District farm families of the year announced

The 77th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its eight district farm families, representing the wide variety of Arkansas agriculture, the state’s largest industry.

Judges will visit farms to determine the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who will be announced Dec. 13.

The Farm Family of the Year program annually begins with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who then represents Arkansas at the Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year competition. Arkansas has had three Southeast Farmer of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey (Clark County), 2008; Wildy Family Farms (Mississippi County), 2016; and the Cobb, Lyerly and Owen Family/Partnership (Craighead County), 2023.

This year’s finalists include:

East Central District: the Stewart family of Judsonia (White County) – Joshua Stewart and Dana Martin Stewart have been farming for 14 years. They raise cattle and goats on 270 acres.

Northwest District: the Walker family of Prairie Grove (Washington County) – Larry and Be-Ann Walker have been farming for 53 years. They grow corn, treacle and hay, and raise cattle, horses, and three species of show animals on 1,661 acres.

Southeast District: the Day family of Tillar (Desha County) – Bradley and Allison Day have been farming for 10 years. They grow cotton, corn, soybeans and rice on 10,000 acres.

Southwest District: the Bobo family of Hope (Hempstead County) – Curtis and Melissa Bobo have been farming for eight years. They raise cattle and poultry on 253 acres.

West Central District: the Daniels family of Amity (Clark County) – Tim and Michelle Daniels have been farming for 20 years. They raise cattle and grow hay on 1,179 acres.

Western District: the Brents family of Jerusalem (Conway County) – Strap and Leigh Ann have been farming for 14 years. They raise cattle and poultry and grow hay on 700 acres.

Sponsors of the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program are 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, Arkansas Department of Career Education, Arkansas Press Association, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development.