional $10,470 for the foundation.Established in 2011, the foundation supports charitable, educational and scientific endeavors related to agriculture in Alabama. Funds from the foundation have supported the Alabama Ag in the Classroom Summer Institute and the Alabama Spotlight State event at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Ga. In the future, the foundation will work to increase awareness of agriculture in Alabama and improve upon agricultural services.