Suwannee County Farmers Win Coveted Statewide Honor

Nov. 2, 2016

2016 Achievement in Ag AwardGainesville, Fla. – Florida Farm Bureau has presented Doug and Deanne Carter with its 2016 Achievement in Agriculture Award. The award recognizes their skill at farm production, development of the enterprise and service to Farm Bureau and the local community.

The Carters produce poultry, beef cattle and hay on the family’s Suwannee County farm. They also sell hay, oats, millet and sorghum as forage to area dairies.

Their chickens receive near-constant attention. Computerized ventilation, feed and water supply systems allow the Carters to make sure the chickens are comfortable and receive adequate nutrition at all times – even late in the evenings and when the family must be away from the property.

“We take a lot of pride in doing things right to keep the animals and their well-being first at hand,” Doug explained. “We grow antibiotic-free chickens and we place them in the houses so they have plenty of room to move around. We keep the lighting dimmed so that the birds will remain calm and not injure each other.”

FFB President John Hoblick presented the Achievement in Agriculture Award to the Carters during Florida Farm Bureau’s 2016 Annual Meeting in Orlando on Oct. 26.

As Florida’s Achievement in Agriculture Award winners the Carters will receive a $500 check and a 2017 Chevy Silverado 4×4 Crew Cab pick-up truck, courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Companies. They will also receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2017 American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, to represent the Sunshine State in the national Achievement in Agriculture Award Competition.

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Florida Farm Bureau is the Sunshine State’s largest general agricultural organization with more than 145,000 member-families representing Farm Bureaus in 60 counties. We serve to enhance farm enterprise and improve rural communities.