News Young Farmers Contests Culminate In Prize Presentations

Young Farmers Contests Culminate In Prize Presentations

Young Farmers Contests Culminate In Prize Presentations
December 7, 2020 |

By Marlee Moore
(334) 613-4219

Jerry Allen Newby of Limestone County secured the title of state Discussion Meet winner following an intense final round of conversation about international trade.

The Young Farmers contest was held during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 99th annual meeting in Montgomery Dec. 6. Newby was presented his prize — a four-wheeler sponsored by First South Farm Credit — and honored on stage at the closing session Dec. 7. He is a row crop and cattle farmer from Athens.

Other Final Four competitors were Garrett Dixon of Salem in Lee County, Brady Peek of Athens in Limestone County and Ali Cantrell of Hope Hull in Montgomery County.

The Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) and Excellence in Agriculture contest champion were also recognized at the meeting. 

OYFF Ben and Bethany Johnson of Randolph County received a prize package worth more than $60,000. Prizes include $35,000 toward a Ford truck courtesy of Alfa Insurance; a lease on a John Deere tractor from AgPro, SunSouth and TriGreen; and a John Deere Gator sponsored by Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit.

From left are Alabama Farm Credit’s Mel Koller; OYFF winners Ben and Bethany Johnson with children Blakely and Brooks; Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell; and Alabama Ag Credit’s Doug Thiessen.

The Johnsons raise poultry, cattle, row crops and hay in the Omaha community near Woodland, in addition to owning a fertilizer-spreading business. They have two children, Blakely and Brooks, and are expecting another son in April. OYFF contestants earn more than half their income from production agriculture and compete via interviews and on-farm judging. The Johnsons were named the OYFF during a Facebook Live announcement in August.

During that virtual awards presentation, Emmanuel Bankston of Henry County was named the Excellence in Agriculture contest winner. Bankston received his prize package at the annual meeting, including a zero-turn mower sponsored by Corteva Agriscience and a computer package from Valcom/CCS Wireless.

Excellence in Agriculture winner Emmanuel Bankston of Henry County is pictured with Federation President Jimmy Parnell and Corteva’s Cullen Wiggins.

Excellence in Agriculture contestants derive more than half their income off-farm and showcase their passion for agriculture through a presentation and application. Bankston is operations superintendent for Golden Peanuts in Headland.

All Young Farmers contests finalists received a $500 Red Land Cotton gift certificate, courtesy of the Federation.

As state winners, Newby, Bankston and the Johnsons will represent Alabama during American Farm Bureau Federation’s virtual contests in January.

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