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Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation
Agricultural News and Information
Farm Bureau concludes 89th annual meeting
JACKSON – Nearly 750 Farm Bureau members, representing the state’s 82 county Farm Bureaus, took part in the three-day meeting where, in addition to the election of officers and directors, the delegates adopted policy to guide the organization’s efforts during 2011. Policies relating to national issues will be forwarded to the American Farm Bureau Federation for consideration at its annual meeting, which is scheduled for Atlanta, GA, in mid-January.
Randy Knight, a beef and dairy farmer from Pelahatchie was elected as the ninth president of the state’s largest general agricultural organization.
Newly elected or re-elected directors on the MFBF Board include Mike Graves, Ripley; Bill Ryan Tabb, Cleveland; Neal Huskison, Pontotoc; Bobby Moody, Louisville; James Foy, Canton; James Brewer, Shubuta; Lonnie Fortner, Port Gibson; Mike McCormick, Union Church: Gerald Moore, Petal; and Ken Mallette, Van Cleave. Noble Guedon of Natchez will sit on the Board due to his election as Young Farmer & Rancher Committee chairman. Betty Mills of Winona was elected State Women’s Committee Chair and will represent the Women’s Committee on the State Board.
Pepper and Crystal Roberts of Belzoni were selected as Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Achievement Award winner and will travel to Atlanta to represent Mississippi in the National Young Farmer Achievement Award competition. Daniel Martin of Water Valley won the Young Farmer Discussion Meet, an event that challenges contestants’ discussion skills and their ability to persuade others to see their side of an issue. He will also compete in the national competition in Atlanta in January.
Farm Bureau’s highest award, the MFBF Distinguished Service Award, was presented to retiring Farm Bureau President David Waide of Clay County. Waide served as president of the organization for 14 years and guided it through many trying times including low commodity prices, a faltering economy, and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Waide was also praised for his efforts in getting the needed signatures to put eminent domain reform on the ballot in 2011.
The Excellence in Leadership Award went to Eddie Myrtle Moore of Rankin County for her many years of dedicated service to agriculture and Farm Bureau in Mississippi.
Hembree Brandon of Starkville was given the Ag Ambassador Award for his work in promoting agriculture and Mississippi. Brandon is the Editorial Director for the Delta Farm Press and has been writing about agriculture in the mid-South since 1973.
There were two recipients of the Friend of Agriculture Award. Senator Buck Clark of Washington County and Representative Greg Ward of Tippah County received the award for their support of agriculture and Farm Bureau in the Mississippi Legislature.
In other meeting activities, Mattie Carter from Rolling Fork was chosen as Farm Bureau Ambassador. This contest is to identify young leaders who can use their advantages to tell the farm story. It is also designed to enlighten and inform the public that interest in agriculture, as a career, is alive and productive.
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