Ten row crop growers each directed a $5,000 donation to a nonprofit organization of their choice as part of the Bayer Farm for Good Sweepstakes. The $50,000 in donations will help provide equipment, materials, programming and operational support for local organizations. Winning growers and their selected organizations include:
- George Pace Perry Jr., Tunica, Mississippi: Tunica Museum
- Tommie Tidwell, Bragg City, Missouri: Delta C-7 School
- Clark Carter, Rolling Fork, Mississippi: Sharkey Issaquena 4-H Club
- Dennis McCord, Cottonwood, Alabama: Cottonwood FFA Chapter
- Brad Petty, Crandall, Georgia: Boys and Girls Club of GMW
- Jason Eaddy, Lake City, South Carolina: Johnsonville Elementary School
- Sammy Howell, Como, North Carolina: Como Volunteer Fire Department
- Lowell Carter, Galivants Ferry, South Carolina: United Way of Horry County
- Louis Heckmann, Wallis, Texas: Wallis Volunteer Fire Department
- Steven Beakley, Ennis, Texas: Ennis High School Softball Department
When asked to select a nominee for the Farm for Good Sweepstakes, the Cottonwood FFA Chapter immediately came to mind for Dennis McCord, a grower in Cottonwood, Alabama. “Cottonwood is a special place to us. Our family is looking forward to our two boys joining Cottonwood FFA in the future,” McCord said. “This award will make a difference in our school and community.”
Cottonwood FFA Advisor, Jillian Etress, says the money donated from the Farm for Good program will be used towards making improvements to the school farm.
“We just came through a Category 5 hurricane. The kids had worked to build this farm, to build fences and get the barn constructed,” she said. “When the hurricane came through, we pretty much had to start over. The barn was there, but we didn’t have any fence left. It means a lot that we can make these improvements and the students can see a benefit for their hard work.”
“Our agricultural business at Bayer is based on providing the support growers need agronomically, but we celebrate this opportunity to support them personally,” said Nevada Smith, a regional campaign manager. “Donating to the organizations that matter to them lifts up the rural communities that mean so much to all of us.”
To enter in the sweepstakes, entrants had to grow 250+ acres of row crops in one of the eligible states. No purchase was necessary, and entries were limited to one per person. Winners were selected randomly by a third party.
Learn more about the winners and the organizations that benefit from the Farm for Good sweepstakes here.
