The Alabama Farmers Federation’s grassroots foundation was on display during state commodity committee elections Dec. 8 in Montgomery.
Delegates gathered in Montgomery to vote farmerleaders onto respective committees at the Federation’s 103rd annual meeting.
These farmers will help direct the organization’s policy work, said the Federation’s Mitt Walker.
“The Federation was founded on grassroots,” said Walker, the Federation Governmental & Agricultural Programs Department director. “Farmers know issues facing agriculture better than anyone. That’s why it’s important farmers work with our commodity directors to guide our efforts representing Alabama agriculture.”
Newly elected State Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod Committee member Shane Pack said he’s ready to be the voice agriculture needs.
“It’s important for our industry to have good representation,” said Pack of Pack’s Nursery in Marshall County. “When you’re out in the field all day working, sometimes it may feel like the ones making the laws have no idea what you’re going through. It’s great to be a part of an organization with leadership and staff that hear our concerns and take them to state and federal decision-makers.”
Clarke County’s Jonathan McLendon echoed Pack, stating his goal is to help develop beneficial policies.
“Things that impact farmers in Alabama are different than other parts of the country,” said McLendon, a cattle farmer who was elected to the State Beef Committee. “Working on drought reporting is something I am ready to take on. I truly want to protect what we do for my children and future generations of farmers.”
Members of state committees are also tasked to help plan educational programming for producers. They guide research, promotion and education efforts for the Federation’s 17 committees — bee & honey; beef; catfish; cotton; dairy; equine; forestry; greenhouse, nursery & sod; hay & forage; fruit & vegetables; peanuts; pork; poultry; sheep & goat; soybean; wheat & feed grain; and wildlife.
Retiring members of state commodity committees were honored for serving the maximum nine years.
They were:
- Bee & Honey — Lionel Evans, Limestone County
- Beef — David Lee, Lowndes County, and Mike Carnes, Marshall County
- Cotton — Lance Miller, Blount County
- Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod — Hank Richardson, Cherokee County, and Bill Cook, Montgomery County
- Soybean — Daniel Trantham, Calhoun County
- Wildlife — Mark Finley, Winston County
In addition to elections during annual meeting, State Catfish Committee members are elected at the Alabama Catfish Conference in January. Affiliate organizations of the Federation such as the Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, the Alabama Peanut Produces Association and the Alabama TREASURE Forest Association will elect leaders during respective conferences in 2025. Learn more at AFVGA.org, Al-Peanuts.com and TREASUREForest.org.
