The Alabama Farmers Federation elected members to its board of directors Dec. 8. Front row, from left, are District 9 Director Garry Henry; State Women’s Committee Chairman Cheryl Lassiter; State Young Farmers Committee Chairman Garrett Henry; District 3 Director Phillip Thompson; and District 6 Director Dell Hill. Back row, from left, are Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell; Southeast Area Vice President George Jeffcoat; District 12 Director Fred Helms; and North Area Vice President Rex Vaughn.
Jimmy Parnell of Stanton in Chilton County was re-elected president of the state’s largest farm organization during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 93rd annual meeting in Montgomery today. Elections were held this afternoon during the Federation’s business session, where 500 delegates from Alabama’s 67 counties cast their votes.
Parnell, a fifth-generation farmer who raises timber and beef cattle, was unopposed in his bid for re-election to a second two-year term. He said he enjoyed his first term as president and looks forward to representing Alabama farm families in the future as the Federation works to strengthen agriculture’s position as the state’s largest industry.
“I am honored by the faith and trust that farm families across this state have placed in me,” Parnell said following his election. “Our state is blessed with a rich agricultural history that helped shape the very foundation of our society. But what’s exciting about agriculture in Alabama is the potential it provides for our future. We are blessed with abundant natural resources and the hardest-working people I know. I’m excited to see what’s in store for our state and this organization.”
Southeast Area Vice President George Jeffcoat of Gordon in Houston County and North Area Vice President Rex Vaughan of Huntsville in Madison County also were re-elected for two-year terms at today’s meeting.
Elections also were held for four district board positions, which have three-year terms. Those elected include Phillip Thompson of Scottsboro in Jackson County (District 3), Dell Hill of Alpine in Talladega County (District 6), Garry Henry of the Hope Hull Community in Montgomery County (District 9) and Fred Helms of Dothan in Houston County (District 12).
Elected to one-year, ex-officio terms on the state board were Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Cheryl Lassiter of Silas in Choctaw County and State Young Farmers Chairman Garrett Henry of Hope Hull in Montgomery County.
The Alabama Farmers Federation, with 358,000 members, is Alabama’s largest farm organization and a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation.