The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its 2024 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 – Dean Price
- Arkansas, South – Jim & Heidi Craig
- Baxter – Ellie Lassiter
- Benton – Michael & Phillip Fletcher
- Boone – Billy Jack Burns
- Bradley – Nathan & Jodi Harrod
- Calhoun – Jeremy Martin
- Carroll – Tom Butler
- Clark – Tim & Michelle Daniels
- Clay – Jeremy Wiedeman
- Cleburne – Eddie Whitehurst
- Cleveland – Jason & Ashley Boyd
- Conway – Strap & Leigh Ann Brents
- Craighead – Henry Dean & Jeff Finch
- Crawford – Jamie Marion
- Crittenden – Neal Williams
- Cross – Chris Wood
- Desha – Bradley Day
- Drew – Jason Cater Family
- Faulkner – Raymond & Karen Kelly
- Fulton – Cline & Ashley Hall Family
- Grant – Gator & Amber Denis
- Greene – Jeff & Linwood Wells
- Hempstead – Curtis & Melissa Bobo
- Hot Spring – Robert & Vikki Tankersley
- Howard – Billy Barton
- Independence – Danny & Cheryl Franks
- Izard – David Blakenship Family
- Johnson – Dylan & Allyson Jackson
- Lafayette – Stephen & Cindy Burton
- Lawrence – Adam & Chasity Wall
- Little River – Mark & Patty Welch
- Lonoke – Jordan & Mary Ellen Lynch
- Madison – Kenny & Rebecca Emitt Family
- Mississippi – Murry Henderson Family
- Monroe – Kortney & Megan Gray
- Nevada – Damon Williams
- Perry – Adam & Jill Blair
- Phillips – Neil & Blake Culp
- Polk – Tracy & Mary Standerfer
- Pope – Tony & Jennifer Haley
- St. Francis – Galen Geisler
- Sebastian – Joel Brent Cooper
- Sevier – Justin Craig
- Sharp – Dennis Walling
- Stone – Thane & Ashley Huyard
- Van Buren – Stacy & Lisa Kirk
- Washington – Larry & Be-Ann Walker
- White – Dana Martin Stewart Family
- Woodruff – Mike & Sheila Milton
- Yell – Len & Melinda Cullins
The families will be visited by a set of judges to determine eight District Farm Families of the Year, which will be announced June 17. The Arkansas 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 three Southeast Farmer of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey of Clark County in 2008 and Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016 and the Cobb, Lyerly and Owen Family/Partnership of Craighead County in 2023.
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.
For more information on the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program, please contact Matt Jackson at [email protected] or 501-517-4237.
