Benton County Women’s Committee, Miller County’s Sutton receive awards

ArFB President Randy Veach (l), Benton County Committee Chairwoman Brenda Patton (center) and ArFB Vice President Rich Hillman (r).

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Barbara Sutton of Miller County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee holds the Diamond Award

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The Women’s Leadership Committee from Benton County is the Outstanding County Women’s Program award winner for 2018. The group was recognized Nov. 29, during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 84th Annual Conference at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

Committee Chairwoman Brenda Patton accepted the award for Benton County. “My heart was just pounding,” said Patton, who chairs their Women’s Leadership Committee. “These ladies have worked so hard. Anytime I call or text and say ‘can we do this,’ they say, ‘oh yes, sure, what do you want me to do.’ I’m just really proud of all they’ve accomplished this year.”

Each year, Arkansas Farm Bureau honors the county Women’s Leadership Committee that exhibits exemplary support of its county organization, activities and goals. Farm Bureau women help accomplish the organization’s mission by working with local schools and educating children about agriculture and where people get their food, fiber and fuel. From a variety of Ag in the Classroom activities to informing people about the safety and affordability of our food, the women of Farm Bureau enthusiastically represent the organization by telling the farming and ranching story.

Barbara Sutton of Miller County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee received the Arkansas Farm Bureau Women’s Diamond Award, which honors a county Farm Bureau leader whose volunteer efforts are above and beyond the norm. She and her husband, Donald, run a cow-calf operation.

Sutton has been a leader and actively involved in Miller County Farm Bureau, the Cooperative Extension Service and other ag organizations for 50 years. The 78-year-old’s passion is educating youth about agriculture.

“I was surprised,” said Sutton, who teared up discussing the award. “If you look around, you’ll see all of the wonderful gray-haired people I have worked with (for so long). My main thing is with the kids coming up today, they need us. We just need to look at our young ones and give them the same opportunity to be involved in agriculture.”

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 192,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.

For more information, contact:

Rob Anderson
(501) 228-1640
rob.anderson@arfb.com

or

Gregg Patterson
(501) 228-1282
gregg.patterson@arfb.com