Farmers Federation Awards $133,250 To Auburn Ag, Forestry Students

By Marlee Moore
(334) 613-4219
The Alabama Farmers Federation is planting seeds for a healthy future by awarding $133,250 in scholarships to Auburn University (AU) students seeking degrees in agriculture, forestry and related industries.
Eighty students were honored during the organization’s scholarship reception at Lazenby Farms in Auburn Sept. 27. During the event, Federation President Jimmy Parnell encouraged students to make connections with fellow students — and future colleagues — during their time at Auburn.
“While I was at Auburn, I built a network of friends all across this state,” said Federation President Jimmy Parnell, an AU alumnus in agricultural business and economics. “That was probably the most important thing I got at Auburn. I encourage each of you to build that network.
“We’re excited to recognize an outstanding group of young people who have a very bright future in front of them. We’re glad to be a little part of that.”
A matching program with the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation (AFAF) and county Farmers Federations funded 57 scholarships worth $1,750. Local Federations in Baldwin, Chilton, Covington, Dale, Henry, Houston, Jefferson, Lee and Madison counties provided 21 additional scholarships.
Two students earned memorial scholarships honoring industry leaders. Clay Conaway of Cullman County received the Ronny Donaldson Memorial Scholarship, while Mobile County’s Cole Lincoln won the Mike Henry Memorial Scholarship. Conaway is a senior studying poultry science, production track; Lincoln, a junior, is studying animal sciences, meat science track.
During the program, AU sophomore Ka’Shiya McKinney thanked Federation leaders for their support.
“Thank you for taking a little of the financial burden off us so we can be the future of ag and focus on our classes,” said McKinney, a poultry science pre-vet track student from Tallapoosa County. “We want to pour back into the industry that has supported us.”
Lee County Farmers Federation President Jamie Lazenby commended students on their dedication to education and the state’s largest industry.
“Of all the things we do in this organization, giving scholarships is one of my favorites,” Lazenby said. “This is a great opportunity for students.”
The Federation began awarding AU students scholarships in 1983. In 2009, the AFAF was founded to provide additional support for agriculture education and is funded through Ag Tag sales.
Scholarship applications for the 2022-23 academic year open in November at AlfaFarmers.org/scholarships.
Download photos of each recipient here. Scholarship recipients, by county, are:
Autauga | Garrett Smith | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Baldwin | Rosemary Corte | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Baldwin | Garrett Springs | Agricultural Science |
Baldwin | Regan Smart | Environmental Science |
Barbour | Hunter Cochran | Wildlife Enterprise Management |
Bibb | Taylor Edwards | Agricultural Communications |
Bullock | Justin Jacobsen | Horticulture |
Butler | Sydni Bowers | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Calhoun | Will West | Agricultural Science |
Chambers | Gavin Rankins | Animal Science-Animal/Allied Industry |
Cherokee | Wesley Rogers | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Chilton | Bailey Price | Crop & Soils Science (Turfgrass) |
Chilton | Lucas Jones | Pre-Forestry |
Clarke | Maggie Vick | Horticulture |
Clay | Tanner Denney | Forestry |
Cleburne | Kristen Mays | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Coffee | Summer Parker | Horticulture |
Colbert | Katherine Davis | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Conecuh | Abby Dunn | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Coosa | Alli Broom | Pre-Biosystems Engineering |
Covington | Anna Courson | Pre-Biosystems Engineering |
Covington | Dawson Jernigan | Pre-Biosystems Engineering |
Covington | Emily Wismer | Horticulture |
Covington | Peyton Zessin | Agricultural Science |
Crenshaw | Kyndal Staley | Poultry Science-Production |
Cullman | Rusty Yancy | Agricultural Science |
Dale | Russell Carroll | Animal Science-Animal/Allied Industry |
Dale | Brittany Carroll | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Dallas | Will Ingram | Agricultural Business & Economics |
DeKalb | Adrian Neeley | Natural Resources Management |
Elmore | Abigail Luster | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Escambia | Nash Diercks | Forestry |
Etowah | Emma Stough | Applied Biotechnology |
Geneva | Sara Green | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Hale | Shelby Marsh | Animal Science-Animal/Allied Industry |
Henry | Bridgette Johnson | Environmental Science |
Henry | Hayden McWaters | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Henry | Julia Holley | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Henry | Bryce Johnson | Crop & Soils Science (Production) |
Houston | Cason Stevens | Pre-Forestry-Biosystems Engineering |
Houston | Gracie Woodall | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Houston | Annaleigh Poland | Fish & Allied Aquaculture-Pre-Vet |
Jackson | Keith Evett | Crop & Soils Science (Production) |
Jefferson | Clayton Crump | Poultry Science-Production |
Jefferson | Gabe Hallmark | Fisheries Science |
Jefferson | Trey Reese | Agricience Education |
Lauderdale | Katie Connolly | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Lawrence | Tanner Hood | Agricultural Communications |
Lee | Abbie Starr | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Lee | James Treadwell | Wildlife Ecology & Management |
Lee | Sydney Spratlin | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Lee | Julia Lawrence | Poultry Science-Production |
Lee | Julia Bush | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Limestone | Jasey Black | Agricultural Communications |
Lowndes | Faith Lane | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Macon | Alyson Mann | Wildlife Science-Pre-Vet |
Madison | Reese Stogner | Wildlife Ecology & Management |
Madison | Hunter Rials | Applied Biotechnology |
Madison | Jay Moore | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Madison | Johnathan Hampton | Horticulture |
Marengo | Will Yates | Biology & Agriculture Technology Management |
Marion | Madelyn Seaman | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Marshall | Arnold Ramos-Martinez | Poultry Science-Production |
Monroe | Nicholas Boone | Horticulture |
Montgomery | Mason Belcher | Pre-Biosystems Engineering |
Morgan | Dustin Randolph | Crop & Soils Science (Production) |
Pickens | Olivia Lewis | Agricultural Science |
Pike | Bailey Freeman | Poultry Science-Production |
Randolph | Allie Johnson | Crop & Soils Science (Science) |
Russell | Will Johnson | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Saint Clair | Rece Gleason | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |
Shelby | Collin Dorrill | Agricultural Business & Economics |
Talladega | Jessica Hazel | Wildlife Enterprise Management |
Tallapoosa | Ka’Shiya McKinney | Agricultural Communications |
Tuscaloosa | Jackson Elsberry | Crop & Soils Science (Turfgrass) |
Walker | Emma Jewel Johnson | Poultry Science-Production |
Washington | Riley Hill | Environmental Science |
Wilcox | Nancy Jordan | Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet |