Faith, Family, Farming Frame Annual Meeting
By Marlee Jackson
(334) 613-4219
A flurry of activity filled downtown Montgomery Dec. 3-4 as 900 Alabama Farmers Federation members descended on the state’s capital to elect leaders, honor individuals and enact policy changes.
The theme Faith, Family and Farming reflected members’ values and guided work during the organization’s 102nd annual meeting. That included opening sessions with prayer and allowing ample time for fellowship, said Federation President Jimmy Parnell.
“Lord knows we need to talk to folks who think like we do,” said Parnell, citing the divisive political climate and difficult farm economy. “We need time to visit with each other. This meeting is one way we can do that while taking care of business.”
That business included honoring members of the Federation family. Senior Leader Awards were presented to Mickey Childers of Morgan County and Leo Hollinger of Wilcox County. The elite award recognizes members over the age of 70.
Additionally, 45 counties were honored for excellent programming in 2023. They were Baldwin, Barbour, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Coffee, Colbert, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Morgan, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties.
Select counties also received Awards of Excellence for Women’s Leadership and Young Farmers programs, while elite Young Farmers were honored for winning statewide contests.
The annual meeting included elections for state board members, the Women’s Leadership Committee, the State Young Farmers Committee and state commodity committees.
It also offered opportunities for farmers to visit with sponsors, including Alfa Insurance. At Alfa’s booth, farmers signed up for paperless documents for farm policies, a move that will increase efficiency as new tools come online in 2024. A video report detailing Alfa’s strong performance during 2023 played during the opening banquet, followed by the Federation’s video annual report.
During the annual meeting, the perennial favorite silent auction raised $12,400 for the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation (AFAF), thanks to gift baskets, furniture crafted by FFA chapters and assorted goods donated by county Farmers Federations.
AFAF also hosted a Tribute Breakfast, which honored 33 leaders who died in the last year.
“A true leader is always committed to the cause,” said Pastor David Phillips, the Tribute Breakfast speaker. “These people we’ve been honoring are good leaders.”
Phillips is a former State Young Farmers Committee chair from Clay County familiar with the Federation’s robust annual meeting agenda, which included the business session.
Before voting on policy recommendations during that special session, farmers attended an Ag Issues Briefing. American Farm Bureau Federation Deputy General Counsel Travis Cushman gave background on his organization’s work related to the controversial Waters of the U.S. issue, plus California’s farm regulatory overreach.
That evening, Gov. Kay Ivey addressed the farm community during the closing banquet.
“Agriculture is woven into the very fabric of our state,” said Ivey, who was raised on a Wilcox County farm. “The success of our economy and the health and well-being of our people relies on farmers.”
A keynote address from Fox and Friends Weekend Co-Host Pete Hegseth followed. A veteran, Hegseth commended the group for its conservative values.
“I love the motto of what you’re doing here,” said Hegseth, referencing the conference’s Faith, Family and Farming theme. “The first place we should go is to the Bible, to the good news.”
Hegseth’s energetic speech intertwined family tales with remarks on education, government and the 2024 General Election.
“Things are so sideways and so backwards,” he said. “The most radical thing you can do these days is tell the truth. If we grow boldly…we have a fighting chance.”
