December 15, 2000
YF&R, Discussion
Meet winners named
Kevin Huffman (left) was awarded a brand new Dodge Ram 3/4 ton Quad-cab pickup as winner of the Outstanding YF&R Contest at the Texas Farm Bureau annual meeting in Arlington. Shown with Kevin are wife Sheryl, children Heath and Clay, and SFB Casualty Representative Rod Moore.
Kevin Huffman of McGregor was named winner of Texas Farm Bureau's Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher Contest at the state's largest farm organization's annual convention.
Huffman, who operates a diversified row crop and cattle operation in McLennan County with his wife, Sheryl, and two children, was one of three finalists in the event. Runners-up included Ray Chisum of Jayton and Andrew Gee of Hereford.
The annual award honors the young leaders of agriculture and recognizes the hard work and determination needed to succeed when starting out in the challenging business of agriculture.
Huffman, who grows corn for both grain and silage, along with wheat, soybeans, sorghum, cotton and cattle, contributes hard work and a certain amount of "stubbornness" to his successful farming operation.
"I'm going to give it everything I've got not to fail," this 32-year-old producer said. "And we do whatever it takes to make ends meet. We never give up. That's my success."
Chisum, 33, runs a wheat, cotton, grain sorghum and cattle operation in Stonewall-Kent counties. He and his wife, Carla, have three children.
Gee, 29, raises corn, cotton, wheat, milo and stocker cattle in Deaf Smith County. He and his wife, Kimberly, have two children.
The Huffmans received the following prizes as winners of the contest: title to a 2001 Dodge Ram 3/4-ton Quad Cab pickup with a Cummins diesel engine, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Company; 150 hours use of a Case tractor, courtesy of Case-IH; a plaque and belt buckle, courtesy of TASCO; and a $500 cash award, courtesy of Dodge Trucks.
In addition, the Huffmans will travel to Orlando, Fla., in January to compete in the American Farm Bureau Federation Achievement Award competition.
As runners-up, the Chisums and Gees received the following prizes: complimentary use of a 2001 Dodge Quad Cab pickup for one year, courtesy of Dodge Trucks; and a plaque and belt buckle representative of the award.
Discussion Meet
David Winingham, a Montague County teacher and cattleman, bested three other finalists to win the Texas Farm Bureau Discussion Meet Contest.
"The Discussion Meet Contest provides an opportunity for young producers to discuss issues of importance to agriculture," said Si Cook, TFB Organization Programs director. "The contest is not unlike the discussions that take place every morning at the coffee shop, feed store, co-op or grain elevatorwherever farmers meet. The Discussion Meet is simply the presentation of well thought-out opinions and ideas for the purpose of collective problem-solving."
The discussion topic in this year's finals was, "How can the family farm support you, your retirement and your children's future?" Competing against Winingham in the finals were Mark Teel of Hale County, Darrell Glaser of Milam County and Glenn Hegar, Jr. of Waller County.
As winner of the Discussion Meet, Winingham received the following:
• One year's use of a 2001 Ram 1500 Quad-Cab pickup, courtesy of Dodge.
• An Arctic Cat 500 4X4, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life.
• A plaque representative of the award.
• A $100 gift certificate to Grainger Industrial Supply.
Winingham will also receive an expense paid trip to Orlando, Fla., in January to compete in the National Discussion Meet Contest at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting.
