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A 34-year-old farmer from Lockney has been named the winner of Texas Farm Bureau's Outstanding Young Farmer &
Rancher Contest. Boyd Jackson, along with his wife Shanna, and children Lezlie, Quinn and J.W., grow cotton, grain and run
a small cattle operation in Floyd County.
The contest recognizes the hard work and determination needed to suceed when starting out in the challenging business of farming and ranching.
Named runners-up in the contest were Jay Davis of Grandview and Jeffery Carlson of Hereford.
As winner, Jackson received the following prizes: Title to a 2005 Dodge Ram 3/4 ton 4X4 Quad Cab pickup with a
Cummins diesel engine, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Co.; 150 hours use of a Case IH tractor selected
from a 40 PTO horsepower up to 155 PTO horsepower tractor, two-wheel drive or MFD front wheel drive, courtesy of Case
IH; plaque and belt buckle representative of the award, courtesy of Am-Pac; $500 cash award, courtesy of Dodge Trucks;
$500 gift certificate for crop protection chemicals, courtesy of Syngenta; and transportation, two nights lodging and
meals to the San Antonio convention. In addition, the Jacksons will represent Texas in the American Farm Bureau
Federation Achievement Award Competition in Charlotte, NC, in January 2005.
Outstanding YF&R Contest runners-up received the following: complimentary use of a 2005 Dodge Quad Cab pickup
from December 2004 through November 2005, courtesy of Dodge; plaque and belt buckle representative of the award, courtesy
of Am-Pac; and transportation, two nights lodging and meals to the San Antonio convention.
Named winner of the Excellence in Agriculture Award was Melissa Loerwald, an agricultural science teacher
from Florence.
For winning the contest, Loerwald received one year's use of a 2005 Dodge 4x4 3/4 ton Quad Cab pickup; an expense paid trip to Charlotte, NC in January to compete in American Farm Bureau's national contest; and $500 cash, courtesy of Dodge.
The 30-year-old Florence High School teacher has been teaching at the Central Texas school for nine years. She graduated from the school and now teaches there with her father, who also teaches ag science.
The Excellence in Agriculture Award is designed to recognize young farmers and ranchers who do not currently own their farming or ranching operation, but are actively contributing and growing through their involvement in Farm Bureau and agriculture.
The two runners-up for the award were July Danley of Stephenville, a public relations specialist; and Charlie and Holly Rand of Tyler. Charlie is an agricultural loan officer and Holly is an ag science teacher. The two runners-up received a $200 gift certificate to Grainger Industrial Supply, courtesy of Grainger.
A Grayson County woman took top honors in the Texas Farm Bureau's 2004 Discussion Meet Contest.
Teresa Monk, with her husband, Alan, raises and sells coastal and alfalfa hay, combined with a cow/calf and custom hay baling operation near Dorchester.
As winner, Monk will receive one year's use of a Kubota M Series tractor (45-65 h.p.) with a front end loader, courtesy of Kubota; an Arctic Cat 500 4x4, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life; a $500 cash award from Dodge; a plaque representative of the award; and an expense paid trip to Charlotte, NC in January, 2005 to compete in the American Farm Bureau Federation national contest.
The three finalists were Daniel Bluntzer, a cow/calf operator and grain and livestock marketing consultant from Corpus Christi (Nueces County); Cheramie Viator, who works for Camp Cooley Ranch, Franklin (Robertson County); and Kyla Dietrich, a real estate agent from Otto (Falls County).
Finalists received a $200 gift certificate and plaque representative of the award, courtesy of Grainger Industrial Supply.
The Discussion Meet Contest provides an opportunity for young producers (no more than 35 years of age) to discuss issues of importance to agriculture.
This contest is not unlike the discussions that take place every morning at the coffee shop, feed store, co-op or grain elevator, when farmers and ranchers meet—but the rewards are much greater.
The Discussion Meet is simply the presentation of well thought-out opinions and ideas for the purpose of collective problem-solving.
