Ag News
GFB presents state awards
Posted on Dec 08, 2022 at 0:00 AM
By Jay Stone, Georgia Farm Bureau
In ceremonies during the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) Convention, the organization unveiled its new awards program, Rewarding Excellence in Ag Program (REAP), as well as honoring 10 Volunteers of the Year and presenting the Ag In The Classroom Teacher of the Year Award.
REAP categorizes GFB’s purpose into five distinct areas of program work: organization/membership, advocacy, leadership development, education, and outreach. Within each of these areas, counties report organized activities and participate in state and national Farm Bureau events, programs, and initiatives. REAP encompasses the same program work and activities identified in the former County Awards of Excellence Program but REAP allows more flexibility to implement programs unique to the needs of each county Farm Bureau.
County Farm Bureaus participated in REAP by completing an online monthly activity report. This monthly report replaced the previous County Awards of Excellence Application. Activities considered in the REAP program took place between Sept. 1, 2021, and Aug. 31, 2022.
The REAP Awards are divided into three tiers, with tier winners in each of GFB's three membership categories.
The county winners in the top tier, HARVESTER, are:
Small Farm Bureau counties – Bacon (President David Lee, Office Manager Jeanne Taylor), Crawford (President Edd Harris, Office Manager Stephanie Harris), Macon (President Matt Oliver), Turner (President Ross Kendrick, Office Manager Karen McCurdy) and Worth (President Ronald Sumner, Office Manager Connie Melton);
Medium Farm Bureau counties – Berrien (President Linwood Rowan, Office Manager Vanna Boykin), Harris (President Gilbert Andrews, Office Manager Linda Luttrell), Jeff Davis (President James Emory Tate, Office Manager Regina Barton), Monroe (President Clete Sanders, Office Manager Sandi Williams), and Screven (President Joseph Boddiford, Office Manager Beth Reddick);
Large Farm Bureau counties – Cherokee (President William Grizzle, Office Manager Shirley Pahl), Coffee (President Derek Pridgen, Office Manager Carla Palmer), Effingham (President Stuart Exley, Office Manager Theresa Peavey), McDuffie (President Sammy McCorkle, Office Manager Kim-Cora Kay) and Walker (President Mike Bunn, Office Manager Kyla Compton).
Each Harvester County will receive a plaque & $1,500. Each county president will receive an embroidered jacket and each county office manager will receive a 3 day/2-night trip to their choice of several different destinations.
The county winners in the second tier, PLANTER, are:
Small Farm Bureau counties – Clinch (President Barry Smith, Office Manager Britt Griffis), Dooly (President Teel Warbington, Office Manager Angela Barton), Long (President Manuel Sneed, Office Manager Margaret Bess), Treutlen (President Kim Thompson, Office Manager Courtney Brooks) and Upson (President Marcus South, Office Manager Judy Warren);
Medium Farm Bureau counties – Clarke (President Dale Wood, Office Manager Katy Seagraves), Dawson (President Wayne Bennett, Office Manager Tammy Wood), Greene (President Dene Channell, Office Manager Shirley Duvall), Pike (President Matt Bottoms, Office Manager Rebeca Rolling) and Polk (President James Casey, Office Manager Sue Cuzzort);
Large Farm Bureau counties – Banks (President Jimmy Morrison, Office Manager Julie Jackson), Barrow (President Russ Wilburn, Office Manager Staci Waters), Carroll (President Douglas Smith, Office Manager Jennifer Dixson), Colquitt (President Stanley Bass, Office Manager Greta Collins) and Newton (President Chuck Berry, Office Manager Mary Corley).
Each Planter County will receive a plaque. Each county president will receive an embroidered vest and each county office manager will receive a $500 gift card.
The winners in the third tier, CULTIVATOR, are:
Small Farm Bureau Counties – Crisp (President Kenny Sheffield, Office Manager Macey Connell), Marion (President Ray Rustin, Office Manager Brianna Weber), Meriwether (President Kenneth Murphy, Office Manager Lindsey Mann), Putnam (President Jesse Patrick, Office Manager Marjorie Hanson, and Warren (President Tammy Cheely, Office Manager Lisa Smith);
Medium Farm Bureau Counties – Decatur (President Justin Long, Office Manager Lisa Green), Dougherty (President Laney Wooten, Office Manager Cindy Drew), Toombs (President Chris Hopkins, Office Manager Shelby Galbreath), Troup (President Harrell Landreth, Office Manager Anna Rogers) and Wayne (President Neil Nichols, Office Manager Wanda Daniels);
Large Farm Bureau counties – South Fulton (President Larry Parrott, Office Manager Geri Childress), Henry (President Ross McQueen, Office Manager Jean Dykes), Madison (President Russ Moon, Office Manager Lauren Lord), Paulding (President Nora Goodman, Office Manager Krista Wilkes, and Stephens (President Mark Wilkinson, Office Manager Annalise Black).
Each Cultivator County will receive a plaque. Each county president will receive an embroidered shirt and each county office manager will receive a $300 gift card.
Monica Massei of Kennedy Elementary School in Barrow County was presented Georgia Farm Bureau's Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom 2022 Teacher of the Year Award. Massei teaches gifted resources for first and second grades. The award is given in recognition of teachers who incorporate agriculture topics into their class curriculum.
As the award winner, Massei receives $500 courtesy of Georgia EMC and a trip to the 2023 National Ag in the Classroom Conference in Orlando next June sponsored by the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture.
GFB also recognized 10 district Volunteers of the Year for extraordinary efforts to promote agriculture in their local communities. The Volunteers of the Year are: 1st District – Andy Futch, Gilmer County; 2nd District – Wendy Fuschetti, Banks County; 3rd District – Glenn Robinson, Polk County; 4th District – Charles Crumbley, Greene County; 5th District – Bill Waldrep, Monroe County; 6th District – Kathy Sanders, Laurens County; 7th District – Emily Nolan, Wayne County; 8th District Vickie Brown, Turner County; 9th District – Lisa Pollock, Grady County and 10th District, Cory Tyre, Bacon County.
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