FROM STAFF REPORTS

Leadership elections for 16 Alabama Farmers Federation commodity groups were held during a three-day meeting in Montgomery, Feb. 2-4 at the Embassy Suites Hotel.

Phillip Hunter of Shelby County was elected to serve on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Greenhouse, Nursery and Sod Committee on Feb. 4 during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Commodity Organizational Conference.

Nearly 900 farmers from around the state discussed challenges, set goals for their respective commodities and helped establish federation policy.

Shelby County farmer Terry Wyatt, who grows cotton, wheat, soybeans, corn and grain sorghum on his farm near Harpersville, said he’s been attending the conferences for years. He said the meeting is important because it helps him learn about new trends and technology that are available to farmers.

“We learn about new varieties plus other things that could help us this year or in the future,” Wyatt said. “The meetings have excellent speakers who give up-to-date information we might not get otherwise.”

Adam Wilson of Calhoun said this year was his second time attending the commodity organization conference. He raises cotton and cattle with his father, Wendell Wilson.

“I’m still new to all this but I see a lot of value in coming to this meeting,” Adam Wilson said. “I want to be a good advocate for agriculture, so it’s important for me to understand what’s going on in our industry so I can convey that information to people who aren’t involved in agriculture.”

Federation Governmental and Agricultural Programs Director Brian Hardin said the annual meeting charts the course of the state’s largest farm organization.

“State commodity committee members are all farmers who are elected by farmers,” Hardin said. “Who better to determine the goals and issues these commodity committees will address than farmers? It’s a true grassroots structure.”

Alabama peanut farmers met Feb. 11 in Dothan for the Alabama Peanut Producers Association annual meeting. For more information, visit Alpeanuts.com.

In addition to electing new commodity leaders, the meetings honored outgoing commodity committee members during lunch each day. They were Joe Lambrecht, Elmore County, Bee and Honey Committee; Paul Wheeler, Perry County, Catfish Committee; Jimmy Miller Blount County, Cotton Committee; Toni Flowers, Montgomery County, Equine Committee; Jackie Loyd of Jackson County and Michael Jenkins of Jefferson County, Horticulture Committee; Albert Miller, Mobile County, Pork Committee; Pat Buck, Sumter County, Soybeans Committee; and Chip Stacey, Conecuh County; Wildlife Committee.