Darlington County couple receives Young Farmer Award

Wes and Amanda Woodard, of Darlington County, were recently named winners of the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation (SCFB) Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award. After giving judges a tour of their farm while being interviewed about their daily operations, the Woodards were announced as winners of this award during an awards reception at the SCFB Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Conference held in Charleston, S.C. last month. Steven and Claudia Long, of Lexington County, also took home an award at the reception after being named winners of the SCFB Young Farmer and Rancher Excellence in Agriculture Award.

Wes and Amanda Woodard, of Darlington County, were named winners of the SCFB Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement award.

Wes and Amanda Woodard, of Darlington County, were named winners of the SCFB Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement award.

SCFB Director of Organization Larry McKenzie said, “Competing for these awards is a unique opportunity for farmers and ranchers between the ages of 18-35 in South Carolina. We are thrilled to celebrate with these two couples this year. They are well-deserving and South Carolina is fortunate to have young professionals who are committed to supporting and promoting the agricultural interests of this state.”

The Woodards were awarded $1000 and a choice of a new Chevrolet Silverado or Colorado or GMC Sierra pickup truck courtesy of courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, an expense paid trip to the annual AFBF Young Farmer and Rancher FUSION leadership conference in Nashville, Tenn. courtesy of Southern FB Life Insurance Company, and an expense paid trip to compete at the 2016 AFBF annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.

The Longs were awarded a new Polaris Sportsman 570 ATV with helmet and gloves courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, a cash award of $500 courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, , an expense paid trip to the annual American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Young Farmer and Rancher FUSION leadership conference in Nashville, Tenn. courtesy of Southern FB Life Insurance Company, and an expense paid trip to compete at the 2016 AFBF annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Steven Long was also elected as the 2015 SCFB Young Farmer and Rancher chair. Long takes on this role following the leadership of last year’s chair Reed Rogers of Chester County.

“We are grateful for the time and effort Reed put in during his tenure as Young Farmer and Rancher chair, and we certainly look forward to the guidance and knowledge of our newly elected chair, Steven,” said SCFB President David Winkles.

The SCFB Young Farmer and Rancher program is a leadership development program lead by SCFB. State committee members are nominated by their county Farm Bureau presidents and invited to participate by SCFB President David Winkles for a tow-year term. It is one of many purpose activities sponsored by the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, a grassroots, non-profit organization celebrating and supporting family farmers, locally grown food, and our rural lands through legislative advocacy, education, and community outreach. By connecting farmers to the larger community, Farm Bureau cultivates understanding about agriculture’s importance to South Carolina’s local economies. To learn more, please visit scfb.org.

Author: Duane Childers

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