by Tanner Hood 

Special to The Luverne Journal

A resounding send-off for longtime leaders of the Alabama Farmers Federation led to an exciting welcome for two new vice presidents during the organization’s annual meeting Dec. 8-9 in Montgomery. 

Morgan County’s Mark Byrd was elected to his first two-year term as North Area vice president, replacing Rex Vaughn of Madison County. Dale County’s Chris Carroll was elected Southeast Area vice president, replacing Houston County’s George Jeffcoat. Vaughn and Jeffcoat served maximum terms.

In his new role, poultry, cattle and row crop producer Carroll will cover Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike, Russell and Tallapoosa counties. 

A poultry and row crop farmer, Byrd’s North Area covers Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston counties.

Trip Horne was reelected to a second term as District 10 director. The Barbour County poultry and cattle farmer represents Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw and Pike counties. 

Another all-important order of business took place during the nearly 500-delegate strong business session. Jimmy Parnell was unanimously elected to his seventh term as Federation president. 

“It seems like two or three weeks ago we started down this journey,” Parnell said. “We have accomplished so much. We’ve built a tremendous team. I love getting up to go to work. It’s really not work when you love what you do. The federation is as strong today as, I think, we’ve ever been. I’m just excited about our future.”

As Federation president, Parnell also leads affiliate company Alfa Insurance. 

Additionally, four district directors were selected to three-year terms. 

District 1 delegates reelected Walker County’s Dorman Grace — a poultry, cattle and row crop farmer — to his second term. District 1 includes Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion and Walker counties.

Darrell Lee of Winston County was elected to serve District 4, replacing Cullman County’s Steve Lake. District 4 consists of Blount, Cullman, Marshall and Winston counties. Lee raises cattle and hay.  

Serving District 7 is newly elected director Mahlon Richburg of Lee County, a cattle and hay producer. Richburg replaces Elmore County’s Joe Lambrecht. District 7 includes Chambers, Coosa, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.

Also elected to one-year, ex-officio terms on the state board were State Women’s Leadership Committee Chair Rachel Chastain of Talladega County and State Young Farmers Committee Chair Denzil Dees of Sumter County.