2022 County Farm Families of the Year Named

The 75th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has named the 2022 County Farm Families of the Year. The families will be visited by a set of judges to determine eight District Farm Families of the Year, which will be announced June 14. The state Farm Family of the Year will be announced in December at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon.

Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program has served as a vehicle to recognize outstanding farm families throughout the state. The objectives of the Farm Family of the Year program are to give recognition and encouragement to farm families who are doing an outstanding job on their farm and in their community, to recognize the importance of agriculture in the community and state, and to disseminate information on improved farm practices and management.

Selections as Arkansas Farm Family of the Year include efficiency of production, conservation of energy and resources, leadership in agricultural and community affairs, home and farm improvement, and home and farm management. 

Although families were named from all across Arkansas, the following families are for Polk and surrounding counties: Polk County’s Farm Family is Monte & Kystal Hostetler at MK Ranch. The Sevier County’s winner is Josh Walker at Red Bud Farms. The Montgomery County winner is Jacob Hill. The Howard County winner is the Brandon & Samantha Manasco family. 

The Farm Family of the Year program begins each year with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the state Farm Family of the Year, who then go on to represent Arkansas at the Swisher Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. Arkansas has had two Southeast Farm of the Year winners, Brian and Nan Kirksey of Clark County in 2008 and Wildy Family Farms of Mississippi County in 2016.

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