By Maggie Edwards 

Eddie McGriff has a passion for service. That’s evident in his 30-year career with University of Georgia Extension and subsequent decade-long journey working for Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES). 

“Helping farmers is what I have always wanted to do,” said McGriff, an ACES agronomic crops agent. “I come from a long line of farmers myself, so this is in my blood.”

McGriff’s exceptional efforts and ability to go the extra mile earned him the Alabama Farmers Federation Duncan Award for Excellence in Production Agriculture & Forestry Extension, an award that honors ACES staff who implement solutions to help farmers. 

As the program’s seventh winner, McGriff received $5,000 during the Federation Farm & Land Conference Aug. 16 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

“It is a big honor,” McGriff said. “What means the most is that it was farmer-nominated. I enjoy working with farmers like John Bevel. It is very rewarding when you see them do well.” 

McGriff has helped Bevel and a plethora of north Alabama row crop farmers increase yields and improve profitability. He serves growers in Blount, Cherokee, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Madison and Marshall counties.

“I have been working with Eddie eight years now,” said Bevel, the Marshall County Farmers Federation president and award nominator. “The first project we completed on my farm was a corn variety trial in 2018. Since then, we have continued to complete numerous trials with corn, soybeans, fertilizer and fungicides.”

Bevel said McGriff always looks for ways to help farmers’ bottom lines.

“When Eddie performs a trial or tests a new product, he not only is looking for improved crop health and yields, but he most notably strives to see a positive return on investment for farmers,” Bevel said. “In turn, that assists all producers in his region as we make decisions on our farms. He is always easy to work with. He puts information in front of farmers to make us better.”

On-farm trials are McGriff’s trademark, said the Federation’s Carla Hornady. 

“All my growers appreciate what he does,” said Hornady, who directs Federation policy for cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat. “He even has farm trials in his front yard. Everyone in the state knows they can call Eddie. His ability to grow corn yields in this area is astonishing. He also works diligently on standability utilizing fungicide research and has started implementing drones.”

Though McGriff now spends time in corn and soybean fields, he once played football on Pat Dye Field as an Auburn University (AU) football player in the ‘70s. That’s when he received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences. He earned a master’s in crop sciences from AU at age 65. 

“I think what I enjoy most is the relationships I have developed with farmers over the years,” McGriff said. “They aren’t my clients; they are friends who I want to see do well. You hurt when they hurt, like during last year’s drought. This year, it’s low prices. We’re in this together. My goal is to help them the best I can and offer as many resources to them as possible.”