2018 District Farm Families of the Year

The eight district winners of the 71st annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program have been selected, representing the diversity of Arkansas agriculture, the state’s largest industry. The district winners will be judged to determine a state winner, to be announced Dec. 6 at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon in North Little Rock. The district winners are as follows: Chris and Judy Isbell of England (Lonoke County) are in the East Central District. The family raises rice on 3,000 acres. The Isbells’ rice production focuses on a variety of rice grown specifically for the making of sake. The couple have two children, Whitney and Mark. Jared and Lacey Standridge of Dennard (Van Buren County) are in the North Central District. The Standridges operate Hartsugg Cattle Co., where they raise longhorn cattle for lease, beef cattle and show cattle. The couple has three children, Sydney, Sam and Shelby. Mark and Michael Ahrent and families of Corning (Clay County) are in the Northeast District. The Ahrent brothers have been farming for 35 years and grow rice and soybeans on 4,800 acres. Mark and his wife, Dee, are parents to Trey, Marka and Matthew. Michael and his wife, Rhonda, have one son, Blake, and daughter-in-law, Emily. Carl and Christie Campbell of Harrison (Boone County) are in the Northwest District. They run a custom hay-baling and livestock operation on 4,600 acres. The family also owns and operates Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction of Harrison. The Campbells have one daughter, Melinda Logan, and son-inlaw, Landon, and two grandchildren, Ladd and Larson. Dean and Tawana Watson of St. Charles (South Arkansas County) are in the Southeast District. The Watsons grow rice, soybeans and corn on 2,450 acres. They also own a duck-hunting lodge, where they provide housing, meals and guided hunts during duck season. Dean and Tawana have one daughter, Ava Bliss. Jimmy and Crystal Hewitt of Fouke (Miller County) are in the Southwest District. Jimmy and Crystal raise registered Simbrah and commercial cattle. Their operation also includes hay production. The Hewitts have two children, Kyleen and Colton. Travis and Valerie Sims of Center Ridge (Conway County) are in the Western District. Travis and Valerie have four broiler houses and raise an average of 594,000 birds per year for Tyson. They also raise cattle. The Simses have two children, Will and Cordell. Damon and Jana Helton of Lonsdale (Saline County) are in the West Central District. The Heltons raise grass-fed beef, forested hogs and pastured broilers. Damon and Jana also have a small market, Olde Crow General Store, where they sell food they have raised. They have four children, Luke, Olivia, Violet and Elena. “The contributions made by our state’s farm families are beyond measure,” said Randy Veach, president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau. “It is almost impossible to fully understand the impact our family farms have on the economy and our rural communities and on the character of our great state.” The Farm Family of the Year program begins each year with selection of the top farm families in each county and culminates with the selection of the state Farm Family of the Year, who will then go on to represent Arkansas at the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year competition in Georgia. Arkansas has had two Southeastern Farmers of the Year, Brian Kirksey of Clark County in 2008 and Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016. All winners are judged on their farm production, efficiency, management, family life and rural/community leadership. “The men and women of agriculture and their families work diligently every day to maintain a business and a lifestyle that represent the very best our state has to offer, Veach said.