46th Annual Florida Peanut Meeting Donnell receives Outstanding Young Peanut Farmer Award by Ken Barton
T
he Florida Peanut Producers Association held their 46th Annual Membership Meeting Feb. 24, 2022, in Marianna, Florida. During the meeting, farmers elected new board members and received a report on activities of FPPA and the National Peanut Board. The new members elected to serve on the FPPA Board of Directors are Philip Melvin from Calhoun County and Jim McArthur from Jackson County, Florida. These directors are eligible to serve two consecutive three year terms. Melvin and McArthur replace retiring director positions of Joe Tillman from Altha, Florida, and Michael Davis from Graceville, Florida. Officers elected during the meeting include Larry Ford from Greenwood, Florida, as president and David DeFelix from Campbellton, Florida, as vice president, and Philip Melvin, as secretary/treasurer. Ken Barton, FPPA executive director, provided a report highlighting some of the promotional and educational activities the association has been involved in over the past year. Lindsay Stevens, marketing and communications specialist with the National Peanut Board also gave a report on the national promotions and research funding.
“To depend on farming as your livelihood is a commitment to long days and hard work. Johnny and his family have chosen to embrace this way of life.” Daniel Neely Farm Credit of Northwest Florida
Johnny Donnell of Escambia County, Fla., receives the Farm Credit/Florida Peanut Producers Association Young Peanut Farmer Award from Daniel Neely, loan officer with Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, during the 46th annual FPPA annual meeting Feb. 24, 2022, in Marianna, Fla.
The highlight of the evening included the presentation of the Farm Credit/FPPA Young Peanut Farmer Award presentation. Daniel Neely, loan officer with Farm Credit of Northwest Florida presented the award to Johnny Donnell from Escambia County, Florida. "To depend on farming as your livelihood is a commitment to long days and hard work," Neely says. "Johnny and his family have chosen to embrace this way of life." Farm Credit of Northwest Florida proudly nominated Donnell for the Young Peanut Farmer of the Year award. Donnell grows corn, wheat, cotton, soy beans and peanuts. Unlike many young farmers, Donnell was not born into a multigenerational farming family. His love
24 Southeastern Peanut Farmer | April 2022
for farming began to grow at age 14 when he worked on a neighbor’s farm. From there, Donnell gradually transitioned into his own farming operation which is now approximately 1,200 acres. With acreage spread across three counties in Florida and Alabama, Donnell needs the stars to align and the weather to cooperate in order to plant, maintain, and harvest all his crops. If it’s Sunday morning, Donnell is at church with his wife and three young children, but the rest of the week you’ll find him in the fields. Donnell doesn’t run a flashy or fancy operation but his work ethic and financial responsibility have made him a successful farmer who will be producing food and fiber for years to come.
