I appreciate the opportunity to be here with you this week as the guest columnist for Everett Davis. As agricultural Extension agent in field crops on his staff, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the award winners of the Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet, sponsored by the Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and the Robeson County Crop Promotion Association. The banquet was held January 25 at the Southeastern North Carolina Agricultural Center and Farmers Market to recognize agricultural contributions to local communities of the county. Robeson County ranks within the top ten counties in the state in production of tobacco, cotton, soybeans, corn, and wheat, which total over $81 million in cash receipts. Total agricultural receipts for Robeson County amount to nearly $200 million annually.

Of the four major awards presented, winners were as follows:

• C. E. and Violene McLaurin Memorial Tobacco Award was presented by David Stephenson of Stephenson Farm Supply to Senator David Weinstein for his support of tobacco and the Phase II Tobacco Settlement in Robeson County
• Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award was presented by James C. Pate of Rowland Farms to Congressman Mike McIntyre for his years of dedication to farm families and agriculture in Robeson County
• Robeson County Young Farm Family of the Year Award was presented by Sybil Bullard of J. R. Jones Grain, Inc., to James Ray and Lori Ann Locklear of Prospect for involvement in their farm operation and exceptional dedication to their farm heritage
• Robeson County Farmer of the Year Award was presented by Mike Herndon of Helena Chemical Company to Tommy L. Stone of Rowland for devoting considerable effort and time beyond his normal farm operation in providing for the advancement of agriculture in Robeson County and in North Carolina

Outstanding yield performance was also recognized. Winners of the 2000 Robeson County Wheat Yield Contest were as follows:

• 1st place, P & S Farms of Rowland with 104.5 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer XW682. P & S Farms also received 3rd place in the Southern Coastal Plain Area, 2nd in the 2000 North Carolina Wheat Yield Contest, and were inducted into the 100- Bushel Wheat Club.
• 2nd place, Rex Oxendine of Rowland with 86.5 bushels per acre, variety NKC 9803
• 3rd place, Zeb Oxendine of Rowland with 83.7 bushels per acre, variety NKC 9835

Winners of the 2000 Robeson County Corn Yield Contest, conventional till category, were as follows:

• 1st place, Charles Roberts of Lumberton with 203.12 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer 31G98. Charles Roberts was also recognized as a member of the 200-Bushel Corn Club for the year 2000.
• 2nd place, Wilton Shooter and Sons of Rowland with 192.89 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer 34K77
• 3rd place, Brad Leggett of Lumberton with 189.92 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer 3163

Winners of the 2000 Robeson County Corn Yield Contest, no- till category, were as follows:

• 1st place, Rufus Cox, Jr., of Lumberton with 196.01 bushels per acre, variety DK697AR
• 2nd place, Carmichael Farms of Laurinburg with 190.32 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer 31G98
• 3rd place, P & S Farms of Rowland with 167.58 bushels per acre, variety NK 83N5

Winners of the 2000 Robeson County Soybean Yield Contest were as follows:

• 1st place, Charles Roberts with 52.5 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer 9831. Charles Roberts was also the Southern Coastal Plain Area Winner in the North Carolina Soybean Yield Contest recognized by the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association.
• 2nd place, James Brixey of Lumberton with 48.3 bushels per acre, variety Pioneer 9594
• 3rd place, W. T. Powers of Lumberton with 48.0 bushels per acre, variety NK 73G5
• 4th place, Carey Brixey of Lumberton with 47.9 bushels per acre, variety Coker SJ80. Carey Brixey also received the Most Efficient Soybean Yield for the Southern Coastal Plain area with a cost of $3.22 per bushel.

On-farm tests participants recognized were as follows:

• Miles Mercer, Jr., of Lumberton
• Larry Sampson of Rowland
• P & S Farms of Rowland
• Jimmy D. Powers of Lumberton
• Tim and Lance Herndon of Parkton
• David Walton of Lumber Bridge

Congratulations to all who have made significant contributions to our county's agricultural communities! We honor farmers for they are worthy. Let us all realize and appreciate agriculture.

For more information, contact the Cooperative Extension Service at 910-671-3276.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 05/01/01