Contact: C. Wayne Mitchell 936-560-5533
President / CEO
Nacogdoches County agriculture award honorees named
New award category added to honorees list
The Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee announced a new award addition as well as the award recipients for the 18th annual Agriculture Appreciation and Awareness Banquet presented by TFP Nutrition. For the first time, a “Tallest Pine” award recipient will be honored at the banquet on Monday, April 15 at the Nacogdoches County Exposition and Civic Center, 3805 NW Stallings Dr.
“The economy of Nacogdoches County has deep roots in Agriculture,” said Angela Shannon, Vice President of Texas Farm Credit and co-chairman of the event planning committee. “The banquet serves to show our appreciation to all of those who work in this industry.”
The banquet begins with a mix and mingle opportunity at 5:30 p.m. At 6:30 the dinner service begins, and the program starts at 7 p.m.
Steele Wright, Director of Marketing at TFP Nutrition and co-chairman of the event planning committee, said, “We became the presenting sponsor because this opportunity builds upon our company’s commitment to acknowledge the past, present and future of our industry by recognizing the people and families in our community that play a vital role in local agriculture.”
The 2019 award recipients are:
• Farm Family of the Year: Bobby Hobson Family (Sponsor: Tipton Ford Lincoln)
• The Pete Smith Agriculture Pioneer: Mike Rawsom (Sponsor: Heritage Land Bank)
• Agribusiness of the Year: Norbord Texas Nacogdoches, Inc. (Sponsor: Southside Bank)
• Ag Educator of the Year: Cotton George (Sponsor: Citizens 1st Bank)
• Young Farmer of the Year: Juston Bass (Sponsor: Austin Bank and Pilgrim’s Corporation)
• Tallest Pine: Anita Scott (Sponsor: Texas Farm Credit)
“The Tallest Pine award was created to recognize an individual who went above and beyond the call of duty to the benefit of the agricultural community,” Shannon said. “It’s a nice way to give thanks to someone who has gone the extra mile.”
Gary and Sue Atkins Agricultural Scholarship Awards will be presented to Nacogdoches County students at the banquet. Scholarship recipients include Anna Cunningham, Jade Wheeler and Carly Wright, Central Heights High School; Jake Hill, Nacogdoches High School; Matthew Lowery, Douglass High School; and Luke Spivey, Garrison High School.
Tickets are $25 for each person, or $300 for a table of eight and are available now at the Nacogdoches County Chamber, 2516 North St, and Lone Star Farm & Home Center as well as from event planning committee members. Donations increase the amount of the scholarships given to the recipients at the banquet.
For ticket and table reservations, call the Nacogdoches County Chamber, 936-560-5533, or email chamber@nactx.com.
To produce the Agriculture Appreciation and Awareness Banquet, the Nacogdoches County Chamber partners with the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corp., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Pineywoods Resource Conservation and Development, The Texas Department of Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, and Texas Forest Service.
