LITTLE ROCK – The 75th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has named the 2022 County Farm Families of the Year. The families will be visited by a set of judges to determine eight District Farm Families of the Year, which will be announced June 14. The state Farm Family of the Year will be announced in December at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon.
salineriverchronicle.com will have a more in-depth photo special and article about the Wests in the coming weeks.
Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program has served as a vehicle 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 as Arkansas Farm Family of the Year include 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 – Jackie & Duffie Banks, Jackie & Duffie Banks Joint Venture
- Arkansas, South – Daniel & Haley Smith, LOWDOH Farm Partnership
- Ashley – Brian Young
- Baxter – Terry & Cindy Johnson, Wing’s Creek Farm
- Benton – Jim & Michele Pigeon
- Boone – Josh & Amber Thomason
- Bradley – Jason & Laura West
- Calhoun – Caleb & Jessica Bell
- Carroll – Kevin & Teresa Hostetler and Kenyon & Josie Hostetler, K&K Farms
- Chicot – Mark Welty
- Clark – Ted & Cindy Huneycutt and Steve & LeAnne Huneycutt
- Clay – Larry K. Huckabay
- Cleburne – Jared Welch, Two JJ Cattle Company
- Cleveland – Brian Ashcraft, Ashcraft Farms/Cowford Farms
- Conway – Barry, Robert & Bart Stobaugh, Stobaugh Bros. Farms
- Craighead – Brian Kelly, Quality Gladiolus Gardens
- Crawford – Eddie & Brenda Tweedy
- Crittenden – Matt Rogers & family
- Cross – Steve & Corbin Hess, Steve Hess Farm Partnership/Corbin Hess
- Dallas – Edward & Mary Parham, Parham Family Tree Farm
- Desha – Chris Dunnahoe
- Drew – Alice, Rocky & Alicia Lindsey, Peyton Place Farms
- Faulkner – Mike & Karen Reynolds, Pin Oak Club Lambs
- Franklin – Aaron Mantooth, 4M Farm
- Fulton – Justin & Lacey Lingenfelter, 4L Farm
- Garland – Braziel family
- Grant – Marks, Hanna & Cole Mitchell, Mitchell’s Hot Hen Farms, Inc
- Greene – Terry & Clay Smith families
- Hempstead – Tim & Jana Robertson
- Hot Spring – Riggin family, Grazin’ R Farm
- Howard – Brandon & Samantha Manasco family
- Independence – Ben & Mandy Hays, B & M Hays Farm
- Izard – Cecil Morehead family
- Jackson – Jeff Rowlett
- Jefferson – Brett & Juli Stewart
- Johnson – Sisk family, Rockin’ S Farms
- Lafayette – Justin Spence family
- Lawrence – Joe Wallis/Wallis family, Bilbrey Century Farm
- Lee – Barry Jones family, Borderline Farms
- Little River – Terry & Parker Smith families, Boudreaux Farms
- Lonoke – Bob & Carlotta Barnhill and family, Barnhill Orchards
- Madison – Brent Hargis Family, Ozark Mountain Produce
- Marion – Cody & Misty Burrow family
- Mississippi – Cissell family
- Monroe – Chase Swindle
- Montgomery – Jacob Hill
- Nevada – Chance Cummings
- Newton – Shawn, Chrystal, Ashlyn & Ellison Willis, Shop Creek Farm Mules & More
- Ouachita – Tyler Farms & Ranch
- Perry – Farnam family
- Phillips – Clay Young, Young and Company
- Poinsett – Dustin Faulkner, 26 Ditch Farms
- Polk – Monte & Kystal Hostetler, MK Ranch
- Pope – Doug & Carla Spence family
- Prairie – Tyler & Meagan Gore, T & M Cattle Company
- Pulaski – Charlotte & Aaron Highfill
- Randolph – Toney family
- St. Francis – Lindsey Brothers
- Searcy – Shane, Michelle, Rylee & Tate Kelly, 4K Farms
- Sebastian – Caleb, Hannah, Thadd & Halle Crelia
- Sevier – Josh Walker, Red Bud Farms
- Sharp – Chance & Kate Battles, Battles Cattle Company
- Stone – Owen Brickell family
- Union – Buddy Henley family: Buddy, Pat & Ray Henley, Henley Feed Store
- Van Buren – Steve & Pat Bone, Bone Land & Cattle
- Washington – Tim/Tyler Whorton
- White – Sandra & Rickey Wright and Frances Byrd, Byrd Ranch
- Woodruff – Shawn & Kelly Peebles family, Shawn Peebles Organic Farms
- Yell – Vernon “Cotton” & Elise Morrison
The Farm Family of the Year program begins each year with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the state Farm Family of the Year, who then go on to represent Arkansas at the Swisher Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. Arkansas has had two Southeast Farm 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 Farm Family of the Year program are Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and the three Farm Credit agencies that serve Arkansas: AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and Midsouth Farm Credit. 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.
Top photo: The Jason and Laura West family. Photo from Facebook.