receives awards

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

The Pike County Farm-City Committee was named the overall Best Farm-City program in the state for Division II during the State Farm-City Awards Program in Birmingham April 8.

The committee was also recognized for best media coverage and best special activities and won the proclamation award.

Past Committee Chairman Max Davis attended the awards program and accepted the awards on behalf of the Pike County Farm-City Committee and, in turn, presented the awards to the committee Monday at a meeting held at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.

Davis expressed appreciation to the committee members for all the hard work and dedication to task that resulted in statewide recognition.

The Pike County Farm-City Committee is no stranger to state awards and was a repeat winner in all

four categories.

Division II farm-city committees are from counties with a population of less than 36,500. The Pike County Farm-City Committee is a committee of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce.

Arlene Davis, who co-chaired the committee with her husband, said the goal of the committee is to win the overall award for best farm-city committee which includes all divisions.

The purpose of Monday’s meeting was to begin making plans for Farm-City Week 2002.

Bill Sanders, chairman of the committee, presented suggestions for updating the annual awards as a result of the changing face of agriculture in Pike County. Awards are presented to producers and to those who support and promote agriculture.

In 2001, one award was presented for row crops rather than awards for peanuts and cotton.

The committee decided to continue the row crop award along with awards for poultry, beef, forestry and conservation.

An award will also be presented to the outstanding farm family in Pike County rather than the farm of distinction award which is also a state award.

Sanders said the state awards are given to large-scale farming operations and small farms cannot compete with farms made up of thousands of acres. The committee also discussed establishing awards that would include city dwellers. Sanders appointed a committee to establish criteria for awards including, but not limited to, gardening and long-time service.