State Women’s, Young Farmers Committees Leadership Elected
By Tanner Hood
Bright smiles and happy greetings welcomed Young Farmers and Women’s Leadership delegates as they gathered to elect state committee leaders at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 103rd annual meeting in Montgomery Dec. 8-9.
Talladega County’s Rachel Chastain was elected to lead the State Women’s Leadership Committee (WLC) and reelected to serve Region 2, while Sumter County’s Denzil Dees was elected to lead the State Young Farmers Committee.
As committee chairs, Chastain and Dees will serve one-year, ex-officio terms on the Federation state board.
Also chosen to serve on the State WLC committee as vice chair was Calhoun County’s Carla Trantham. Dixie Black of Butler County was elected secretary.
Shelley East of Cherokee County was selected to serve Region 1, which includes Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston counties. East replaces Marshall County’s Regina Carnes.
Chastain’s Region 2 includes Autauga, Bibb, Calhoun, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, and Walker counties.
Tallapoosa County’s Vickie Watkins was chosen to represent Region 4, which covers Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike, Russell and Tallapoosa counties. Watkins replaces Debbie Dunn of Geneva County.
Four outstanding counties were honored by the Women’s Leadership Division. They are Franklin County, Region 1; Randolph County, Region 2; Wilcox County, Region 3; and Lee County, Region 4.
Awards of Excellence were also presented to 46 committees including those in Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Geneva, Houston, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Wilcox and Winston counties.
Franklin County Women’s Leadership Committee was named the outstanding county in Region 1 during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. From left are Federation Women’s Leadership Division Director Kim Earwood, Franklin County Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Carol Glass and Eyvonne Herring.
Randolph County Women’s Leadership Committee was named the outstanding county in Region 2 during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. From left are Federation Women’s Leadership Division Director Kim Earwood, Randolph County Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Debra Bowen and Barbara Norred.
Wilcox County Women’s Leadership Committee was named the outstanding county in Region 3 during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. From left are Federation Women’s Leadership Division Director Kim Earwood, Wilcox County Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Peggy Prevatt and Terri Brown.
Lee County Women’s Leadership Committee was named the outstanding county in Region 4 during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. From left are Federation Women’s Leadership Division Director Kim Earwood, Lee County Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Mary Richburg and Ann Whatley.
Additionally, Young Farmers ages 18 to 35 finalized their 2025 state committee leaders.
Accompanying Dees is Henry County’s Emmanuel Bankston as vice chair and Forrest Anders of Morgan County as secretary.
Serving District 2 is Marshall County’s Erin Tolleson. District 2 covers Blount, Cherokee, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Marshall and St. Clair counties. She replaces DeKalb County’s Natalie Lee.
Greene County’s Cal Logan was reelected to represent District 4. The district includes Bibb, Greene, Fayette, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.
Ryan Cox of Chilton County was elected to serve District 6, which covers Autauga, Bullock, Chambers, Chilton, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Montgomery and Russell counties. Cox replaces Jonathan Edgar of Elmore County.
Baldwin County’s Trey Colley was tapped to lead District 8, replacing Dillon Turk of Mobile County. District 8 includes Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington counties.
Jacob Porter of Clay County was elected to serve as the North At-Large representative. This includes Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties.
As Alabama’s Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF), Whit and Amanda Lovelady of Talladega County will serve an ex-officio role on the committee.
Twenty-four counties were recognized for outstanding work and active participation. They were Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clay, Coffee, Colbert, Cullman, Dale, DeKalb, Escambia, Houston, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Marshall, Montgomery, St. Clair, Talladega, Tallapoosa and Winston counties.
The Colbert County Young Farmers Committee (CCYFC) received the Above & Beyond Award for exceptional community service. Wiregrass Young Farmers in District 7 received the Impact Award for outstanding efforts to provide relief for hurricane victims in neighboring states.
The Colbert County Young Farmers Committee (CCYFC) received the Above & Beyond Award at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. The Above & Beyond Award recognizes individuals and county Young Farmers committees for exceptional community service.
From left are CCYFC Chair Ali Gotcher and Federation Young Farmers Division Director Hunter McBrayer.
Alabama Farmers Federation Young Farmers in the Wiregrass received the Impact Award at the Federation’s 103rd annual meeting. These District 7 leaders were recognized for outstanding efforts to provide relief to hurricane victims in neighboring states. The district includes Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties. State Young Farmers Committee District 7 Representative Emmanuel Bankston of Henry County, right, accepted the award on behalf of his fellow young farmers.