breakfast that benefitted the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation. The breakfast, along with a silent auction conducted by the Young Farmers Division, raised nearly $21,000 for the foundation. The Geneva County Reaper was honored during the annual meeting with the Federation’s Communications Award for print journalism. Newspaper Editor Jay Felsberg accepted the award, which is given annually to a media outlet that does an outstanding job of covering farm and agricultural news. Ozark watercolor artist Jack DeLoney received a standing ovation from Federation members when the famous painter of farm scenes received the Federation’s Image of Agriculture Award. The session also included individual and county awards for Federation members for work in various program areas. Nine county Federation presidents from across the state accepted the Award for Excellence, which is the highest recognition a county Federation can receive and recognizes its achievement in organization, the Young Farmers and Women’s Leadership programs, commodity work and governmental affairs. Those awards were presented to David Bitto, Baldwin County; Russell Wiggins, Covington County; Phillip Garrison, Cullman County; Jerry Byrd, Dale County; Richard Edgar, Elmore County; George Jeffcoat, Houston County; W.D. Flowers, Montgomery County; Jimmy Fetner, Randolph County; and Rick Smith, St. Clair County. Individual Leader awards were presented to Lamar Dewberry of Clay County, Sue Walters of Etowah County, Doug Sinquefield of Houston County and Karen Wyatt of Shelby County. Dewberry and Sinquefield received awards for local and community service, while Walters and Wyatt received awards for outstanding service to their county Women’s Leadership committees. Political strategist Karl Rove addressed a room full of farmers JANUARY 2013
Top: The Alabama Farmers Federation’s Women’s Leadership Division elected state officers and committee members during the annual meeting. They are, seated from left, Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Faye Dial, Clay County; Vice Chairman Sharon Byrd, Dale County; Secretary Cheryl Lassiter, Choctaw County; and Mary Helen Benford, Chambers County; standing, from left, Debbie Freeland, Mobile County; Nell Miller, Blount County; Regina Carnes, Marshall County; Debra Bowen, Randolph County; and Kathy Anderson, Jefferson County. Above: The Alabama Farmers Federation’s Young Farmers Division elected state committee members and officers during the annual meeting. They are, seated from left, Colin Wilson, Jackson County, District 2; Vice Chairman Allie Corcoran, Barbour County; Secretary Heather Wright, Dallas County; and Kevin Holland, Baldwin County, South Alabama At Large; standing, State Committee Chairman Jon Hegeman, Calhoun County; Jeremy Sessions, Mobile County, District 8; Lance Miller, Blount County, North Alabama At Large; Garrett Henry, Montgomery County, District 6; Stan Usery, Limestone County, District 1; and Hop Baker, Jefferson County, District 4.
during the closing session of the annual meeting. Rove focused on problems with the economy, including the short- and long-term effects of Congress and the administration not reaching an agreement on several tax issues before Jan. 1. “I’m not an optimist about us solving the fiscal cliff problem before we go over it,” said Rove. 7
“We’ll solve it, but it’s gonna hurt. It’s gonna hurt that we don’t get it done in the right way, and it’s gonna hurt that we don’t get it done at the right time. However, I’ll be honest... I’m concerned about the short term, I’m worried about the long term; but I’m fundamentally optimistic in the American people and their ability to deal with this. w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g