By Maggie Edwards  

The Alabama Farmers Federation’s grassroots foundation was on display during state commodity committee elections Dec. 8.

Delegates gathered in Montgomery to vote farmer-leaders onto respective committees at the Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. 

These farmers will help direct the organization’s policy work, said the Federation’s Mitt Walker. 

“The Federation was founded on grassroots,” said Walker, the Federation Governmental & Agricultural Programs Department director. “Farmers know issues facing agriculture better than anyone. That’s why it’s important farmers work with our commodity directors to guide our efforts to improve Alabama’s agricultural industry.”

Newly elected State Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod Committee member Shane Pack said he’s ready to be the voice agriculture needs. 

“It’s important for our industry to have good representation,” said Pack of Pack’s Nursery in Marshall County. “When you’re out in the field all day working, sometimes it may feel like the ones making the laws have no idea what you’re going through. It’s great to be a part of an organization with leadership and staff who hear our concerns and take them to state and federal decision-makers.”

Clarke County’s Jonathan McLendon echoed Pack, stating his goal is to help develop beneficial policies.

“Things that impact farmers in Alabama are different than other parts of the country,” said McLendon, a cattle farmer who was elected to the State Beef Committee. “Working on drought reporting is something I am ready to take on. I truly want to protect what we do for my children and future generations of farmers.”

Members of state committees guide research, promotion and education efforts for the Federation’s 17 committees — bee & honey; beef; catfish; cotton; dairy; equine; forestry; greenhouse, nursery & sod; hay & forage; fruit & vegetables; peanuts; pork; poultry; sheep & goat; soybean; wheat & feed grain; and wildlife.

In addition to elections during the annual meeting, State Catfish Committee members were elected during the Alabama Catfish Conference in January. Affiliate organizations will elect leaders during respective conferences this year. Those are the Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, Alabama Peanut Producers Association and Alabama TREASURE Forest Association.

Learn more at AFVGA.org, AlPeanuts.com and TREASUREForest.org. 

In addition to elections, retiring state commodity committee members were honored for serving the maximum nine years. They were: 

Bee & Honey
Lionel Evans, Limestone County

Beef
David Lee, Lowndes County
Mike Carnes, Marshall County

Cotton
Lance Miller, Blount County 

Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod
Hank Richardson, Cherokee County
Bill Cook, Montgomery County 

Soybean
Daniel Trantham, Calhoun County

Wildlife
Mark Finley, Winston County