~ Press release provided by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation
LURAY, July 28-30 — Four young adults representing the future of agriculture earned statewide accolades at the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Summer Expo July 28-30 in Page County.
At the conference, which was themed “Turning the Page for Agriculture,” Rachel and Thomas Henley of Goochland County were named the 2023 VFBF Young Farmers Excellence in Agriculture Award winners. Adam Davis of Halifax County won the 2023 VFBF Young Farmers Achievement Award and Anne Martz of Essex County was named the 2023 VFBF Outstanding Young Agriculturalist.
The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes individuals and couples for involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.
The Henleys work on Thomas Henley’s family’s multi-generation dairy and grain farm while pursuing other ventures, like running agritourism events, helping others in agriculture and working on local land preservation programs.
The couple represents District 8 on the VFBF Young Farmers Committee, and Thomas served as a Goochland delegate to the 2022 Virginia Farm Bureau Annual Convention. Rachel serves on the State Fair of Virginia Youth Development Board and the VFBF Young Farmers Legislative Subcommittee and is a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Powhatan County.
As Excellence in Agriculture Award winners, the Henleys will receive a Kubota utility vehicle, courtesy of Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., and a travel package to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Salt Lake City in January. While at the convention, the Henleys will compete for the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award.
The Achievement Award recognizes outstanding young producers for their business success and volunteer involvement, while helping them evaluate their farm business plans and set goals to strengthen their operations.
Achievement Award winner Davis raises Black Angus cattle, soybeans, wheat and corn in Halifax County.
He started farming in 2012 with 60 acres of rented land and currently manages 900 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat and also operates an 82-acre Angus cow-calf operation.
In addition to his full-time farming ventures, Davis serves on the Halifax County Farm Bureau Board and represents District 10 on the VFBF Young Farmers Committee. He also helped plan the 2023 VFBF Young Farmers winter and summer expos.
Davis will receive a 250-hour lease on a piece of Kubota equipment, courtesy of VFB and Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. and a travel package to the 2024 AFBF Annual Convention, where he will compete for the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award.
The Outstanding Young Agriculturalist recognition program honors high school juniors and seniors for academic, community and agribusiness achievement.
OYA winner Martz is the daughter of Marvin and Jami Martz. She graduated this year with honors from Rappahannock High School and plans to pursue a degree in agricultural education at Virginia Tech.
She hopes to eventually teach youth “about the industry that keeps our world spinning,” she said.
Martz served as president of her high school’s FFA chapter and served on the school’s student council, and she recently was elected state vice president for Virginia FFA. She will spend the next year leading the state program and visiting FFA chapters across the commonwealth.
As OYA winner, Martz will receive a $1,500 scholarship sponsored by Farm Credit and VFBF and a travel package to the VFBF Annual Convention in Virginia Beach this November.
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