It’s down to 10 state winners for the title of 2017 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year and a $15,000 prize.
This will be the 28th Anniversary of Swisher International and the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition to have the honor to salute the agricultural community and industry with the Swisher Sweets / Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award. In the previous 27 years, many of agriculture’s top business leaders, innovators, environmentalists, pioneers, family men, problem solvers, and leaders have received national recognition.
Since its inception in 1990, the Swisher Sweets / Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award has evolved into the most prestigious honor in the southeast and nation with 235 outstanding agribusiness leaders being honored for their “excellence in agriculture.”
The 2017 state winners are:
- Robert Mills, Jr., Virginia (tobacco, beef, and pullet breeder chickens)
- Mike Robinson, Tennessee (row crop, beef, timber, and hay)
- Alexander “Kemp” McLeod, South Carolina (peaches, strawberries, pumpkins, and row crops)
- Van Hemric, North Carolina (tobacco, broilers, row crops, and hay)
- Micajah “Mike” Sturdivant III, Mississippi (row crops)
- Robert Michael “Mike” Bach, Kentucky (row crops and beef)
- Everett Williams, Georgia (dairy)
- Mark Wilson, Florida (plant and flower nursery)
- Mark Morgan, Arkansas (peaches, beef, and turkeys)
- Chris Langley, Alabama (beef and timber)
In the previous 27 years of the award, over $1,044,000 has been awarded to state and overall winners. Each state winner receives $2,500 and an all expense paid trip to Expo along with various other prizes. The overall Southeastern winner receives $15,000 and various other prizes from the sponsors.
