2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo Top Innovation Award Winners
2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo Innovation Award Winners Learn more about each Top Innovation product below. These are in alphabetical order by company name and not an official ranking of the top awards. To learn more about the Sunbelt Ag Expo Innovation Award, visit...
What to see at the Sunbelt Ag Expo – 2026
Ag Teachers Check out all of these amazing opportunities for your students: Wednesday, October 21 Youth Educational Challenges sponsored by Hays LTI Contest from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Lunch at 11:00 am Award Ceremony at 2:00 pm Advocacy in Action Contest sponsored by Georgia Farm Bureau Georgia FFA...
Precision Ag Tools Are Only as Good as Your Connection
By Barry Bishop – SVP of Kinetic Field Operations Agriculture has gone digital, and most farmers are not only familiar with technology. They’re pushing forward innovating, testing and dabbling with tools and data that are the next big leap forward. According to the USDA, guidance autosteering is...
BQA Certification During the Sunbelt AG Expo: What Producers Need to Know
As a cattle producer, adding value to your herd starts with the management practices you use on a daily basis. The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program helps you do just that. BQA is a beneficial way to learn and stay up to date on the industry’s latest and best management practices. As a...
250 Years of Feeding the US: The Legacy of American Agriculture
For 250 years, American agriculture has been advancing and adapting. Long before the modern world as we know it today with skyscrapers and city lights, America was a picturesque scene of open land. While today’s landscape looks different in places, some things remain the same. American roots run...
2026 Virginia Farmer of the Year: Glenn Dye
At 13 years old, after his grandfather passed away, Glenn Dye realized someone had to pick up the slack on the family farm. As a teenager, he started helping his father more with daily tasks. Before his grandfather passed, Dye promised him he would attend college. Upon graduation from Virginia...
2026 South Carolina Farmer of the Year: Jeffrey (Jeff) Massey
After marrying into a family in the seafood business, Jeffrey Massey soon developed his passion for the industry. For the past 26 years, he’s spent his career working to advance the family business by growing clams and oysters, advocating for the seafood industry, and teaching the next generation...
2026 North Carolina Farmer of the Year: John H. Gross
As a 5th-generation farmer on Gross Farms, John Gross has deep roots in Sanford, North Carolina, where his family has farmed the land for over a century. When he was in the 11th grade, he became an owner in the operation, managing three acres of Tobacco and working alongside his father, Thomas A....
2026 Georgia Farmer of the Year: Pete Gelber
Pete Gelber grew up in the Bronx, a part of New York City. His parents purchased a cabin three hours north of the city to keep the five children out of trouble in the summer. After his brother obtained a job at the neighboring 30 cow dairy, Pete started trailing behind his brother when he was...
2026 Florida Farmer of the Year: Woody Larson
Growing up in a dairy farming family, Woody Larson always knew he wanted to farm. As a young child he’d sweep the feed room floor, bagging the sweepings to feed the dry cows for 15 cents a day. While his family roots run deep in agriculture, he knew he would have to make his own path to continue...
2026 Arkansas Farmer of the Year: Murry Henderson, Jr.
A crop farmer from Northeast Arkansas, Murry Henderson Jr., has established his operation with dedication and resilience. As a first generation farmer, Murry understands facing challenges and overcoming adversities. From starting with 100 acres to now farming over 4,000 acres, he serves as a...
2026 Alabama Farmer of the Year: Charles (Chuck) T. Madaris III
What started as weekends at his grandparents cattle operation has grown into an industry leading family farming operation in Hope Hull, Alabama. Chuck Madaris, alongside his wife, Katie, have built and grown CK Cattle into an industry-leading operation. Although the opportunities that lay ahead...
The Buzz About Backyard Gardens: Learn the Benefits of Gardening & Importance of Pollinators During the 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo
While nobody can feed the world on a single large produce or livestock operation, just about anyone can grow something fresh at home for their family. Whether it’s a large backyard garden with just about every crop available to grow in the summer, a blueberry bush, or a basil plant growing in a...
Building Rural Connections: How Modern Infrastructure Changes Everything
By Bobby Walters, SVP of Construction at Kinetic There's a version of rural life a lot of people outside it don't fully understand, and it's not the one you normally see in think pieces about the "digital divide." It's the farmer who's already using GPS-guided equipment and drone imagery to manage...
Sunbelt Ag Expo Spring Farm Update: Drought Conditions, Precision Technology & 2026 Hay Contest
As the planting season is officially in full force, the Sunbelt Ag Expo has had a busy start to spring with much more planned in the next couple of months. The Darrell Williams Research Farm is in the heart of planting season. New this year, the farm is utilizing a GPS implement guidance unit, in...
Spring is in Full Swing on the Research Farm
Spring is in full swing, and so is preparation for the 2026 planting season at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. The Darrell Williams Research Farm has been busy at work preparing the ground for this year’s crops. Corn was planted at the end of March, and the team will be planting cotton, peanuts, and hay in...
Feel the Value of the Past, See the Benefit of the Future: Why You Don’t Want to Miss the 2026 Sunbelt Ag Expo
Some may recognize it as a time to reconnect with familiar faces, an opportunity to see the latest and greatest advances in agriculture, or a chance to exchange ideas with industry experts. Maybe you’ve never been before, or maybe you have been attending for decades. Regardless of what comes to...
The Pull that Keeps on Growing: Sunbelt’s Antique and Garden Tractor Pull
By Shelby Wentz, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern Engines thundered and dirt flew as the Antique and Garden Tractor Pull returned for its third year at the Sunbelt Ag Expo, proving that tradition and horsepower never go out of style. This fan-favorite event attracts people of all ages to...
Hands-on Learning Experiences Abound for Sunbelt Ag Expo Visitors
By Ashlyn Thompson, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern The Sunbelt Ag Expo visitors enjoyed hands-on experiences with aquaculture, dairy, sheep and goats, beef, and poultry through a wide variety of livestock exhibit area seminars. At the Beef Pavilion, visitors learned about proper cattle...
Autonomous Tractors at the Sunbelt Ag Expo
By Samantha Shackelford, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Intern The autonomous tractor is a sight to see. Michael Brannon with Ag Technologies in Cordele, Georgia came to the Sunbelt Ag Expo to demonstrate the technology. Today in the field they demonstrated the Sabanto Steward Autonomy System. There are...
Georgia EMC Shines a Light on Safety
By Lydia Hill, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Intern The rules of safety are different when your office is 40 feet in the air. Georgia EMC hosted live line demonstrations at the Expo to provide attendees with insight into the life of a lineman and to educate them about safety protocols. There was also a...
Magnolia Loom Brings Homegrown Swag To Expo
By Amy Herring, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern All the way from Sandersville, Georgia, Magnolia Loom once again delivered as the official apparel supplier for the Sunbelt Ag Expo. This year, the company rolled out three bold designs in four vibrant colors, giving Expo attendees more...
Youth in Action: Youth Competitions at the Sunbelt Ag Expo
By Lydia Hill, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern Today was Youth and FFA Day at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. This morning, high school and middle school students from across the Southeast competed in various challenges. The Georgia State FFA Tractor Driving Competition was held this morning....
Curt Pate: Building Trust Through Stockmanship
By 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern, Shelby Wentz Curt Pate, a well-featured and honored speaker in the cattle industry, is known for his engaging clinics and real-world ranching insights. From the beautiful state of Montana, Pate travels across the country sharing profitable, sustainable...
A Taste of Georgia: Cooking at the Sunbelt Ag Expo
By Amy Herring and Ashlyn Thompson, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Interns Day two of the Sunbelt Ag Expo brought both smoke and flavor with the 33rd annual Young Farmers Que-Fest, as well as cooking demonstrations hosted by the Georgia Young Farmer Wives. A full-on BBQ celebration that drew...
Hay Field In Action
By Samantha Shackelford, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern The Expo hay field bustled with energy from cutting, tedding, raking, and forage sampling today. Students, producers, and equipment dealers gathered to watch tractors, balers, and other equipment in action. After the demos,...
Kicking off Expo Awards
By Samantha Shackelford, 2025 Sunbelt Social Media Intern Samantha Shackelford This morning at the Sunbelt Ag Expo opening ceremonies, individuals were honored for their dedication to the agriculture industry. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper, and...
Nick Place Defends Title in Annual Milking Contest
By Ashlyn Thompson, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern The milking competition was an exciting highlight at today’s Sunbelt Ag Expo. In this friendly contest, three competitors each had 1 minute per cow to collect as much milk as possible. In between each cow, the milk was poured into a...
Family, Fun and First Catches: Goat Roping at Expo
By Lydia Hill, 2025 Social Media Intern Attendees and exhibitors were buzzing with excitement on the first day of the Sunbelt Ag Expo. There's so much to do, see, and experience in just three short days. Goat roping at the Equine Pavilion was a fan-favorite event where attendees learned a new...
Kicking off Expo with Energy and Education
By Amy Herring, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern Day one of the Sunbelt Ag Expo opened with energy and excitement as the three-day event got off to a strong start. Jimmy Youngblood led the charge with an engaging youth cattle fitting demonstration that drew a crowd and set a high bar for...
Kent Hamilton Named 2025 Farmer of the Year
By Shelby Wentz, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern Exciting news! This afternoon at the Willie B. Withers Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year Luncheon, the new Farmer of the Year was announced. Kent Hamilton of Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable, Inc. in Norman Park, Ga., was named the 2025...
KENT HAMILTON NAMED 2025 SOUTHEASTERN FARMER OF THE YEAR
Kent Hamilton, of Norman Park, Georgia, has been selected as the overall winner of the Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award for 2025. Kent Hamilton is CEO of Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable, Inc., based in Norman Park. Kent said, “It was founded in 1987 and is a...
2025 Southeastern Hay Contest Winners Announced
PRESENTED BY MASSEY FERGUSON Lisa Baxter, UGA | Liliane Silva, Clemson | Katie Mason, UT | Uttam Saha, UGA The Southeastern Hay Contest (SEHC) has proudly recognized our regional producers who grow and harvest high quality hay for the last 21 years. The contest was originally developed by...
Fresh Ideas Take Root at the Sunbelt Ag Expo’s Backyard Garden
By Amy Herring, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern You won’t want to miss what the Backyard Garden has to offer this year at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. Located just on the west side of the Expo grounds, Flint River Fresh will be hosting interactive demonstrations every day. From flower clippings...
Curt Pate Demonstrations at the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo
By Lydia Hill, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern This summer, I had the honor to interview Mr. Curt Pate and feature him in my "Stocking up on Stockmanship" article. Pate is a professional livestock handling expert from Ryegate, Montana. He spends his time conducting livestock handling...
Raking My Way Through Expo
By Samantha Shackelford, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern As a first-year Sunbelt Ag Expo Intern, I am extremely excited for the Southeastern Hay Contest and the in-field hay demos. I have been following the Southeastern Hay Contest on social media for the last year now. I am so excited to...
Timeless Tractors at the Sunbelt Ag Expo
By Ashlyn Thompson, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern The Antique Tractor Pull and Parade are back at Sunbelt Ag Expo this year, showcasing vintage machines that each carry unique stories passed down through generations of farmers. Each day of the Expo, antique models from 1965 and earlier...
Showcasing the Peach State: Sunbelt Ag Expo’s Spotlight State
By Shelby Wentz, 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Social Media Intern As the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo gets started, the Expo is excited to highlight Georgia agriculture in the Spotlight State building. Being able to see the state of Georgia’s producers, agribusinesses, and communities of the agricultural industry...
Meet the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Interns – Photography
Meet the Photography Interns We are excited to partner with the University of Georgia and its Agricultural Communication program, with seven young professionals who will cover the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo on on the grounds capturing every part of the Expo through their camera lens. REAGAN BALDREE...
Meet the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Interns – Social Media
Meet the Social Media Interns We are excited to partner with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and its Agricultural Communication program, with six young professionals who will cover the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo on Facebook, Instagram, and the blog. AMY HERRING MAYO, FL | SENIOR CLUBS: ACT MAJOR...