PhytoGen Continues Support for Southeastern Farmer of the Year Program

For the fourth consecutive year, PhytoGen helped sponsor the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year program.

PhytoGen contributes to the program by presenting each state winner and one regional winner with the opportunity to either designate a charitable donation or accept PhytoGen cottonseed.

Hank King, U.S. marketing leader for PhytoGen, notes the broad impact of the program.

“Agricultural leaders who are named state winners in the Farmer of the Year program already contribute time and resources to their communities and agricultural organizations,” King says. “PhytoGen is honored to further the growers’ efforts with monetary contributions to the charities of their choice or PhytoGen cottonseed.”

Since becoming a partner in the Southeastern Farmer of the Year program, PhytoGen has made donations to 34 charities on behalf of the state and regional award winners. Recipient charities in 2015 include the Rural Advancement Foundation International in North Carolina and Our Children’s Academy in Florida.

Charities supported by the farmers in recent years include veterans’ programs, cancer research, local children’s homes and hunger relief programs. The designations most favored are 4-H and FFA.

Victor Story, Florida’s 2015 Farmer of the Year, chose to recognize Our Children’s Academy in Lake Wales, FL. The academy is dedicated to teaching autistic children.

“One of my 13 grandchildren attended school there,” Story says. “Fundraising for Our Children’s Academy has become my job. My granddaughter has since moved on, but the service the school provides to these children is important. Thank you so much for helping our school.”

In addition to Story, the 2015 Farmer of the Year honorees are Rickey Cornutt, Alabama; Nathan Reed, Arkansas; James Lyles, Georgia; Jack Trumbo, Kentucky; Allen Eubanks, Mississippi; Danny Kornegay, North Carolina; Tom Trantham, South Carolina; George Clay, Tennessee; and Donald Turner, Virginia.

For the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year program, one grower is chosen from each of 10 Southern states. The state winners are chosen by partner organizations in each state, and the regional winner is chosen by a rotating panel of three judges named by Swisher Sweets and the Sunbelt Expo board of directors.

Farmers of the Year represent agriculture’s top business leaders, innovators, environmentalists and community leaders.

 

Source – PhytoGen