Damon and Jana Helton of Lonsdale, right here in Saline County are among eight district winners in the 71st annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program.
The Heltons raise beef, hogs and broilers, they run Olde Crow General Store and you’ll see them pop up at farmers markets as well. The Heltons have four children: Luke, Olivia, Violet, and Elena. MySaline interviewed Jana in 2016 for the Saline 13 feature.
They were selected as county winners in May. The district winners will be visited again by a different set of judges in July to determine a state winner. That will be announced December 6th at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon in North Little Rock.
“The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program recognizes great farmers and ranchers each year,” said Randy Veach, president, Arkansas Farm Bureau. “These families are involved in noble and important work to provide food, fiber and shelter to the world.”
Since 1947, the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program has served as a vehicle to recognized outstanding farm families throughout the state. The objectives of the Farm Family of the Year program is:
- To give recognition and encouragement to farm families who are doing an outstanding job on their farm and in their community;
- To gain recognition of the importance of agriculture in the community and state;
- To disseminate information on improved farm practices and management.
The Farm Family of the Year program begins each year with the selection of top farm families in each county and culminates in December with the selection of the state Farm Family of the Year who will then go on to represent Arkansas at the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. All winners are judged on their farm production, efficiency, management, family life and rural/community leadership.
Sponsors of the Farm Family of the Year program are Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, and the three Farm Credit agencies that serve Arkansas: AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and Midsouth Farm Credit. Additionally, support for the program is provided by the Arkansas Agriculture Department, Arkansas Department of Career Education, Arkansas Press Association, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Rural Development.
Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 190,000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.