2019 will be the 30th Anniversary of Swisher International and the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition to have the honor to salute the agricultural community and industry with the Swisher Sweets / Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award. In the previous 29 years, many of agriculture’s top business leaders, innovators, environmentalists, pioneers, family men, problem solvers and leaders have received national recognition. Swisher International and Sunbelt Ag Expo continue to provide recognition for a select group of true heroes – American Farmers and make the public more aware of the many ways agriculture touches their lives every day.
Since its inception in 1990, the Swisher Sweets / Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award has evolved into the most prestigious honor in the southeast and nation with 255 outstanding agribusiness leaders being honored for their “excellence in agriculture.” Ten states participate in the program: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. In the previous 29 years of the award, over $1,164,000 has been awarded to state and overall winners. Each state winner receives $2500 and an all expense paid trip to Expo along with various other prizes. The overall Southeastern winner receives $15,000 and various other prizes from the sponsors.
Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern 2019 Farmer of the Year
Michael H. McDowell of Vernon Hill, Virginia has been selected as the overall winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award for 2019. He is a fourth generation Halifax County farmer and cattleman who grows mixed grass hay, annual hay, and alfalfa and raises award-winning registered Angus cattle.
At the age of sixteen, McDowell began to farm three acres on his own under a sharecropper arrangement with his father. That formative experience taught him the value of responsibility and introduced him to the rewards and challenges of working the land in order to pay for his college tuition. He obtained a B.S. degree in animal science and agronomy from Virginia Tech.
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2019 State Winners
Click here to view an archive of all previous winners by state.
2018 Overall and State Winners
- South Carolina Farmer Kevin Yon Named 2018 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year
- HOWARD BROWN NAMED 2018 NORTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- LONNIE FORTNER NAMED 2018 MISSISSIPPI FARMER OF THE YEAR
- DARREN LUTTRELL NAMED 2018 KENTUCKY FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JAMES VAUGHN NAMED 2018 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- LYNETTA USHER GRINER NAMED 2018 FLORIDA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- LUKE ALSTON NAMED 2018 ARKANSAS FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JOHN DELOACH NAMED 2018 ALABAMA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- PAUL ROGERS, JR. NAMED 2018 VIRGINIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JOHN VERELL NAMED 2018 TENNESSEE FARMER OF THE YEAR
- KEVIN YON NAMED 2018 SOUTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
2017 Overall and State Winners
- Virginia Farmer Robert Mills, Jr. Named 2017 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year
- ROBERT MILLS, JR. NAMED 2017 VIRGINIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- MIKE ROBINSON NAMED 2017 TENNESSEE FARMER OF THE YEAR
- KEMP McLEOD NAMED 2017 SOUTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- VAN HEMRIC NAMED 2017 NORTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- MIKE STURDIVANT NAMED 2017 MISSISSIPPI FARMER OF THE YEAR
- MIKE BACH NAMED 2017 KENTUCKY FARMER OF THE YEAR
- EVERETT WILLIAMS NAMED 2017 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- MARK WILSON NAMED 2017 FLORIDA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- MARK MORGAN NAMED 2017 ARKANSAS FARMER OF THE YEAR
- CHRIS LANGLEY NAMED 2017 ALABAMA FARMER OF THE YEAR
2016 Overall and State Winners
- Arkansas Farmer David Wildy Named as 2016 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year
- TYLER WEGMEYER NAMED 2016 VIRGINIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JAMES HASKEW NAMED 2016 TENNESSEE FARMER OF THE YEAR
- KERRY OWEN NAMED 2016 SOUTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JERRY WYANT NAMED 2016 NORTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- PAUL GOOD NAMED 2016 MISSSISSIPPI FARMER OF THE YEAR
- KEITH LOWRY NAMED 2016 KENTUCKY FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JOHN MCCORMICK NAMED 2016 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- PAUL DIMARE NAMED 2016 FLORIDA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- DAVID WILDY NAMED 2016 ARKANSAS FARMER OF THE YEAR
- WENDELL GIBBS NAMED 2016 ALABAMA FARMER OF THE YEAR
2015 Overall and State Winners
- North Carolina Farmer Danny Kornegay Named Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year for 2015
- RICKEY CORNUTT NAMED 2015 ALABAMA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- NATHAN REED NAMED 2015 ARKANSAS FARMER OF THE YEAR
- VIC STORY, JR., NAMED 2015 FLORIDA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JAMES LYLES NAMED 2015 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JACK TRUMBO NAMED 2015 KENTUCKY FARMER OF THE YEAR
- ALLEN EUBANKS NAMED 2015 MISSISSIPPI FARMER OF THE YEAR
- DANNY KORNEGAY NAMED 2015 NORTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- TOM TRANTHAM NAMED 2015 SOUTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- GEORGE CLAY NAMED 2015 TENNESSEE FARMER OF THE YEAR
- DONALD TURNER NAMED 2015 VIRGINIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
2014 Overall and State Winners
- Georgia Crop Farmer Philip Grimes Named Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year for 2014
- ANDY GILL NAMED 2014 ARKANSAS FARMER OF THE YEAR
- DANNY MURPHY NAMED 2014 MISSISSIPPI FARMER OF THE YEAR
- C. DENNIS CARLTON NAMED 2014 FLORIDA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- FRANK HOWEY JR. NAMED 2014 NORTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JOHN KELLER NAMED 2014 TENNESSEE FARMER OF THE YEAR
- PHILIP GRIMES NAMED 2014 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- PHILLIP HUNTER NAMED 2014 ALABAMA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- RAY ALLAN MACKEY NAMED 2014 KENTUCKY FARMER OF THE YEAR
- ROBERT T. “TOM” NIXON II NAMED 2014 VIRGINIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- WALTER DANTZLER NAMED 2014 SOUTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
2013 Overall and State Winners
- South Carolina Fruit Grower James Cooley Named Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year for 2013
- SCOTT TRAVIS NAMED 2013 KENTUCKY FARMER OF THE YEAR
- LIN JONES NAMED 2013 VIRGINIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- WILBUR EARP NAMED 2013 NORTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- PHILLIP DeSALVO NAMED 2013 ARKANSAS FARMER OF THE YEAR
- WILL HARRIS NAMED 2013 GEORGIA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- ABBOTT MYERS NAMED 2013 MISSISSIPPI FARMER OF THE YEAR
- RICHARD JAMESON NAMED 2013 TENNESSEE FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JAMES COOLEY NAMED 2013 SOUTH CAROLINA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- JOHN SCOTT LONG NAMED 2013 FLORIDA FARMER OF THE YEAR
- ANNIE DEE NAMED 2013 ALABAMA FARMER OF THE YEAR
