Samantha Carpenter of Madison, center, won the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Excellence in Agriculture contest earlier this year and received her prizes during the organization’s 97th annual meeting in Montgomery Dec. 3. She received a zero-turn mower courtesy of Corteva Agriscience and a computer package courtesy of Valcom Wireless and CCS Technology. Joining her are Corteva Agriscience’s Cullen Wiggins, left, and Federation President Jimmy Parnell.

Following an intense dialogue about protecting production technology for farmers, Sid Phelps of Dadeville in Tallapoosa County clinched the 2018 Young Farmers Discussion Meet title Dec. 3.

Phelps, the e-commerce manager for Bonnie Plants, beat out competitors Kyle Morris of Hanceville in Cullman County and Brady Peek of Athens at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 97th annual meeting in Montgomery.

“Our state competition is tough, but now it’s time to buckle down and prepare for the national level,” Phelps said. “I want to represent Alabama in the best way possible and make our state proud.”

Discussion Meet finalists and other Young Farmers contest winners were named at the Federation’s Commodity Producers Conference in August. During the annual meeting’s closing session, prizes were awarded to Outstanding Young Farm Family (OYFF) Chris and Jordyn Upchurch of Clay County and Excellence in Agriculture winner Samantha Carpenter of Madison.

The Upchurches raise poultry and cattle on their Lineville farm. They have an infant son, Charlie.

Young Farmers contest winners receive an expense-paid trip to compete at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention in January in New Orleans.