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Innovative Young Farmer Award presented by Farm Credit Associations of NC
Story Date: 2/23/2015
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 2/20/15
The Farm Credit Associations of NC announce the recipients of the 2015 Innovative Farmer of the Year Award given by The Tobacco Farm Life Museum.
This year’s “Innovative Young Farmer of the Year” award winners are Peyton McDaniel, Billy McDaniel, and Phillip Watson. These young men have set themselves apart with equal parts commitment, dedication, and enthusiasm for their craft.
O.J. Smith Farms is located in Nash County and grows a diverse range of row-crops including tobacco, cotton, soybeans, sweet potatoes, peanuts, wheat, and corn. The operation began in 1756 with a land grant from the King of England and still operates today. Peyton, Billy, and Phillip saw a gap in their family farm in the market of Organics. Though still in high school and college at North Carolina State University, the trio sought to fill the void in their operation by forming Hickory Meadows Organics in 2007. Steadily, Hickory Meadows has grown in size from just twenty acres to over four hundred. In 2011, Hickory Meadows became the first farm in North Carolina to grow certified organic cotton. That certified organic cotton would go on to make the t-shirts for Willie Nelson’s 2014 Farm Aid concert.
Also in 2014, the three began another farming operation, Fishing Creek Ag Corporation, specializing in conventional methods of cotton and sweet potato production. Striving to be on the cutting edge, Peyton, Billy, and Phillip employ new technologies such as GPS on their planting equipment and variable rate technology for precision farming. They also worked with a seed company who specialized in large seed production, which enable the trio to grow the world’s largest peanut in 2014.
Aside from their innovative work on the farm, the three are also extremely active in advocating for agriculture awareness. Being members of the Organic Farm Advisory enables them to introduce farmers into organic farming and acquire necessary grant money to fund research and development.
In their nomination form, Peyton, Billy, and Phillip stated, “We aren’t afraid of trying new things to be successful businessmen in our community, our state, and our country”. Being awarded the Innovative Young Farmer of the Year is personification of their statement.
“Farm Credit is proud to be able to present such a prestigious award to these three young men” says Dave Corum, AgCarolina’s President and CEO. “Peyton, Billy, and Phillip have shown a commitment to innovation and advocating for the agricultural communities of North Carolina. We congratulate them on all their achievements.”
The Farm Credit Associations of NC are AgCarolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, and Carolina Farm Credit. They are farmer owned financial cooperatives with headquarters in Raleigh, Fayetteville, and Statesville respectively. They are the leading provider of credit to farmers in North Carolina. The Associations have over $3.5 billion in loans and commitments outstanding to over 14,500 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, crop insurance, appraisal services, and leasing are also available through the Farm Credit Associations of NC.
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