2022 County Farm Families of the Year
Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program has served as a vehicle to recognize outstanding farm families throughout the state. The objectives of the Farm Family of the Year program are as follows: To give recognition and encouragement to farm families who are doing an outstanding job on their farms and in their communities; to recognize the importance of agriculture in the community and state; and to disseminate information on improved farm practices and management. The county winners are as follows:
EAST CENTRAL DISTRICT
Lee – Barry Jones family, Borderline Farms
Lonoke – Bob and Carlotta Barnhill and family, Barnhill Orchards
Monroe – Chase Swindle
Prairie – Tyler and Meagan Gore, T&M Cattle Co.
Pulaski – Charlotte and Aaron Highfill
St. Francis – Lindsey Brothers*
White – Sandra and Rickey Wright and Frances Byrd, Byrd Ranch
Woodruff – Shawn and Kelly Peebles family, Shawn Peebles Organic Farms
NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT
Baxter – Terry and Cindy Johnson, Wing’s Creek Farm
Cleburne – Jared Welch, Two JJ Cattle Co.
Fulton – Justin and Lacey Lingenfelter, 4L Farm
Independence – Ben and Mandy Hays, B&M Hays Farm*
Izard – Cecil Morehead family
Marion – Cody and Misty Burrow family
Searcy – Shane, Michelle, Rylee and Tate Kelly, 4K Farms
Sharp – Chance and Kate Battles, Battles Cattle Co.
Stone – Owen Brickell family
Van Buren – Steve and Pam Bone, Bone Land and Cattle
NORTHEAST DISTRICT
Clay – Larry K. Huckabay
Craighead – Brian Kelly, Quality Gladiolus Gardens
Crittenden – Matt Rogers and family
Cross – Steve and Corbin Hess, Steve Hess Farm Partnership/
Corbin Hess
Greene – Terry and Clay Smith families*
Jackson – Jeff and Lisa Rowlett
Lawrence – Joe Wallis/Wallis family, Bilbrey Century Farm
Mississippi – Cissell family
Poinsett – Dustin Faulkner, 26 Ditch Farms
Randolph – Toney family
NORTHWEST DISTRICT
Benton – Jim and Michele Pigeon
Boone – Josh and Amber Thomason
Carroll – Kevin and Teresa Hostetler and Kenyon and Josie Hostetler, K&K Farms*
Crawford – Eddie and Brenda Tweedy
Franklin – Aaron Mantooth, 4M Farm
Johnson – Sisk family, Rockin’ S Farms
Madison – Brent Hargis Family, Ozark Mountain Produce
Newton – Shawn, Chrystal, Ashlyn and Ellison Willis, Shop Creek Farm Mules and More
Sebastian – Caleb, Hannah, Thadd and Halle Crelia
Washington – Tim/Tyler Whorton
SOUTHEAST DISTRICT
Arkansas, North – Jackie and Duffie Banks, Jackie and Duffie Banks Joint Venture
Arkansas, South – Daniel and Haley Smith, LOWDOH Farm Partnership
Ashley – Brian Young
Chicot – Mark and Annie Welty
Desha – Chris Dunnahoe
Drew – Alice, Rocky and Alicia Lindsey, Peyton Place Farms
Jefferson – Brett and Juli Stewart
Phillips – Clay Young, Young and Co.*
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT
Bradley – Jason and Laura West
Calhoun – Caleb and Jessica Bell
Hempstead – Tim and Jana Robertson*
Lafayette – Justin Spence family
Little River – Terry and Parker Smith families, Boudreaux Farms
Nevada – Chance and Haley Cummings family
Ouachita – Tyler Farms and Ranch
Union – Buddy Henley family: Buddy, Pat and Ray Henley, Henley Feed Store
WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT
Clark – Ted and Cindy Huneycutt and Steve and LeAnne Huneycutt*
Cleveland – Brian Ashcraft, Ashcraft Farms/Cowford Farms
Dallas – Edward and Mary Parham, Parham Family Tree Farm
Garland – The Braziel family
Grant – Marks, Hannah and Cole Mitchell, Mitchell’s Hot Hen Farms Inc.
Hot Spring – Riggan family, Grazin’ R Farm
Howard – Brandon and Samantha
Manasco family Sevier – Josh Walker, Red Bud Farms
WESTERN DISTRICT
Conway – Barry, Robert and Bart Stobaugh, Stobaugh Bros. Farms*
Faulkner – Mike and Karen Reynolds, Pin Oak Club Lamb Montgomery – Jacob Hill
Perry – Farnam family
Polk – Monte and Kystal Hostetler, MK Ranch
Pope – Doug and Carla Spence family
Yell – Vernon “Cotton” and Elise Morrison
Selection criteria for Arkansas Farm Family of the Year include efficiency of production, conservation of energy and resources, leadership in agricultural and community affairs, home and farm improvement, and home and farm management.
The Farm Family of the Year program begins each year with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the state Farm Family of the Year, who then goes on to represent Arkansas at the Swisher Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. Arkansas has had two Southeastern Farmer of the Year winners: Brian and Nan Kirksey of Clark County in 2008 and Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016.
Sponsors of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program are the Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas. Additionally, support for the program is provided by the Arkansas Agriculture Department, the Arkansas Department of Career Education, the Arkansas Press Association, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development.
The Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of almost 190,000 families throughout the state who work to improve farm and rural life.