For the 36th consecutive year, the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition is honored to salute the agriculture community and industry with the Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award.
Since its inception in 1990, the Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award has evolved into the most prestigious honor in the southeast and nation, with 311 outstanding agri-business leaders being honored for their “excellence in agriculture.”
The goals and objectives for the award remain simple and to the point:
* To reward a commitment to excellence in the agriculture industry
* To reward efficiency in farming practices
* To reward participation and leadership in community, state and national services
* To reward sound management and financial practices
* To reward plans for future development and changes
* To reward sound environmental practices
* To reward sound marketing and promotional practices
Participating in the program are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. In the previous 35 years of the award, over $1,432,500 has been awarded to state and overall winners.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE? The award is open to any farmer or the member of a farming family that is actively involved in the agriculture industry and be at least 21 years of age.
Size of the farming operation is not a prerequisite; neither is the number of years in the farming business. A record of success in farming, in adapting to new technology, making positive contributions to industry organizations and the community, and dedication to the future all are strong considerations in the judging.
STATE WINNERS: Each entrant must fill out a nomination form and submit it to the state organization in each state. The sponsoring state organization determines its state winner and submits that person as a finalist for the Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award.
OVERALL WINNER: The Southeastern Farmer of the Year is determined by a panel of three qualified judges selected by the Sunbelt Expo. Each judge will have an agriculture background. Each state winner’s farm will be visited by the panel of judges.
Past winners have offered the judges a variety in their successful operations, ranging from poultry, swine, peanuts, soybeans, corn, rice, cotton, horticulturalists, citrus, muscadine grapes, tobacco, dairy operations, cattle, apiary, renowned cattle breeders, catfish farms and even alligator and fresh water shrimp operations.
KEY CONTACTS
Chip Blalock | O (229) 985-1968; C (229) 873-2029 | chip@sunbeltexpo.com
Greta Collins | O (229) 985-1968 | greta@sunbeltexpo.com
Donna Blalock | C (229) 891-5271 | donnablalock62@gmail.com
SUNBELT EXPO SOUTHEASTERN FARMER OF THE YEAR AWARD
A farmer or a member of a farming family actively involved in the agriculture industry in at least one of these 7 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia with farming as the main source of income. Must be at least 21 years of age.
Obtain a nomination form from one of the following sponsoring organizations: Georgia, South Carolina, or Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. Arkansas, Florida, or North Carolina Farm Bureau or the Alabama Farmers Federation. The nomination form must be completed in its entirety, signed by all parties, dated and returned to the appropriate state organization. You may request a nomination form in digital format from your coordinator or nominator.
Previous state winners cannot be re-nominated for a period of three years (the 2025 state winner can apply again in 2029). The Southeastern Farmer of the Year winners cannot be re-nominated for a period of ten years (the 2025 winner can apply again in 2036).
Each participating state sets its own deadline to receive applications sent to the state coordinator.
The deadline is JUNE 1 for submitting the signed and completed online nomination form of the state winners. Letters of recommendation are not necessary.
State winners MUST reserve the week of August 3-6, 2026 for on site judging. Specific dates will be determined as early as possible after all state winners have been submitted to the Sunbelt Expo.
A panel of three qualified judges (each with an agriculture background) will tour the farm of each state finalist and use the criteria listed as the goals for the award in the judging process. A photographer/videographer will accompany the judging panel. A writer will contact each state winner to gather information for a press release that will be written prior to the judging visit.
Each state winner and his/her/spouse/guest will be the guests of the Sponsors. The Sunbelt Ag Expo will pay travel expenses ($400) and offer lodging for up to three nights (Sunday night-Tuesday night), October 18-21. Sunbelt Expo dates are October 20-22.
The nominating person and his/her/spouse/guest will also be our guests during the Sunbelt Expo. They will receive $400 in travel expenses and up to three nights lodging for the dates of October 18-21 (Sunday-Wednesday). The $400 for travel expenses will be paid to only one person.
Join with the other current state winners, spouses and nominators for a meet and greet from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026. Following this time, Informa/Southeast Farm Press will sponsor a Producer Roundtable discussion from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Current state winners, spouses, nominators and other invited guests are welcome to participate. Enjoy a reception sponsored by Informa/Southeast Farm Press held for state winners, spouses, nominators and guests followed by dinner on Monday, October 19, 2026.
If the nomination is accepted, someone from the Sunbelt Ag Expo staff will contact the nominator/winner for their social security number via phone. SSNs should never be submitted through this form.
AWARDS
Each state winner receives:
• $2,500 from the Sponsors.
• An expense-paid trip to the Sunbelt Ag Expo from the Sponsors
• A fleece vest from the Sponsors.
The overall Southeastern winner receives:
• An additional $15,000 from the sponsors.
• Use of a Massey Ferguson tractor for a year or up to 250 hours (whichever comes first) from Massey Ferguson North America.
• A fleece jacket from the Sponsors.
• A Hays LTI Smoker/Grill.
• Henry Repeating Arms American Farmer Tribute Edition .22 rifle from Reinke Irrigation.
• A diesel additive prize package from Howes Products
2025 Farmer of the Year Sponsors:
• Harper Family Holdings
• Alabama Farmers Federation
• Arkansas Farm Bureau
• Florida Farm Bureau
• Georgia Farm Bureau
• North Carolina Farm Bureau
• South Carolina Farm Bureau
• Virginia Farm Bureau
• Georgia Association of Conservation Districts
• Alabama Association of Conservation Districts
• Ag Heritage Farm Credit
• Farm Credit of Mid America
• Farm Credit of Western Arkansas
• AgGeorgia Farm Credit
• AgSouth Farm Credit
• SW Georgia Farm Credit