Matthew is COMMITTEE CHAIR Jackson County 3043 Little

Matishia & Matthew Taylor – Matthew is COMMITTEE CHAIR

Jackson County

3043 Little Savannah Road

Sylva, NC 28779

Matishia – (828) 506-1615

matishia8[email protected]

Matthew – (828) 506-2937

matthewf[email protected]

Matthew and Matishia are both Jackson County natives and married in 2011.

Matthew grew up in the Little Savannah Community while Matishia grew up in the

little Canada area at around 4,000 feet in elevation. They have two children,

Caitlynn Clara and Clinton Austin. Matthew and Tishia are just one part of the

operation that they call Lewis and Taylor Farms; with many aunts, uncles, cousins,

grandparents and parents it is really the definition of a family farm. Their fifth

generation farm in Little Savannah currently raises hair sheep.

Matishia "Tishia" was not raised in agriculture as a child but was always around

Christmas tree farms. When she met Matthew in 2006 and they started dating she

grew to love working with the livestock and putting up hay and all that goes along

with the farm. Tishia enjoys helping during lambing season and getting to handle

all the new lambs. During the summer, Tishia likes to gather fresh produce from

the garden and preserve it in the canner or in the freezer. Tishia is employed at

Western Carolina University as an Administrative Support Associate. In her spare

time Tishia enjoys being outdoors, going on trips with family and spending time at

Church with the women’s group.

From a young age Matthew knew that he wanted to be a farmer just like his

grandpa, Jonny Lewis. As Matthew grew older he got more involved in what was

going on with the farm and eventually started raising his own cattle and sheep.

While Matthew was in high school He served as the Vice President of the Smoky

Mountain FFA Chapter and competed on the horticulture and hunter’s safety

teams. Matthew works for the NC Department of Transportation as a Sign Erector

where he covers the ten most western counties of the State. He also serves his

community as the second assistant chief on the Cullowhee Volunteer Fire

Department. Matthew enjoys hunting and fishing while he is not working on the

farm and really enjoys working with any kind of working dog.

Luke Aldridge – 1

Year Member

Graham County

142 Apple Tree Branch

Robbinsville, NC 28771

James Luke – (828) 735-2227

[email protected]

Luke Aldridge is a sixth generation farmer on his family’s farm in Robbinsville, NC.

His family farm raises registered and commercial black angus cattle and keeps

horses. In June 2021, Luke transitioned into freezer beef and pork.

Luke has had an agriculture background since a young age, helping his father and

grandfather tend to the farm and has always enjoyed horses. In 2011, he

competed in the Youth and Yearling Mustang Challenge and won his division. Two

years later he competed again and placed fifth.

He holds an Associate’s Degree in Business Entrepreneurship from Southwestern

Community college. In addition to the farm, Luke works for his father and uncle at

their general contracting company, Aldridge Brothers, Inc. When Luke is not

working, he plays guitar and sings for a gospel music group in Sylva, NC. Along with

YF&R, Luke currently serves as the president for Graham County Farm Bureau.

Amber & Kamal Bell – 1

Year Members

Orange County

1023 Bengel Drive

Durham, NC 27703

Kamal – (984) 888-6945

SankofaFarmsLL[email protected]

Amber – (919) 264-1789

Amber Bell is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina and prides herself on being an

honorable wife, devoted mother and an amazing educator.

She attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where she

majored in elementary education and taught in the public school system for the

past seven years. Amber is a beekeeper, nature enthusiast, and lover of all things

music!

Kamal Bell is a farmer, entrepreneur, lifelong learner, and devoted advocate

of cultural expansion through agriculture. Driven by a desire to not only give back

to the community, but also to restore the legacy of farming in the African

American community, he founded Sankofa Farms while pursuing his Master’s

degree at North Carolina A and T State University. Kamal has been featured by a

collection of over 25 magazines, books, newspapers, both news and radio stations,

and conferences, and strives to continue to empower the community at large

through his passion for agriculture.

Chance Best – 2

Year Member

Haywood County

338 Pilgam Way

Clyde, NC 28721

Chance – (828) 550-5757

chancebest1315@gmail.com

Together with his parents, Chance operates Rocking B Farms in Clyde, NC. Rocking

B is a third generation family farm focused primarily on commercial beef cattle

production and hay sales. His parents, Daniel and Jennifer Best, own the farm but

the operation in recent years has been a product of Chance’s vision and oversight.

In recent years, the farm has expanded to include custom haying for other local

producers, and diversified into agritourism elements to improve sustainability.

New components focus on retail sales of USDA packaged beef products and an

event venue for weddings and gatherings.

Chance is employed fulltime by the Maggie Valley Fire Department.

Emily & Preston Cave – 1

Year Members

Surry County

9455 US 601

Dobson, NC 27017

Preston – (336) 374-0640

paccattleco@gmail.com

Emily – (336) 374-0662

ecave9455@gmail.com

Hello! We are Preston and Emily Cave from Surry County, North Carolina. We met

attending North Carolina State in 2012, and were married in November 2015. Our

daughter Sidney Ann was born May 2021, and we will welcome a second baby girl

in June 2023. Together, we own and operate PAC Family Meats in Dobson, North

Carolina which officially opened in September 2017.

PAC Family Meats is our direct-to-consumer farm store where we offer our

homegrown, grass fed beef. We raise primarily Hereford and Hereford-cross cattle,

and utilize regenerative agriculture techniques through our forage selection and

planting, rotational grazing, and cover crops. We sell our beef in bulk quarters and

halves, as well as by the pound to the consumer, and to local restaurants and food

trucks.

During the day, Preston manages Double A Cattle Company in Statesville, and

Emily is a loan processor at Carolina Farm Credit in Yadkinville. We are active

members of Salem Fork Baptist Church in Elkin. In our rare spare time not spent

with cows, we enjoy visiting with family and friends, riding our horses, and grilling

steaks.

Christopher & Erin Conser – 2

Year Members

Cabarrus County

7277 Miami Church Road

Concord, NC 28025

Christopher – (704) 785-6198

cjamesc[email protected]m

Erin – (704) 796-5714

erinleigh114@gmail.com

Chris and Erin Conser live and work on a multigenerational family farm in Mount

Pleasant, NC. Erin was born and raised on her family farm, Porter Farms in

Cabarrus County, where she was always around animals and farm life. After

graduating from UNC Charlotte Erin was an elementary school teacher before

returning to work fulltime on the family farm. Chris married into farming life,

previously working in Human Resources after he graduated from UNC Charlotte.

He made the decision to work fulltime on the family farm and has developed a

passion for agriculture and a special fondness for working with swine and cattle.

Chris works alongside his father-in-law and two brothers-in-law.

Their farming operation includes traditional farming as well as agritourism

ventures that have been added over the years, creating additional income to allow

family members to farm fulltime. The 1000-acre family farm has a farrow-to-wean

sow farm, pullet houses, layer houses and beef cattle. They also host mud run

obstacle course races. In 2022 they began marketing their own beef for local sales

as well as growing plants in a greenhouse converted from old pullet houses.

They also own and operate The Farm at Brusharbor and The Farmstead, on farm

venues, where they host weddings and events throughout the year. Erin and Chris

were married here in 2012, kick starting the wedding business into motion. Erin

and her two sisters-in-law manage the day-to-day operations of weddings and

events. Family is very important and a major part of the operation.

Chris and Erin have three boys; Liam (7), Graham (5) and Knox (5 months). They

enjoy helping around the farm and participating in a yearly mud race. Chris and

Erin are passionate about agriculture and providing a future for their children.

They enjoy spending time outdoors, being active with their kids either on the farm

or at the lake. Chris serves on the NC Pork Council Board of Directors and Farm

Bureau pork commodities group. Erin is on the NC Agritourism Association Board.

Cameron & Taylor Davis – 2

Year Members

Northampton County

4754 US Hwy 301

Halifax, NC 27839

Cameron – (252) 532-6293

camd7810@yahoo.com

Taylor – (252) 578-7911

taylord[email protected]om

Cameron and Taylor Davis are from Seaboard, NC where they are raising their two

children, Sawyer and Miles. Cameron is a fifth generation farmer and currently

farms alongside his father and uncle. Their operation, 4D Farms, grows cotton,

corn, peanuts, soybeans and sweet potatoes. Cameron also has an organic wing of

the operation where he grows corn and soybeans.

Cameron is a graduate from NC State University with a BS in Crop Science and a

minor in Agricultural Business Management. He always knew he wanted to go back

to carry on the farm legacy. Taylor is also a graduate from NC State University and

has a BS in Agricultural Business Management. She works in the bookkeeping

world of the farm operation and runs her online boutique, Wildflower Found, with

two cute little assistants.

Along with YF&R, Cameron currently serves as a board member for Northampton

County Farm Bureau. Cameron and Taylor are members of Elam Baptist Church in

Gumberry, NC where Cameron also serves as a deacon.

Alex Garris – 1

Year Member

Hertford County

905 Zion Church Road

Conway, NC 27820

Alex – (252) 287-9237

alexgbrin[email protected]om

Alex was raised on her family’s farm in Aulander, NC. They raise corn, cotton,

peanuts and soybeans. Alex studied child development in college and is now an

occupational therapist. She has returned home, wishing to find her place in the

family business.

Alex enjoys volunteering and promoting agriculture, especially working with

children. She recently married her husband Justin, who is a farmer in Northampton

County. They currently live in Hertford County.

In her downtime, Alex enjoys baking, spending time with family, and playing with

her chocolate lab, Sally.

Dustin & Olivia Haigler – 2

Year Members

Avery County

PO Box 261

Pineola, NC 28662

Dustin – (704) 254-2697

dustin[email protected]om

Olivia – (828) 387-0856

owhaigle[email protected]

Dustin and Olivia Haigler live in Avery County, NC. They both attended NC State

University and were friends but did not begin dating until 2014. They married in

October 2015 and have just recently had their first daughter, Kimber, in March

2021.

Dustin grew up in Union County working at his family's motorcycle shop and after

earning a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Science, began teaching high school

agriculture at West Brunswick High School in Shallotte.

Olivia grew up in Avery County on her family's Fraser Fir Christmas Tree farm, Twin

Pines Nursery. After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Education, she

moved back closer to home to help with the farm and began her teaching career at

Mountain Heritage High School in Burnsville.

After marrying in 2015, they moved to Olivia's family Christmas Tree farm. Dustin

began working as the agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Freedom High School

in Morganton and Olivia began working at Watauga High School in Boone as the

agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. Along with teaching, they both help oversee

the Christmas Tree farm with replanting seedlings, maintenance of the trees and

harvest with the Choose and Cut business.

Dustin and Olivia are members of First Baptist Crossnore where they are actively

involved. They enjoy spending time outdoors hunting, fishing and cheering on the

Wolfpack!

Eddie Hester – 2

Year Member

Bladen County

PO Box 1477

Bladenboro, NC 28320

Mobile – (910) 876-1036

[email protected]

Eddie is a first generation farmer who operates E.R. Hester Farms where he raises

peanuts, corn, sweet potatoes and cotton. Eddie also manages Eddie’s Produce in

Bladenboro, where he grows strawberries, field peas, sweet corn and a variety of

other produce for retail and wholesale. Additionally, he has branched into

livestock as a contract turkey grower for Prestage Farms.

After being involved in his high school FFA program, Eddie decided to continue his

passion for agriculture. He attended NC State University Ag Institute, where he

received a degree in Field Crop Technology. Eddie currently serves on the Board of

Supervisors for the Bladen County Soil and Water District and serves as Vice

President of the Bladen County Farm Bureau Board. He is currently obtaining his

pilot’s license and enjoys fishing in his spare time.

Harrison & Taylor Jenkins – 1

Year Members

Iredell County

288 Massey Deal Road

Statesville, NC 28625

Harrison – (704) 902-9812

jharrison[email protected]om

Taylor – (919) 333-7339

taylorkj[email protected]om

Harrison and Taylor Jenkins live in Stony Point, NC, where they are raising their

daughter, Caroline, whom they welcomed to their family in February 2022.

They own Westward Farms alongside Harrison's parents, growing corn and

soybeans, as well as operating broiler breeder houses. They are proud to continue

the Jenkins family's multigenerational tradition of farming while working to

diversify the operation through agritourism and value-added products like bagged

deer corn.

Harrison is a 2017 graduate of NC State University with a degree in Agriculture

Education. He taught until May 2022, when he decided to leave the classroom to

work full-time on the farm. Taylor is also a 2017 graduate of NC State University

with a degree in Animal Science. Formerly a 4-H Agent, she now works for AgHires

aiding agricultural businesses across the country in talent acquisition.

Along with YF&R, Harrison and Taylor are members of New Sterling ARP Church,

and Harrison serves on the Iredell County Farmland Preservation Board and the

Iredell County Museum Board of Directors. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling

and are excited to share that with Caroline as she grows. They are enthusiastic

about all that our state has to offer and are always up for a day trip to explore,

often with their beagle, Sailor, in tow.

Ethan & Frankie Lineberger – 1

Year Members

Gaston County

906 Dallas Stanley Highway

Dallas, NC 28034

Ethan – (704) 530-9844

ethanmileslineberg[email protected]

Frankie – (704) 898-7601

[email protected]

Ethan and Frankie Lineberger are from Dallas, NC where they are raising their two

children, Owen and Charlie. Ethan fondly remembers hoeing weeds in the

strawberry field with his grandmother when he was 5 years old. Ethan is a self-

employed 4

generation farmer and currently farms alongside his brother in-law,

father and grandfather. Their operation, Lineberger’s Farm, grows strawberries,

blackberries, peaches, summer vegetables, pumpkins, and muscadine grapes. The

farm focuses on direct marketing in their on-farm store and through farmer’s

markets.

Frankie and Ethan both graduated from North Carolina State University. Ethan has

an undergraduate degree in Soil Science Agronomy and a Master’s degree in Soil

Science. He always knew he wanted to return to his family farm. Frankie also

graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Natural Resources

and a minor in Spanish. She currently is teaching Spanish to their young sons.

Frankie leads digital marketing on Lineberger’s Farm, focusing on their website,

their Facebook page, and their Instagram page. Their two sons are following in

their father’s footsteps learning to farm, starting with weeding strawberries.

Frankie and Ethan use their NCSU skills to implement economically viable and

environmentally sustainable practices on their farm.

Along with YF&R, Ethan currently serves as a board member for Gaston County

Farm Bureau and the Gastonia Farmers Market Board. Ethan and Frankie are

members of Venture Church in Dallas, NC.

Russell & Sara McPherson – 1

Year Members

Columbus County

876 Hubert White Road

Chadbourn, NC 28431

Russell – (910) 840-7146

rbmcpherson@gmail.com

Sara – (910) 625-5590

sarabmcpherson@gmail.com

Russell and Sara McPherson own and operate McPherson Farms located in

Columbus County, NC. They have two children; Bryce, seven years old, and Kacy,

six years old.

Russell and Sara are natives of Columbus County. After High School both attended

NC State University. Russell receiving a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business

Management while Sara obtained her bachelor’s degree in Education. They have

been married since 2013.

The farm consists of a variety of crops including; corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts,

hay and other forages. Livestock has always been an important part of the farm.

Along with a herd of 100 brood cows, McPherson Farms also produces turkeys and

hogs for Prestage Farms. In addition to the crops and livestock, they provide a

precision soil sampling and mapping service.

By growing up on a family farm and being active in the FFA in high school, after

college Russell decided to pursue his dreams of being a full-time farmer. Sara,

married into the family farm and enjoys teaching third grade. Together, they hope

to continue to grow the legacy of the farm that was established by Russell’s

grandfather for many generations to come.

John & Kristen Norwood – 1

Year Members

Rockingham County

7940 NC Hwy 700

Ruffin, NC 27326

John – (336) 520-1662

jnorwood413@yahoo.com

Kristen – (828) 447-0800

kristennorwood413@gmail.com

John and Kristen live on the family farm where John was raised along with their

two children in Rockingham County. John is a fifth-generation farmer who grew up

on a tobacco farm that transitioned into beef cattle. Kristen is a seventh-

generation farmer who was raised in Rutherford County on a beef cattle farm.

John graduated from North Carolina State University in 2014 with a BS in

Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Technology and now works for Duke

Energy as an Engineer. Kristen graduated from North Carolina State University in

2015 with a BS in Poultry Science and a minor in Feed Manufacturing and now

works as an Environmental Health Specialist for Rockingham County.

In 2020, John and Kristen bought the farm that his grandparents owned. Their

children are fully involved with almost every aspect of the farming operation from

baling hay, working cattle, picking berries, and making deliveries. The family farm,

Norwood Meador Farms, is a cow calf operation that grows out the steers for beef

and sells meat to four restaurants and individuals with their NCDA Meat Handlers

License. In 2021, Kristen began selling blueberries and blackberries.

They are both active members in the Stokes Rockingham County Young Farmers

and Ranchers. Kristen is the Second Vice President for the Rockingham County

Cattlemen’s Association. They are both coaches for the local FFA cattle working

teams. John is on the Rockingham County Farm Bureau Board, Rockingham County

Agricultural Advisory Board, and Rockingham County Cooperative Extension

Advisory Board. They are both involved in church functions and activities.

Betsy & Ryan Roberson – 1

Year Members

Wayne County

740 Overman Road

Goldsboro, NC 27530

Ryan – (919) 922-3427

ryancrob[email protected]m

Betsy – (919) 922-9330

Ryan and Betsy Roberson live and work on a multi-generational farm in Wayne

County, NC, just outside of Goldsboro. Ryan is a 2009 graduate of NC State

University with a degree in Animal Science, and a 2012 graduate of Virginia

Polytechnic Institute and State University with a Master’s in Animal Science. Betsy

graduated from Elon University in 2009 with a degree in elementary education.

They married in 2009, then moved to Blacksburg, VA, for Ryan to attend graduate

school and manage the swine research facility at Virginia Tech. Upon completion

of his master’s degree, they moved back to Wayne County, NC, for Ryan to farm

on Betsy’s family farm, Overman Farms, Inc., of which she is the sixth generation.

When Ryan began working for the farm, the operation consisted of a 7,500 head

swine finishing farm and a 2,000 head sow farm, along with 3,000 acres of row

crops. Today, Ryan and Betsy help manage a 27,000 head swine wean to finish

operation for the farm and around 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and sweet

potatoes.

Ryan, along with his brother-in-law, Dave, also owns and manages a 600-acre beef

cattle and hay operation. They also run a farm equipment company, completing

custom spraying, planting, and hauling. Ryan also is a farmer dealer for Pioneer,

selling corn and soybeans. Betsy taught elementary school until 2014, when she

left teaching to stay home with their children and help run the farm office. Their

hope is to maintain a farming operation that will be sustainable for the next

generation.

Together, Ryan and Betsy are raising their four children, Wade (8), Logan (6), John

Rex (4), and Brooks (1), which is their greatest joy. They are active members of

Stoney Creek Church, and Ryan serves on many boards and committees both for

the church and in the agricultural community for Wayne County. Any free time

they have is spent enjoying being with family and friends, and being active with

their children, outdoors and on the farm.

David & Katlin Rose – 1

Year Members

Washington County

102 Wilts Avenue

Plymouth, NC 27962

David – (252) 548-2852

davidway[email protected]

Kaitlin – (252) 548-2082

brysonkylesmommy16@gmail.com

David and Katlin Rose reside and work in Washington County, NC. David was born

in Fayetteville, NC and calls Northeastern North Carolina home after spending the

past 16 years living in Currituck, Pasquotank, Chowan and Washington Counties.

Katlin was born in Edenton, NC and was raised in North Carolina for a majority of

her life, residing in Perquimans, Pasquotank and Dare counties.

David is a third generation beekeeper with his father Patrick Rose, a Washington

County Fruit and Vegetables Board Member, and his grandad Wayne Rose,

Washington County Farm Bureau President. David graduated John A. Holmes

High School in 2014. After two years of studying architecture in college, David

started fulltime beekeeping in late 2017. David became the Washington County

YF&R Chairman in February 2021.

Katlin graduated with her GED from College of the Albemarle in 2015. She spent

the next six years working in her grandmother's nursing homes and working

towards her Early Childhood Education Associates Degree. She completed her

degree in early 2022 and is now a fulltime Preschool Special Ed Teacher.

David and Katlin met in October 2015 and were married in January 2016. They

have two children; Bryson, six years old, and Peyton, four years old. In their free

time David is an amateur eSports racing streamer and Katlin enjoys cutting art

and crafting that she shares on her “Creative Cuts by Katlin Rose” Facebook

Page.

Chelsey & Matt Rudd – 2

Year Members

Guilford County

5312 Summit Avenue

Greensboro, NC 27405

Chelsey – (336) 552-6936

watsonc[email protected]

Matt – (336) 362-5887

mrrudd1@gmail.com

Matt is a fifth-generation farmer in Guilford County, NC, where he grew up helping

his dad raise tobacco. After high school he attended NCSU where he majored in

civil engineering, not expecting to return to the farm. Rudd Farm stopped growing

tobacco in 2000 and began a strawberry and produce operation; Matt returned to

the farm where he navigated much of the crop management of their greenhouse

and summer produce business.

Matt farms alongside his dad and brother to grow 16 acres of strawberries, along

with their produce and pumpkins. Matt embodies the problem-solving, engineer-

mindset, optimistic traits of great farmers. He loves country music, cheering on

NCSU athletics, and spending time with Chelsey and their three kids, Easton,

Emmett, and Ella.

Chelsey married into a farming family, having no previous agricultural experience.

She attended UNC-Chapel Hill for undergraduate and Appalachian State University

for graduate school, where she obtained a master’s degree in School Psychology.

She worked as a school psychologist for seven years before coming to work for the

farm full time. She now manages Rudd Farm’s on-site farm store for their six-to-

seven-month open season, works with local chefs and restaurants to fulfill

produce orders, manages Rudd Farm’s social media pages and weekly seasonal

newsletter, as well as other odd behind-the-scenes jobs. Chelsey loves baking,

reading, writing, and spending time with Matt and their children.

Lindsay & Paul Utley – 2

Year Members

Lenoir County

2186 Gray Tilghman Road

Kinston, NC 28501

Lindsay – (252) 560-0258

dance4joy86@yahoo.com

Paul Email –

brightleaf1@yahoo.com

Paul Clay and Lindsay Utley live in Lenoir County where they are raising their two

children, Jana (3) and Linden (1). Paul Clay is a 1st generation farmer and Lindsay is

generation. Their operations include raising finishing hogs for Smithfield,

Breeder chickens with Sanderson Farms, cotton, corn, soybeans, watermelons,

pumpkins, fresh cut flowers and Bermuda hay.

Paul Clay grew up in Lee County and knew at a very young age he wanted to be a

farmer. He worked through high school walking his neighbor’s chicken houses

before school each day. Paul Clay is currently on Farm Bureaus state advisory

committee for labor. He is a part of Pork Leadership Carolina and has advocated

and shared his views about North Carolinas current labor situation in Washington.

He enjoys spending time with Lindsay and taking his daughter, Jana, out to do farm

chores, going to the grocery store and fishing in offshore King Mackerel

tournaments!

Lindsay received a degree in Sustainable Agriculture from Lenoir Community

College and certificate in Agribusiness. She was the recipient of Lenoir County

Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer & Rancher of the year for 2020 and 2021. She has

served on Farm Bureaus state advisory committee for poultry for 6 years and has

enjoyed the relationships she has built with the other committee members. She

has been nominated to serve as a Farm Service Agency advisor this year for Lenoir

County. Lindsay loves to dance and has been teaching in the evenings for 15 years!

They enjoy taking their kids to do farm chores, cooking together, and in their free

time go to the beach.

Danielle & Garrett Venable – 2

Year Members

Yadkin County

1007 Vernon Road

East Bend, NC 27018

Danielle – (336) 469-1103

daniellem@mattfamfarms.com

Garrett – (336) 430-3100

gvenable505@gmail.com

Garrett and Danielle live in Yadkin County, NC. They met during their time at NC

State and married in the fall of 2021. Danielle was raised on her family’s fourth

generation row crop farm. Her passion for agriculture led to receiving her

bachelor’s degree from NC State in Agriculture Business Management with minors

in Crop Science and Economics. Garrett received his associates degree in Turfgrass

Management and Agribusiness Management from the NC State Agricultural

Institute.

Garrett is a full-time Greensboro City firefighter and works on the farm when he is

off shift. Danielle returned to the farm, Matthews Family Farms of NC, full-time.

They grow corn, wheat, soybeans, and barley. She has taken over the farm’s soil

sampling business part time, Precision Nutrient Management, to help other

farmers collect soil samples and prepare the programs for their spreader truck.

Their goal is to continue the family farm into the next generation.

Garrett and Danielle attend Enon Baptist Church. Any free time they have is spent

with their pup River, camping, being on the beach, and spending time with family

and friends.

Cody & Elizabeth Waters – 2

Year Members

Edgecombe County

577 Myers Road

Rocky Mount, NC 27801

Cody – (252) 903-0217

lizcofa[email protected]

Cody and Elizabeth live on their farm in Rocky Mount NC in Edgecombe County.

Cody started his career as an ag lender with Farm Credit right out of college in

2010. In 2018, he left Farm Credit and became a crop insurance agent /

agribusiness consultant. He currently works with producers from Georgia to

Maryland. Elizabeth started her career as a dental hygienist in 2013 and works in

Wilson. They have one daughter, Sloane, who was born in 2020.

Cody and Elizabeth grow seedless watermelons, corn and soybeans. The young

plants are transplanted on raised beds covered in black plastic in late April through

mid-May. Harvest begins the first of July and is usually finished up by mid-August.

The crop is sold to grocery store chains throughout the southeast and regional

produce markets in the northeastern part of the country.

Clay & Victoria Whitley – 2

Year Members

Nash County

7034 Schooner Road

Bailey, NC 27807

Victoria – (252) 903-8263

[email protected]

Clay and Tori Whitley live in Nash County in the Bailey community. Clay has been a

Loan Officer at AgCarolina Farm Credit in Rocky Mount for 7 years. He enjoys

helping farmers and businesses achieve their financial and agricultural

improvement goals each year, utilizing the experience and knowledge he gained

while working on his family farm as a child, and at High Farms Inc. in Bailey during

his teen years. Clay is a graduate of NC State University with a BS in Agricultural

Business Management, minors in Crop Science and Soil Science (Dec. 2015) and an

MBA from East Carolina University (Dec. 2019).

Clay and Tori met in Middle School, began dating their senior year of high school

and attended NC State together where Tori graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in

Agriculture Education (2016). She then worked at NC State while completing her

Master of Science in Agricultural Education (Dec. 2017). Tori is an Agriculture

Teacher at Southern Nash High School where she serves as FFA advisor. They were

married in 2017, are active members of Raleigh Road Baptist Church, and are

members of the Nash County Farm Bureau YF&R group where Tori is serving as

President. Clay has been a member of the Bailey Volunteer Fire Department for

the past 12 years where he currently serves as Treasurer.

They enjoy camping, hunting, landscaping, vegetable production, and spending

time with friends, family, and their dog, Maverick. Most recently, they welcomed

their first son, Doc, into the family in September 2022. The family farm has allowed

them to establish roots in Bailey and to explore their agricultural interests.

Sofia Lilly – Ex-Officio: 2023-2024 AFBF YF&R Committee

Nominated – AFBF announces in February

Polk County

2014 Sandy Plains Road

Tryon, NC 28782

Mobile – (828) 243-6814

info@overmountainvineyards.com

Sofia Lilly is a second-generation farmer and winemaker at Overmountain

Vineyards. She attended Western Carolina University and recieved a bachelors of

arts in English & a bachelors of science in Biology. She returned to Polk County in

2014 to work full time on her family's farm.

She has served on the Polk County Ag advisor board and served as the chair of that

board. She currently is the Chair of the Polk County Farm Bureau's Young Farmers

& Ranchers committee which partners with Rutherford county. She currently

serves on the Polk County Farm Bureau board.

She farms on their 70 acre family farm in Green Creek which includes 18 acres of

Vinifera grapes, 2.5 acres of Blueberries, and 1/4 acre of cut flowers.

This year she will have a u-pick blueberry patch & a u-pick flower field open in the

summer months.

North Carolina Farm Bureau YF&R Award Programs

The Achievement Award Program recognizes outstanding achievement in farming,

local community and civic organizations. Participants must be actively engaged in

farming or ranching with a majority of income coming from production agriculture.

Winners of this award receive thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award Program is designed for those who may or

may not currently own farming or ranching operations. Participants will be judged

on their involvement in agriculture or agribusiness, leadership roles, civic

organizations and Farm Bureau. Winners will receive valuable cash prizes and

other awards.

The Discussion Meet enhances speaking and communication skills while problem-

solving and promoting solutions to agricultural issues. Thousands of dollars in cash

and prizes await the winners, but there are no losers in a discussion meet because

everybody learns and becomes a better spokesperson for agriculture. Leaders

from across the nation use the Discussion Meet to advance their careers.

Participants should be actively involved in production agriculture.

The Collegiate Discussion Meet enhances speaking and communication skills while

promoting solutions to agricultural issues. Participation in the Collegiate Discussion

Meet will also develop leaders for effective problem solving through group

discussion. Contestants must be involved in an agricultural course of study or at a

college of agriculture.

General

NC Farm Bureau YF&R Winner Prizes are listed at https://www.ncfb.org/young-

farmers-ranchers/.

Winners go on to compete at the national level.

Contestants participating in all awards programs should have a current Farm

Bureau membership.

NOTES

_________________________________________________

Young Farmers and Ranchers Program Team

Tadashi Totten – Team Leader

Mobile Phone – (919) 306-6321

Email - tadashi.totten@ncfb.org

Callie Carson

Mobile Phone – (919) 306-2682

Email – callie.car[email protected]rg

Jimmy Cowan

Mobile Phone – (919) 306-5788

Email – jimmy.cowa[email protected]rg

DeShon Cromartie – Director of Field Services

Mobile Phone – (919) 306-6312

Email - [email protected]