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Meet the winners & finalists of GFB YF&R Contests

Posted on August 19, 2019 12:00 AM

Text and photos by Jay Stone

The achievement award recognizes YF&R members for their farming operations and leadership activities.

Preston & Kendall Jimmerson won the award and will represent Georgia as they compete for the American Farm Bureau  YF&R Achievement Award in January at the AFBF convention in Austin, Texas. As the state winner, the Jimmersons received $500 cash, a four-seat John Deere ATV with trailer, a year’s use of a Kubota M Series tractor and an expense-paid trip to the AFBF convention. The runners-up received $500 cash.

The Jimmersons grow row crops and vegetables and raise cattle. The Greens raise poultry and cattle and grow hay, as well as selling and spreading chicken litter. The Pittmans grow watermelons, a variety of vegetables and row crops, and operate a roadside market.

YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes ag professionals

Finalists for the GFB Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Excellence in Agriculture Award, were: Becca Creasy of Bulloch County; Rachel & Jason Kinsaul of Morgan County; and Melissa Mathis of Monroe County.

This award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who earn the majority of their income from something other than production agriculture.

The Kinsauls won the competition and will represent Georgia as they vie for the national award at the American Farm Bureau Convention in January. Rachel is an agriculture teacher in Morgan County while Jason works as an agricultural lender for Rabo Agrifinance. As the state winners, the Kinsauls received $500 cash, a two-seat John Deere ATV with trailer and an expense-paid trip to Austin for the 2020 AFBF convention.

Creasy and her husband, Jarrod, raise cattle and operate a custom meat and butcher business. Mathis operates two farm and pet supply stores, raises black angus cattle and grows hay with her husband, Bobby.

YF&R Discussion Meet finalists can talk ag

The YF&R discussion meet simulates a meeting where participants talk about an issue and explore possible solutions. The final four round, held July 20 during the GFB YF&R Leadership Conference, focused on how Farm Bureau can collaborate with other organizations to combat crises like opioid addiction and emotional health issues. Twenty-five contestants from 22 counties competed in the event.

Kaitlyn Marchant, an ag teacher at Morgan County High School, won the competition. She will represent Georgia in the American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet at the AFBF Convention in Austin, Texas.

As the state winner, Marchant received $500 cash, a two-seat John Deere ATV with trailer and an expense-paid trip to the 2020 AFBF Convention. The runners-up each received $350 cash.

Jackson is a sales representative for Bayer Animal Health and runs a commercial cow/calf operation. Gilman raises hair sheep and works as a farm loan officer with the USDA. Pollard teaches agriculture courses in Newton County, is a certified beekeeper and raises Charolais show cattle.

YF&R Member of the Year promotes ag

This is a new award for Georgia’s YF&R program this year. It recognizes the diverse ways YF&R members can have an impact by participating in county, district and state-level events and working to encourage, educate and lead other young farmers and ranchers.

YF&R conference attendees viewed videos of the three finalists describing their activities to promote agriculture and then voted to determine the winner.

Walt Pridgen, who manages 11 poultry houses, grows hay and raises cattle, won the award and $250 cash. In addition to serving as the Coffee County Farm Bureau YF&R Chairman, he is president of South Georgia Cattlemen, speaks to other organizations to promote agriculture and volunteers as a judge for area FFA events.

Will Cabe raises beef cattle, broilers and club goats. He serves as Franklin County Farm Bureau YF&R Chairman and is active in the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association, Georgia Young Cattlemen’s Council and the AgGeorgia Farm Credit Advisory Board.

Chy Kellogg grows vegetables, selling them at farmers markets, and does contract work for the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts. As chairman of the Cobb County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Kellogg teaches Ag in the Classroom lessons at local schools and at various farms.

Cabe and Kellogg each won $150 cash.

Hobbs heads to AFBF collegiate event

-GFB-