OFBF Excellence in Agriculture Award finalists namedPublished on 11/21/2007
Click here to download a high-resolution photo of Mr. Jones
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For Immediate Release
November 21, 2007 COLUMBUS, Ohio (OFBF) – Ohio Farm Bureau Federation’s (OFBF) Excellence in Agriculture award competition finalists have been selected. They are Don Jones of Freeport, Tina Lust of Marion, Melody Meldick of Jackson and Jenifer Weaver of North Jackson. The award recognizes successful people 35 or younger who are involved in farming but whose primary occupations are not farming or owning an agricultural business. The award is based on their involvement in agriculture and participation in Farm Bureau and other community organizations. The winner will be named during OFBF’s annual meeting Nov. 28 to 30 in Columbus. Jones has been an agricultural education teacher and FFA adviser for 13 years, and works with his family machinery dealership. He and his family also own a farm where they raise cattle and sheep as well as produce hay and grain. He is the current Harrison County Farm Bureau membership chairperson, has held numerous committee positions and has earned Ambassador Club recognition for outstanding membership campaign accomplishments. Jones is also the chairman of the Harrison County Soil and Water Conservation District board and a member of the state FFA Advisory Board and Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Amy, have two children, Jalyn, 8, and Emi, 5. Lust works with farmers daily on seed recommendations and sales as a territory sales manager for Midwest Seed Genetics and a continuously trained State Certified Crop Adviser. She also assists in the duties on her family’s corn and soybean farm. Lust has been a Marion County Farm Bureau Board member for seven years and is the current secretary. She has been involved in many committees, membership campaigns and trips during her 10 years as a Farm Bureau member. Lust and her husband, Tom, have a six-year-old son named Clayton. Meldick assists with the installation and implementation of conservation practices that address natural resource concerns on private lands and signs farmers up for Environmental Quality Incentive Programs as a district technician for Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation. She and her husband, Shane, are parents of seven children and run a sixth generation family livestock and grain farm. Meldick has held numerous Jackson/Vinton County Farm Bureau positions including board trustee, Advisory Council chair and youth adviser. Weaver is a grain manager for Deerfield Farms Service, where she is responsible for grain origination, merchandising, shipping, receiving and accounting for county elevators in four northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania counties. She also assists with her family’s cow-calf operation. Weaver currently serves as a Mahoning County Farm Bureau Board member and is on the Advisory Council and Membership Committee. She has been an active member of many county and state Farm Bureau activities. The winner of the Excellence in Agriculture Award will receive an expense paid trip to the American Farm Bureau annual meeting in New Orleans in January to represent Ohio in the national competition. The state winner will also receive a $1,000 technology package from OFBF and $500 cash from Dodge. All state finalists also receive commemorative chime clocks from OFBF. -30- CONTACT: Joe Cornely
PHONE: (614) 246-8230
E-MAIL: jcornely@ofbf.org |
