Monthly Archives: November 2016

Holmes Receives NHFB President’s Award

CONCORD, NH – Jeff Holmes was presented with the 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation President’s Award by NHFB President Denis Ward at the organization’s 100th Annual Meeting on Friday, November 11th. Holmes is familiar with the award, having previously handed it out to deserving recipients as NHFB President from 2007-2015.

Holmes and his family operate Holmes Dairy Farm in Langdon, NH, milking Jersey cows and producing maple syrup. The award not only recognizes Holmes’ commitment to agriculture, but his dedication to Farm Bureau as he continues to volunteer his time and energy in advocating for agriculture.

Farm Bureau Hands Out Prestigious Profile Award at Annual Meeting

Bobby Drown (right) is presented with the 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Profile Award by past Profile Award winner John Porter.

Concord, NH – New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation has the honor of presenting the Profile Award each year to recognize a New Hampshire person or persons for distinguished service to agriculture and rural life. Nominations come from each county Farm Bureau Board of Directors and are judged by a panel of past Profile Award winners.

The 2016 Profile Award was given to Robert “Bobby” Drown of Great Ash Farm in Webster, NH. Bobby is a third generation farm manager at his family’s dairy farm and raises thanksgiving turkeys as well. He has been involved with and a supporter of 4-H since the 1960’s and has worked closely with the Merrimack County Conservation District, earning Merrimack County District Cooperator of the year in 2000.

As a Farm Bureau member for 49 years, Bobby has held several leadership roles including Merrimack County Farm Bureau President and currently sits on the MCFB Board of Directors. He is well known for his commitment to growing Farm Bureau membership.

Ryan Cox Wins Young Farmer Discussion Meet

Ryan Cox (left) is presented a certificate and check for winning the 2016 New Hampshire Farm Bureau Young Farmer’s Discussion Meet by past Discussion Meet winner Alicia Pedemonti.

Concord, NH – The goal of the NHFB Young Farmer Discussion Meet is to develop leaders for effective problem solving through group discussion, similar to the organization’s grass-roots Policy Development process. The Discussion Meet gives an opportunity for Young Farmers to build basic discussion skills, give and receive criticism in a helpful manner, develop an understanding of important issues, explore and pool knowledge to reach consensus, and solve problems. The three contestants who participated in this year’s competition were Christina Murdock, DVM, of Dunbarton, Tyler Matteson of Contoocook, and the winner, Ryan Cox of Derry.

Ryan is a freshman at Plymouth State University, a past Vice-President of the Granite State Association of FFA, and a former Farm Bureau intern. Ryan will be moving on to compete this January at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

Matarozzos Win Animal Husbandry Award

Amy (center) & Brian Matarozzo of LorrenJoyce Farm in Ctr. Barnstead are presented with the Young Farmer Animal Husbandry Award by Rep. Alexis Simpson.

Concord, NH – The Animal Husbandry Award has been developed by the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer program to promote sound animal husbandry and to recognize individuals who have implemented exceptional livestock welfare practices on their farm. Candidates for this award are nominated by their fellow Young Farmers and the judging is based on a set of criteria, including best management practices. A panel of judges consisting of Representative Alexis Simpson of Exeter, Christina Murdock, DVM of Dunbarton, and UNH Professor Emeritus John Porter of Boscawen selected Amy & Brian Matarozzo of LorrenJoyce Farm in Center Barnstead as this year’s winners.

Amy & Brian currently raise Hereford beef cattle and milk registered jersey cows to sell raw milk and USDA certified beef direct to consumers. In addition to cows, they also have 180 laying hens for egg production. Amy and Brian have both been involved heavily with the Young Farmers Committee. Amy presently serves as the committee’s Chairperson.

Also nominated for this award were Jeff Moore of Windswept Maples Farm in Loudon and Adam Crete of Highway View Farm in Boscawen

Pedemonti Earns Young Farmer Excellence In Agriculture Award

Alicia Pedemonti (right) receives the Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture Award from USDA Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Bruce Cilley.

Concord, NH – To acknowledge the efforts of Young Farmers who do not derive the majority of their income from farming, but are actively contributing to agriculture and to their community, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation annually conducts the Excellence in Agriculture Award competition. The winner of the New Hampshire competition moves on to compete nationally in Phoenix, Arizona this January. A panel of judges consisting of Representative Bob Haefner, Chair of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee; Bruce Cilley, State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency; and Ruth Scruton, President of the NHFB Associated Women selected Alicia Pedemonti as the 2016 Winner.

Alicia graduated from the University of Vermont in 2011 with her Bachelors in Animal Science and after taking a year off, started working on a Master of Public Health from the University of New England which she completed in 2015. She now works as a Veterinary Technician for the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food and has held that position for almost five years. Her primary responsibility is overseeing the tuberculosis and brucellosis surveillance program in cattle and goats. This means she gets to spend the bulk of her year going to cattle farms in NH. She also works part time as the Executive Director of the Northeast Pork Association. In May of 2016 Alicia was appointed to the National Pork Board by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

Also nominated for the award were Brian Matarozzo of Center Barnstead, Dalton Thayer of North Haverhill, and Erik Fredrickson of Wolfboro.

Hardys Take Home Young Farmer Achievement Award

Tyler (right) & Madison (center) Hardy are presented with the 2016 Young Farmer Achievement Award from past Achievement Award winner Don Ross.

Concord, NH – The Young Farmer Achievement Award competition is designed to recognize young people between the ages of 18 to 35 who have excelled in their farming operation and have shown leadership abilities through Farm Bureau and in their community. The ideal candidate for the Achievement Award is an individual or couple involved in production agriculture with the majority of their income subject to normal production risk. The winner receives the use of a new Kubota tractor for six months or 250 hours from Pinnacleview Equipment in Walpole and will move on to the national competition in Phoenix, Arizona this January. A panel of judges consisting of Representative Tara Sad of Walpole, Samantha Stoddard from Farm Credit East in Bedford, and Don Ross of Rossview Farm in Concord selected Tyler & Madison Hardy of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis as this year’s winners.

Tyler Hardy is a 6th generation farmer at Brookdale Fruit Farm. His family farms fruit and vegetables and has won national recognition for its stewardship and conservation practices. He enjoys all aspects of the fruit and vegetable industry, but his true passion is tree fruit, including different training systems and pruning.

Tyler’s wife, Madison, also works at Brookdale Fruit Farm. They met while Tyler was delivering produce to Moulton Farm in Meredith, NH where Madison formerly worked. Madison now manages the greenhouses and special vegetable operations at Brookdale. She worked at Moulton Farm for 12 years and has worked at Brookdale for 4 years. They also enjoy downhill skiing, their dog Pilot, golf, and snowmobiling.

Also nominated for the award were Glen Putnam of Piermont, Jeff Moore or Loudon, and Ray & Jenny Sprague of Plainfield.