The Alabama Farmers Federation’s grassroots foundation was on display during state commodity committee elections Dec. 8 in Montgomery.

Delegates gathered in Montgomery to vote farmer-leaders onto respective committees at the Federation’s 103rd annual meeting.

Ben Haynes of Cullman County, Ben Looney of Limestone County, James Walker of Lauderdale County and Annie Dee of Pickens County were elected to the Alabama Farmers Federation State Wheat & Feed Grain Committee. State commodity committee members help direct policy for the state’s largest farm organization, allocate research dollars and coordinate educational sessions for fellow farmers.

These farmers will help direct the organization’s policy work, said the Federation’s Mitt Walker.

“The Federation was founded on grassroots,” Walker, the Federation Governmental & Agricultural Programs Department director said. “Farmers know issues facing agriculture better than anyone. That’s why it’s important farmers work with our commodity directors to guide our efforts representing Alabama agriculture.”

Members of state committees are also tasked to help plan educational programming for producers. They guide research, promotion and education efforts for the Federation’s 17 committees — bee & honey, beef, catfish, cotton, dairy, equine, forestry, greenhouse, nursery and sod, hay and forage, fruit and vegetables, peanuts, pork, poultry, sheep and goat, soybean, wheat and feed grain, and wildlife.

Retiring members of state commodity committees were honored for serving the maximum nine years. They were:

Bee & Honey — Lionel Evans, Limestone County
Beef — David Lee, Lowndes County, and Mike Carnes, Marshall County
Cotton — Lance Miller, Blount County
Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod — Hank Richardson, Cherokee County, and Bill Cook, Montgomery County
Soybean — Daniel Trantham, Calhoun County
Wildlife — Mark Finley, Winston County
In addition to elections during annual meeting, State Catfish Committee members are elected at the Alabama Catfish Conference in January. Affiliate organizations of the Federation such as the Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, the Alabama Peanut Produces Association and the Alabama TREASURE Forest Association will elect leaders during respective conferences in 2025. Learn more at AFVGA.org, AlPeanuts.comand TREASUREForest.org.