Top Young Farmers & Ranchers Recognized

Published August 28, 2020

Drew and Laura Davis of Bono (Craighead County) and Monica Paskewitz of Melbourne (Izard County) earned the top two Young Farmers & Ranchers awards this month during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s annual Officers & Leaders Conference, which was held “virtually” for the first time in its 72-year history. The awards honor young farmers and ranchers ages 18-35 for the general excellence of their operations and their hard work and innovation.

Drew and Laura Davis of Craighead County were recipients of this year’s YF&R Achievement Award. The Davis’ farm 1900 acres of rice, soybean and corn. They also partner in a cattle operation and provide contract hauling. They have two children, Kate and Luke.

Achievement Award applicants must be actively engaged in farming and/or ranching, with the majority of their net income coming from production agriculture.

Paskewitz received the Excellence in Agriculture Award. Paskewitz works for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Izard County. Along with her husband Michael and two daughters, Maddie and Maylee, she has a cow-calf operation of Angus cross cows.

Excellence in Agriculture applicants are judged on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, and involvement in Farm Bureau and other organizations and must earn a majority of their net income from non-farm activities.

Cody Rose of Poinsett County was the winner of the Discussion Meet. Originally from Quiln, Mo., Rose is an E-4 specialist in the Arkansas National Guard. He has been a sales agent with Eagle Seed for over two years and is currently enrolled at ASU Newport.

The Discussion Meet is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant and give individuals the opportunity to strengthen their ability to analyze agricultural issues and decide on solutions.

As part of the virtual YF&R competitions, the top four competitors in the Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Ag areas will receive: Winner (1stPlace): a new Ford vehicle (up to a value of $35,000) and paid registration to the Farm Bureau FUSION Conference, courtesy of Ford. Runner-up (Second Place) receives: Case IH Farm all 50A, courtesy of Case IH. Third Place receives: Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet & Top Chest and $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH, a$2,500 Investing in Your Future cash prize, courtesy of American Farm Bureau Insurance Services, Inc. (AFBIS)plus$1,850worth of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise (PROTO, DeWalt, Stanley, Lenox & Irwin), courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker. Fourth Place receives: Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet & Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of almost 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.