Henry Forbis of Lumber Bridge receives the Young Farmer of the Year Award from Danny Lytch, District Sales Manager for Pioneer Seeds, during the recent Crop Promotion Association Awards Banquet.

The Robeson County Crop Promotion Association was first established in 1964. Although agriculture has changed drastically in this county since then, this association is still very active and still very much involved in all aspects of agriculture.

The members of this association are the agricultural businessmen and agricultural suppliers that provide products and services to our farmers. The primary mission of this association is to promote agriculture as a major component of the economy of Robeson County, to recognize our farming community and the farmers who make up those communities, and to provide financial assistance to Cooperative Extension and other groups that strive to keep agriculture strong and viable within the county.

This association provides a nice scholarship each year. It also provides funding for many meetings, tours, field days, and other educational events conducted not only by Cooperative Extension but also by others in the county. But the most elaborate event they conduct each year is the Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet. This banquet is the highlight of the year for agriculture in Robeson County. It provides the setting for public recognition of those who have excelled in agricultural production during the past year and recognizes special individuals or groups for their accomplishments and achievements.

This past Tuesday night was the big night for quite a few people who were recognized at the Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet. Those who received trophies for high yields for corn, soybeans, and wheat got their trophies, because they were good producers and because they had good weather.

The others who received awards did so because their friends, neighbors, and business associates recommended them because of what they had done. They were deserving of recognition not only because of their career or profession but also because of the way they involved themselves in their community. Consideration is given to how well they participate in local, regional, state, and national associations representing various aspects of agriculture and how they are perceived as role models by their peers.

Probably the highest award presented was the Robeson County Farmer of the Year. The recipient this year was Kay McGirt of Rowland. Kay began his farming career as an apprentice on Rowland Farms and has since branched out on his own to become a major farmer in the Rowland Community. He continues to work with Pates, but he also manages a diversified row crop farm operation of his own and is actively involved in his church and in Gideon International.

Henry Forbis of Lumber Bridge received the Robeson County Young Farmer of the Year Award. Forbis became a partner in the family farm operation in 1997, and since then, this farm has grown to over 6,600 acres in Robeson and Bladen Counties.

Ronald Hammonds of the Saddletree Community received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award. Hammonds is a large beef and hay producer and also farms corn, soybean, and wheat. He recently served as president of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association. He has been very instrumental in working with local FFA groups to give young people who do not live on farms the opportunity to learn about livestock. Hammonds is a strong advocate for agriculture and farm families and serves on numerous local and state boards.

Jason Bullock, vocational agriculture teacher at St. Pauls High School, was presented the Distinguished Educational Service to Agriculture Award. Bullock has developed a very aggressive, multifaceted agricultural program that has grown tremendously in recent years. His students are involved in a variety of learning opportunities and have excelled at the regional, state, and national levels.

The Roberts family of East Howellsville received the Family Farm of the Year Award. Pete Roberts started the farm operation over 40 years ago, and today, his sons Mark and Kevin, along with their families, are also a part of the family farm. They farm over 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat and are one of the few remaining farms that still grow tobacco.

Two Breaking New Ground Awards were presented to two different farms that have developed new and different ways to make money from their farm operations. Johnny Shooter of Marietta Gardens was recognized for his 14-acre daylily farm. Shooter and his wife maintain a massive breeding program for daylilies, market from their farm and over the Internet, and sell daylilies all over the world. Sally and Jim Kennedy have developed a horse hotel in the Rowland area where horse owners traveling through the county can rest their animals overnight. They also provide boarding services to other animal travelers and for long-term boarding as well.

Ronald Hammonds, president of the Robeson County Livestock Producers Association, presented the Livestock Producer of the Year Award, on behalf of this association, to Patrick Bullard. Bullard was recognized for his efforts to certify his beef cattle herd in the national Beef Quality Assurance Program, which allowed him to earn more than $30 additional on each animal because of carcass quality.

This was an interesting and informative banquet. It is presented each year about this time of the year. If you are a farmer or if you have interests in agriculture in Robeson County, I urge you to make plans to attend next year.

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 06/09/09