{"id":12227,"date":"2023-12-14T10:34:43","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T16:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theclarion.org\/?p=12227"},"modified":"2023-12-14T10:34:43","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T16:34:43","slug":"jackson-county-farmers-federation-recognized","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/?p=12227","title":{"rendered":"Jackson County Farmers Federation recognized"},"content":{"rendered":"

by: Marlee Jackson, Maggie Edwards and Tanner Hood\u00a0<\/em>
\nAlabama Farmers Federation grassroots leaders received high praise when voting delegates elected peers to commodity committees during the organization\u2019s 102nd annual meeting in Montgomery. During the business session, delegates officially approved nominations for Debra Dunn and Dillon Turk to lead the State Women\u2019s Leadership Committee and State Young Farmers Committee, respectively. Geneva County\u2019s Dunn lives on a row crop and cattle farm, while Turk of Mobile County manages his family\u2019s ornamental nursery. Dunn and Turk will also serve one-year, ex-officio terms on the state board, where they\u2019ll gain deeper understanding of Federation business and the organization\u2019s connection with Alfa Insurance.<\/p>\n

As committee chairs, Dunn and Turk will serve one-year, ex-officio terms on the Federation\u2019s state board.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On the WLC, Rachel Chastain of Talladega County was chosen to serve as vice chair, and Carla Trantham of Calhoun County was elected as secretary.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elected to serve Region 1 was Lisa Lake of Cullman County. Region 1 includes Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston counties. Lake replaces Cullman County\u2019s long-time state committee member Lydia Haynes, who served the committee for six years.\u00a0
\nMeanwhile, Young Farmers ages 18-35 elected leaders during their annual business meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

District 5\u2019s Denzil Dees of Sumter County was elected as vice chairman, in addition to his newly reelected position representing Choctaw, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Natalie Lee of DeKalb County will serve as secretary and continue representing District 2\u2019s Blount, Cherokee, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Marshall and St. Clair Counties.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Forrest Anders of Morgan County was chosen to serve District 1, which includes Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence Limestone, Madison, Marion, Morgan and Winston counties. \u00a0Anders replaces James Hereford of Madison County. Hereford served a two-year term.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Brady and Anna Peek of Limestone County will serve an ex-officio role on the committee as Alabama\u2019s Outstanding Young Farm Family of the Year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fourteen counties were recognized for outstanding work, active participation and community involvement. They were Calhoun, Chambers, Clay, Elmore, Henry, Houston, Lee, Limestone, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Talladega, Tallapoosa and Winston counties.<\/p>\n

State commodity committees are as effective as ever, said Federation Governmental and Agricultural Programs Department Director Mitt Walker.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe process of allowing farmers to select the best among their peers for these committees has bolstered each group\u2019s influence and resilience,\u201d Walker said. \u201cThese members understand present and future issues facing agriculture. Our exceptional group of commodity directors is prepared to work with every member to determine strategy and make Alabama even better.\u201d
\nWalker said the Federation relies on policy recommendations from state committees to shape and direct the organization\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the third year, elections took place during the year-end meeting. Brooks Wall of Shelby County was newly elected to the State Forestry Committee. Wall said he\u2019s looking forward to working with other members to promote and protect Alabama timber land.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWith any large industry, there are complications that will arise.\u201d Wall said. \u201cI\u2019m ready to work with many talented and bright people to solve those problems, grow the forestry business and improve it the best we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

State committees provide commodity-specific educational programs across the state throughout the year, in addition to guiding research, promotion and education efforts.
\nCade Grace of Walker County said he\u2019s grateful to serve farmers and help ensure checkoff funds are allocated to initiatives that benefit all producers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing on the committee gives us the opportunity to sit with others who might have different perspectives and experiences,\u201d said Grace, who was elected to his second term on the State Soybean Committee. \u201cWe\u2019re well represented from all parts of Alabama, so we\u2019ll be able to promote programs that help farmers across the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Federation staff will work with committees to dive deep into distinct issues surrounding each of the organization\u2019s 17 commodities: bee & honey; beef; catfish; cotton; dairy; equine; forestry; greenhouse, nursery & sod; hay & forage; fruit & vegetables; peanuts; pork; poultry; sheep & goat; soybean; wheat & feed grain; and wildlife.<\/p>\n

Catfish, fruit & vegetable and peanut elections will be held outside the annual meeting. Catfish producers will meet to vote at Catfish Industry Update Meeting Jan. 11 in Marion Junction. The Alabama Peanut Producers Association and Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association will gather at their corresponding conferences in Dothan and Gulf Shores to elect members. The affiliated organization Alabama TREASURE Forest Association will vote in 2024.<\/p>\n

In addition to elections, state commodity committee members who rotated off committees were honored Dec. 4 for serving the maximum nine years.\u00a0
\n\u2022 Bee & Honey \u2013 Justin Hill, Calhoun County
\n\u2022 Beef \u2013 Larry Bowen, Randolph County; Tim Whitley, Blount County
\n\u2022 Cotton \u2013 Richard Lindsey, Cherokee County\u00a0
\n\u2022 Equine \u2013 Frank Chirico, Coffee County\u00a0
\n\u2022 Forestry \u2013 Emory Mosley, Washington County\u00a0
\n\u2022 Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod \u2013 Brian Keller, Mobile County\u00a0
\n\u2022 Hay & Forage \u2013 Joe Ching, Mobile County
\n\u2022 Sheep & Goat \u2013 Charlie Loveless, Calhoun County; Melissa Palmer, Elmore County
\n\u2022 Wheat & Feed Grain \u2013 James Walker, Lauderdale County\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Jackson County Farmers Federation (JCFF) received an Award of Excellence during the Alabama Farmers Federation\u2019s 102nd annual meeting Dec. 4 in Montgomery. This honor recognizes counties for top-tier programs, community work and agricultural advocacy during 2023. From left are Federation Executive Director Paul Pinyan and JCFF President Phillip Thompson.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by: Marlee Jackson, Maggie Edwards and Tanner Hood\u00a0 Alabama Farmers Federation grassroots leaders received high praise when voting delegates elected peers to commodity committees during the organization\u2019s 102nd annual meeting in Montgomery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12227"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12230,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12227\/revisions\/12230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.theclarion.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}