Levi and Shannon Rogers from Collins have been named the winner in the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award Contest.
The Rogers run a large cattle operation that spreads out over several counties and has about 30,000 head a year on their family ranch, according to a Farm Bureau press release. Shannon Rogers is the bookkeeper for the farm and also runs Stock Pro Animal & Health in Collins, a volume distributor of health supplies, the release said.
As the state winners, the Rogers’ receive a 2016 Ford F-150 pickup truck , 250 hours use of a Kubota tractor of their choice, 100 hours use of John Deere 150 horsepower tractor of their choice, $1,800 toward the purchase of technological improvements to their farm, courtesy of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, a $500 cash prize and an expense paid trip to compete in the American Farm Bureau Achievement Award Contest
Other awards announced Monday by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation:
• Distinguished Service Award to Preston Sullivan of Okalona. Sullivan has been actively farming for nearly half a century on a farm that his family has owned since the 1860s. Sullivan also represents Chickasaw County in the Legislature, including having been chairman of the Agriculture Committee.
• Distinguished Service Award to Sammy Blossom of Flora. Blossom recently retired after 16 years as the head of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association. Blossom grew up on a small dairy, beef, and sheep farm in Scott County where he developed a lifelong interest in livestock.
• Excellence in Leadership Award to Jan Hill of Woodland. Hill has been farming the same land that his great grandfather farmed many years ago.
• Ag Ambassador Award to the Farm Credit System on its 100th anniversary along with the three lending institutions that serve Mississippi: First South Farm Credit,
The Mississippi Land Bank and Southern AgCredit.