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News Young Farmer Champions Reap Rewards Of Hard Work

Young Farmer Champions Reap Rewards Of Hard Work

Young Farmer Champions Reap Rewards Of Hard Work
December 5, 2022 |

By Marlee Moore
(334) 613-4219

Young Farmers from three Alabama counties left the Alabama Farmers Federation 101st annual meeting Dec. 5 with extensive prize packages, courtesy of generous sponsors.

After an intense Final Four round of competition, Discussion Meet winner Garrett Dixon of Lee County received a four-wheeler from First South Farm Credit. Discussion Meet simulates a committee meeting where contestants discuss pressing agricultural issues. Dixon is a row crop and cattle farmer.

Other finalists, named during the Federation’s Farm & Land Expo this summer, were Landon Marks, Cherokee County; Shelby Windham, Dale County; and Chapman Bodiford, Limestone County.

Additional Young Farmers contest winners named during the Farm & Land Expo also received prize packages during annual meeting.

Calhoun County’s Daniel and Carla Trantham were honored as Alabama’s Outstanding Young Farm Family Dec. 5 during the Alabama Farmers Federation 101st annual meeting in Montgomery. The Tranthams are pictured with Federation and Alfa Insurance President Jimmy Parnell, Alabama Ag Credit President Doug Thiessen and Alabama Farm Credit President Mel Koller.

Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) winners Daniel and Carla Trantham of Calhoun County received $40,000 toward a Ford truck courtesy of Alfa Insurance; a John Deere Gator from Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit; and a year’s lease on a John Deere tractor from SunSouth and TriGreen.

The Tranthams have five children — Davis, Sadie, Anna Kate, Sawyer and Callie. In addition to raising cattle and row crops, their family owns a feed company and a trucking business, which services poultry integrators across the Southeast.

OYFF competitors must have half their income subject to production risk and compete through an application, interview and on-farm judging.

Morgan County’s Josh Melson was honored as the Excellence in Agriculture contest winner Dec. 5 during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 101st annual meeting in Montgomery. From left are Federation President Jimmy Parnell, Melson and Corteva’s Jacee May.

As the Excellence in Agriculture contest winner, Morgan County’s Josh Melson received a zero-turn lawnmower from Corteva Agriscience. Melson is an agriscience teacher and won the contest based on an application and presentation. Excellence in Agriculture competitors receive less than half their income from production agriculture.

Dixon, Melson and the Tranthams also received a Blackstone Griddle Package, courtesy of the Federation.

The trio of competitors will represent Alabama nationally during American Farm Bureau Federation contests in Puerto Rico in January.

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