A22-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 18, 1999
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.)
Spokespersons for agriculture are
needed to address the many con
troversial issues associated with
farming and to educate the majori
ty of the population who bow
little about their food source.
To select one spokesperson is
almost impossible since so many
facets of agriculture need to be
addressed.
Theoretically the job to select an
ag spokesperson should have been
made a bit easier when the Nation
al Young Farmers sponsored a
contest from which three national
spokespersons were selected. The
depth of talent and knowledge por
trayed by the contestants, who
each needed to attain the title at
local and state levels before com
peting in the national contest, reve
aled that each of the nine contes
tants are effective spokespersons
for the industry they dearly love
farming.
Contestants needed to give a
prepared speech before a panel of
three judges: consumer leader, an
agricultural communicator, and an
agricultural representative. These
included Walt Pccchatka, execu
tive vice president of Penn Ag
Industries; Lem Mentzler, FFA
adviser at LMH; and Lou Ann
Good, Lancaster Farming staff
writer.
In addition to winning at the
state level, spokespersons were
required to qualify with written
documentation that they had spo
During the media blitz at Fox’s Market, Jerry Hergenreder
shares the role he plays in providing safe food for
consumers.
Luke Windsor believes technology will improve farm
profits.
State Ag Spokespersons Compete For National Title
ken about ag issues before two or
more audiences, wrote letters to
state legislative leaders, and
attained two media interviews.
During the nation?! contest,
each state spokesperson delivered
a 5-minutc prepared speech and
answered about 10 minutes of
impromptu questioning by the
judges.
The prepared speeches
addressed a current agricultural or
environmental topic that provided
a positive perspective of agricul-
ture and renewable resources.
Judges needed to evaluate the
content and how well the contes
tants answered impromptu ques
tions and how convincing and
accurate they were in their overall
delivery and viewpoints.
The three selected as spokesper
sons for agriculture are Jetty
Hcrgcnredcr from Longmont,
Colo.; Jerry Tenill from Salem,
Mo.; and Luke Windsor from
Hopkinsville, Ky.
Hcrgcnredcr, his wife Tricia and
four children, have a diversified
farming operation raising sugar
beets, com silage, alfalfa, winter
and spring wheats, barley, seed
wheat, and dry beans. Most of their
990 acres are flood-irrigated. They
also have a small number of cows
and calves.
Hergenreder’s speech, “Believe
it or Not This is Agriculture,”
spoke about his responsibilities as
a farmer, requiring him to act as
producer, commodites marketer,
mechanic, vet, welder, heavy
equipment operator, electrician.
After winning at their respective state levels, these nine competed for the title of
National Spokesperson of the Year. From left back are Luke Windsor, Ky.; Jerry
Hergenreder, Colo.; Dean Smith, Neb.; Jerry Terrill, Mo.; Tim Grove, Vir.; and Tommy
Stalvey, Ga. Front from left are Alisa Hamm, Ala.; Shirley Krail, Pa.; and Jennifer Byer
ly, Ind. The three selected as nat'onal spokespersons are Windsor, Hergenreder, and
Terrili.
Participants In the Form and Ranch Contest, from left, are A. Dale Herr, Pa.: Bill
Warnke, Neb.; Mike Wheley, Ind.; Terry Weishelt, Ind.; Neal Pohlmore, chairman:
Arthur Duvall, Neb.; Nolan Hornbrecle, Ala., and Jim Hefner, Ohio.
and numerous other roles. Herger
reder addressed the communica
tion gap between producer and
consumer in which farmer’s are
blamed for food price increases yet
receive only $4 for a hundred
pounds of com.
Terrill, 29, is a regional lives
tock specialist for the University of
Missouri Outreach and Extension.
Terrill and his family have a
herd of purebred Limousin cattle.
He grew up as an active member of
4-H programs and FFA. He
received a bachelor's degree in
animal science and a master’s in
applied beef production.
Terrill’s speech addressed the
question: “Is the American Farmer
an Endangered Species?" He said
the catch phrase “sustainable agri
culture" must be economically
viable. If it is not profitable, it is
not sustainable. In addition, sus
tainable agriculture must be social
ly supportive and ecologically
sound to preserve the resource
base that sustains all.
“The biggest challenge farmers
face is to make sure that the public
knows food is produced in an effi
cient, environmentally conscious
manner,” Terrill said.
Luke Windsor, 23, is pursuing a
master’s degree in organizational
communication at Murray State
University.
Winder has always been
involved in the family farm’s pro
duction of com, soybeans,
tobacco. Windsor is a district sales Lebanon County. She spoke on
manager for Akin/Callahan Seed “Doing Farm Touts That Count;"
Co. Inc. Jennifer Wayne Byerly, Indiana,
Windsor discussed transgenic who spoke about Rural Rehabilita
crops and their potential to don Resources for farmers with
improve farm profit. The technolo- disabilities; Alisa Hamm, Alaba
gy that can offset the cost of pro- ma, who addressed “What Is an
duction fees, resistance to weed Environmentalist?;" Tommy
and insect buildup, and export Stalvey Jr., Georgia, who spoke
concerns. about “The Agriculture Expert-
Other participants included Pen- ence;” Tim Grove, Virgina, who
nsylvania’s Shirley Krall, who addressed “Environmentally
farms with her husband Tom in (Turn to Pag* A 23)
Jerry Terrill, a livestock specialist with the University of
Missouri Extension, said the biggest challenge formers
fece is to make sure the public knows food is produced in an
efficient, and environmentally conscious matter.