Source: PRESS RELEASE, 2/21/18

The Farm Credit Associations of NC announce Justin and Holly Miller as the recipients of the 2018 Innovative Farmer of the Year Award presented at The Tobacco Farm Life Museum’s breakfast with the commissioner. 

Justin and Holly both grew up on family farms, and Justin continued to farm traditional row crops until about six years ago when the couple began looking for ways to transition to more lucrative horticultural crops.

The couple owns and operates Cherry Hill Farm in Advance, North Carolina, where they grow soybeans, small grains, strawberries, summer and winter squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, lettuces, cabbage, broccoli, kale, green beans, and sweet corn.

“In the last six years, we’ve taken a fifth generation family farm that has not been used for anything other than grazing cattle and small grain production for the past two generations and transitioned it into a profitable produce farm.  Significant expansion has occurred in the past two years, and we have a great opportunity to continue that growth.” – Justin Miller 

In addition to their work on the farm, the Millers are generous within their community.  Reaching out to others less fortunate with their donations of fruits and vegetables to local food pantries and churches.  They work to provide workshops for youth and adults to enhance understanding of the sources of food and spend time mentoring other farmers.

The CEOs of AgCarolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, and Carolina Farm Credit are Dave Corum, Brad Cornelius, and Vance Dalton respectively.  They issued the following joint statement regarding the Millers: “It is an honor to be able to recognize Justin and Holly as the 2018 Innovative Young Farmers of the Year.  We admire the leadership and value-based approach they take with their family, in their roles as professionals in the field of agriculture, and as they make a positive impact on their community.  We congratulate the Millers for this award and look forward to their achievements in the future.” 

AgCarolina Farm Credit is a farmer owned financial cooperative with headquarters in Raleigh. They are the leading provider of credit to farmers in central and eastern North Carolina. AgCarolina Farm Credit has over $1.4 billion in loans and commitments outstanding to nearly 3,000 North Carolina farmers.

Loans are made to finance land, homes, farm buildings, operating expenses, livestock and equipment, as well as other purposes. Credit life insurance, appraisal services, and leasing are also available through AgCarolina Farm Credit. For 100 years Farm Credit has been supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.