Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers announced the finalists for Excellence in Ag and Achievement Award contests.

Both contests are designed to provide opportunities to recognize achievements in agriculture, business and leadership by our young farmers and ranchers.

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers in Arkansas who have excelled in their farming and ranching operations and exhibited outstanding leadership abilities. The award is designed for those involved full-time in production agriculture.

The top three finalists for the Achievement Award are:

•       Brittany Scott, Craighead Co. – Brittany is owner and operator of SMART Repro and Delta Livestock Diagnostics, and co-owner of SMART Research Group. These businesses focus on the reproductive physiology of small ruminant animals. Brittany has two children, Kendall and Rhett.

•       Brandon and Lauren Martin, White Co. – The Martins have six broiler houses, 55 head of commercial cows and a small herd of registered Hereford heifers. They also custom bale over 600 bales of hay a year on 65 acres. They have two sons, Braylen and Willie.

•       Brad and Tara Peacock, White Co. – The Peacocks rent 1,000 acres on which they grow soybeans, rice and corn. Brad also helps manage a 2,000-acre family row-crop farm with his father. The Peacocks have one son, Silas.

Excellence in Ag recognizes the accomplishments of contestants that derive the majority of their income from efforts other than agriculture, but are also involved in farming.

The top 3 finalists for Excellence in Ag are:

•       Sara Beth Johnson, Lonoke Co. – Sara Beth is a content and social media specialist for Filament Ag, an agricultural marketing company. She and her husband, Colton, own and operate Flying Pig Cattle Co., where they have a commercial cow-calf herd, a goat herd and registered Miniature Herefords.

•       Reed and Sara Kelley, Faulkner Co. – The Kelleys have a commercial cow-calf operation in Conway, where Reed is an agricultural instructor at Conway High School. Sara works at UAMS as a labor and delivery nurse.

•       Matthew and Chloe Martin, White Co. – Matthew is a diesel mechanic and Chloe is a teacher at Concord Public Schools. Together they own and operate Ridge Raised Farms, where they raise cattle. They have three children, Raelynn, Ryleigh and Liam.

Award winners will be named during the annual YF&R Conference, which will be held July 22 in Rogers.

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