By Tanner Hood

Exceptional Young Farmers were honored at the Alabama Farmers Federation 104th annual meeting Dec. 8 in Montgomery as a competitive contest season closed. 

Statewide winners in Discussion Meet, Excellence in Agriculture and Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) received prizes after besting competitors ages 18-35 in the Alabama Young Farmers contests.

Lawrence County’s Drew Wear took first place in Discussion Meet following a captivating conversation about urban sprawl’s effect on farmers and forest landowners.

Wear, a poultry and cattle farmer, received a four-wheeler from First South Farm Credit. He competed alongside Zach Amason of Clay County, Emmanuel Bankston of Henry County and Ben Castleberry of St. Clair County. Finalists were named at the Federation’s Farm & Land Conference in August. 

 OYFF winners Drew and Lauren Wendland of Autauga County were awarded a prize package worth more than $80,000. This included $40,000 toward a new Ford vehicle courtesy of Alfa Insurance; a John Deere 835M Gator from Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit; and a year’s lease on a John Deere tractor from John Deere, SunSouth and TriGreen. 

OYFF applicants receive more than half their income from production agriculture and are scored based on farm growth, Federation involvement and community work. 

The Wendlands raise row crops, cattle and hay in Autaugaville. They have three children, Mills, Smith and Rhett. 

OYFF runners-up were also recognized.

First runner-up Garrett and Robin Dixon of Lee County received a 250-hour lease on a Kubota M series tractor from Kubota. The Dixons raise row crops and cattle in Salem and have two children, Chandler Jane and Cash. 

As second runner-up, Clay County’s Jacob and Misty Porter received a custom chemical package from Corteva Agriscience. The Porters raise poultry and cattle in Lineville. They have two children, Olen and Asher.

Excellence in Agriculture winners Josh and Bailey Williams of Tallapoosa County also received a prize from Corteva Agriscience — a zero-turn Grasshopper lawnmower. Excellence in Agriculture participants receive less than half their income from production agriculture and are scored through an application and presentation. 

The Williamses raise cattle in Eclectic. Josh is a career technical education director, and Bailey is a speech language pathologist.

OYFF and Excellence in Agriculture winners were also announced during the Farm & Land Conference. All three winners competed for national titles during American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Anaheim, California, in January.