47th Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour
On Thursday, July 18, more than 250 local officials and area citizens participated in the 47th Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour. During the day-long bus tour they learned first-hand about agriculture and its importance to the local economy. Stops on the tour featured Clear Creek Farm, Corn Production and Wildlife Crop Damage at the UF/IFAS WFREC Jay Research Farm, 4-H & FFA Youth Projects at Chumuckla’s Farmers’ Opry, Crop Spraying at Jay Flying Service, Gabbert Farm, and Holland Farms.
An annual highlight of the tour was recognition of the “Outstanding Farm Family of the Year”. Keith Campbell and his wife Robynn, along with daughters Brittney, Ashleigh and son-in-law Adam Bondurant, accepted the award form County Commissioners Don Salter and Jim Melvin. Sheilah Bowman, Florida District Director for Congressman Jeff Miller, also presented the family with a Congressional Record proclamation honoring them for their accomplishments. The Campbells farm 1300 acres of cotton, peanuts, and wheat. They also raise beef cattle with a current herd of around 60 brood cows and calves. In addition to the Campbell family, the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners was recognized for their support of agriculture and the farming community.
The Farm Tour is organized each year by the Santa Rosa Farm Tour Committee, comprised of representatives from various agricultural support agencies in the county. The tour would not be possible without the help of numerous supporters and corporate sponsors.
The Farm Tour Committee would like to thank the following area businesses for helping sponsor the tour this year and making it a huge success: Burkhead Gin Company, Coastal Machinery, Community Bank, Crop Production Services, Downs Paint and Body Shop, Escambia River Electric Coop, Farm Bureau Insurance Services, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, Floyd Crop Insurance, Golden Gin & Warehouse, Griswold Peanut Company, Gulf Power Company, Helena Chemical Company, INTX, Jay Area Chamber of Commerce, Jay Peanut Farmers Coop, John L. Burkhead Inc., Kiwanis Club of Santa Rosa-Sunrise, Lowry Farms, McKenzie Buick GMC, Pen Air Federal Credit Union, Publix, Resource Management Services, Santa Rosa County Fair Inc., Santa Rosa County Farm Bureau, Smith Tractor Company, Three Rivers RC&D Council, T.R. Miller Mill Company, United Bank, and Walmart 990.
For more information, please contact Extension agents Mike Donahoe at 623-3868/ mcd@ufl.edu.
All programs and related activities sponsored for, or assisted by, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are open to all persons with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliation-ns. For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact the Santa Rosa County Extension Office at 850-623-3868 at least five (5) working days prior to the program so that proper consideration may be given to the request.
