The Alabama Farmers Federation recently welcomed a new crop of leaders integral to agricultural advocacy and organizational success during Women’s Leadership and Young Farmers committee elections.

During the organization’s 98th annual meeting Dec. 8-9 in Montgomery, Kathy Gordon of Montgomery County was elected Women’s Leadership Committee chair. Jonathan Sanders of Coffee County was named Young Farmers Committee chair. Both serve one-year, ex-officio terms on the Federation’s state board.

Other State Women’s Leadership Committee officers are Vice Chair Lydia Haynes of Cullman County and Secretary Ann Whatley of Lee County.

Calhoun County’s Delle Bean was reelected to serve Region 2, which includes Autauga, Bibb, Calhoun, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.

Gordon was also reelected to represent Region 3, which includes Baldwin, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox counties.

Russell County’s Jo Ann B. Laney will represent Region 4, which includes Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.

Outstanding County Women’s Leadership Committees were also recognized. They were Etowah County, Region 1; Pickens County, Region 2; Butler County, Region 3; and Coffee County, Region 4.

Committees collected 1,955 pounds of pop tabs in 2019 to benefit Ronald McDonald Houses of Alabama. Lawrence County collected the most, with 411 pounds.

Additionally, Young Farmers Committee officers were elected. Mitchell Henry of Lawrence County is vice chair, while Leah McElmoyl of DeKalb County is secretary.

Limestone County’s Brady Peek was reelected to represent District 1, which includes Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Morgan and Winston counties.

Talladega County’s Chase Hammock was reelected District 3 representative, which serves Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, Shelby, Talladega and Tallapoosa counties.

Choctaw County’s Kellee Griffith was elected District 5 representative, which includes Choctaw, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties.

Sanders was reelected to represent District 7, which includes Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.

Serving South Alabama At-Large is Lee County’s Garrett Dixon. The area includes Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Perry, Russell, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox counties.

Twelve outstanding Young Farmers county committees received Awards of Excellence. These were Baldwin, Calhoun, Cherokee, Colbert, DeKalb, Escambia, Etowah, Houston, Lee, Limestone, Montgomery and Randolph counties.