MACON, Ga. – Colquitt County Farm Bureau (CCFB) received three awards for its member programs during the Georgia Farm Bureau 9th District annual meeting, held Sept. 6 in Camilla. Stanley Bass is the CCFB president.

The CCFB Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, chaired by Preston Jimmerson, received the 2018 9th District Outstanding Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Award.

The committee consists of farmers and ranchers between ages 18 and 35. Among the committee’s key activities in the past year was an orientation dinner for young farmers in the county.

CCFB member Elton Baldy received the 9th District Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who earn the majority of their income from production agriculture. Baldy, who began farming in 2000, produces a variety of vegetable as well as peanuts and cotton. He is also a certified auctioneer.

The CCFB Promotion & Education Committee, chaired by Nancy Coleman, received the GFB 9th District Outstanding Promotion & Education Award. The committee’s activities included, through partnership with Sunbelt Expo, purchasing the American Farm Bureau Federation book of the year, “John Deere, That’s Who!,” for each elementary school library in the county. The books were presented to school principals for placement in the libraries, allowing approximately 5,100 students access to the books.

Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization and has 158 county offices. Its volunteer members actively participate in local, state and national activities that promote agriculture awareness to their non-farming neighbors. GFB offers its members a wide variety of benefits, including insurance, but enrollment in member benefits is optional and not a requirement for membership.