PRESS RELEASE
The 76th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its 2023 County Farm Families of the Year.
Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has helped to recognize outstanding farm families throughout the state. The objectives of the Farm Family of the Year program are:
To give recognition and encouragement to farm families who are doing an outstanding job on their farm and in their community;
To recognize the importance of agriculture in the community and state; and
To disseminate information on improved farm practices and management.
Selection criteria for the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year includes efficiency of production, conservation of energy and resources, leadership in agricultural and community affairs, home and farm improvement, and home and farm management.
The county Farm Families of the Year are:
Arkansas, North – Clint & Lana Roth; Roth Farms; Stuttgart
Arkansas, South – Matthew & Casey Green; M & C Green Farm Partnership; Stuttgart
Baxter – Tony & Susan Chamberlain, Steve & Jennifer Ellison, Jordan Ellison; Faraway Vineyard; Gamaliel
Benton – Wes & Laura Evans; Evans Farms; Gentry
Boone – Brian and Tammy Lemon & family; Lemon Farm; Lead Hill
Bradley – Brad & Melissa Harrod; Brad Harrod Farms; Hermitage
Calhoun – Joey Blann; JB Cattle; Hampton
Chicot –Mike Myers, Steven Myers & Eric Myers; Myers Farms; Eudora
Clark – Robert & Kristy Benight; 3B Farms; Okolona
Clay – Brock & Fallon Russell; Piggott
Cleburne – Shaun & Candace Mason; Shaun & Candace Mason Farm; Edgemont
Cleveland – Jason & Debbie Young; Warren
Columbia – Chad & Jamie Daniel; 777 Farms; Magnolia
Conway – John Maus & family; Maus Pecan Farm; Morrilton
Craighead – Jonathan Bobbit/Bobbitt Family; JAB Farms; Lake City
Crawford – Jared, Jessie, Dakota & Hailey Williams; Williams Farms; Mulberry
Crittenden – Bob & Will Gammill; Smokey Alley Farm Partnership; Crawfordsville
Cross – Melvin, Nancy, Rusty & Kalyn Taylor; Melvin Taylor Farms; Wynne
Dallas – Troy & Amberlee Ray; Ray 5 Farm; Carthage
Drew – Stephen & Dustin Day; Stephen & Dustin Day Farms; McGehee
Faulkner – Tucker family; H&D Tucker Farms; Conway
Franklin – Austin Sampley; Sampley Farms; Charleston
Fulton – Derek & Karen Hall family; Lick Creek Cattle; Salem
Garland – Jeff & Traci Britt; Britt Family Farm; Royal
Grant – D.J. & Lisa Ray; Oak Hill Farms; Sheridan
Greene – Randy Gray & Brad Gray families; Gray Farms; Beech Grove
Hempstead – Mark & Judy Anderson; AA Farms; Hope
Hot Spring – Jeremy & Magen Allen; JA Farms; Bismarck
Howard – Mark & Sarah Myers; Nashville         Â
Independence – Chad Treadway; Treadway Farms; Magness
Izard – Toby Smith; CT Cattle; Melbourne
Jackson – Bill & Carey Robertson; CWC Farm; Bradford
Jefferson – Kyle & Andrea Sealy; K & A Sealy Farms; White Hall
Johnson – Jeremy & Shirley Hatchett; Hatchett Family Farm; London
Lafayette – Reid & Abby Hays; Hays Farms; Bradley
Lawrence – Fred & Bryan Schmidt; Green Wing Farms, llc; Walnut Ridge
Lee – Clayton Long; Longshot Farms; Moro
Little River – Tyler Davis family; Tyler Davis Family Farm; Ashdown
Logan – Mark & Rhonda Rhein; Paris                 Â
Lonoke – Landon & Todd Pool; Pool Fisheries, Inc.; Lonoke
Madison – Kenny & Megan Harris family; Huntsville
Marion – Terry Phillips; Phillips Farm; Everton
Mississippi – The Donner family; Blackwater Farms/Donner Farms; Manila
Monroe – David & Megan Dunn; Dunn's Fish Farm; Brinkley
Montgomery – Brandon & Heidee Jackson; BHJ Farms; Mount Ida
Nevada – Brandon & Megan Tullis family; Prescott
Newton – Ryan & Cristan Martin; Buckhorn Farms; Deer
Ouachita – Jimmy & Kathy Starr; Ouachita Valley Angus; Camden
Perry – Keith Lawson; Lawson Farms; Houston
Phillips – Stan Lewis; SSR Farms/Lou Lane Farms; Barton
Poinsett – Jeffe Flye & Logan White; White Flye Farms; Weona
Polk – Rodney & Samantha Sellers; VandervoortÂ
Pope – Keith, April & Blake Holbrook; Holbrook Farms; Atkins
Prairie – Thomas Joe English; English Family Farm Partnership; Des Arc
Pulaski – Doug & Sheree Meyer; Rusty Tractor Vineyards; Little Rock
Randolph – Hardin family; Hardin Farms; Pocahontas
St. Francis – Drew & Kenlee Flowers; Flowers Farms Partnership; Palestine
Saline – Wade Marshall & Deana McKinight families; Salt Box Farm; Benton
Searcy – Sid & Lea Ann Lowrance; Lowrance Farms; Marshall
Sebastian – Tracy & Julie Leonard; Huntington
Sevier – Steven Wagner; DeQueen                     Â
Sharp – Josh & Sissy Gray; Gray Livestock & Cattle/Joshua 24:15, llc; Williford
Stone – Dayton McCarty family; Dayton McCarty Farm; Mountain View
Union – Casey Wooten & Cindy Wooten; Strong
Van Buren – Adam & Darla McJunkins family; Bar Mc Ranch; Dennard
Washington – Travis, Ashley, Griffin, Owen & Evan Appel; Appel Farms; Elm Springs
White – Brandon Cain Family; Cain Farms; Griffithville
Woodruff – Brian & Melissa Alumbaugh; McCrory
Yell – Nick & Jamie Taylor; Rafter T Ranch, Inc.; Havana
The families will be visited by a set of judges to determine eight District Farm Families of the Year, which will be announced June 13. The state Farm Family of the Year will be announced in December at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon, who then represent Arkansas at the Southeastern Expo Farmer of the Year event in Georgia. Arkansas has had two Southeast Farmer of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey of Clark County in 2008 and Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016.
Sponsors of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program are Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas. Additionally, support for the program is provided by the Arkansas Agriculture Department, Arkansas Department of Career Education, Arkansas Press Association, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development.
Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of almost 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm