MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Jimmy Parnell of Stanton in Chilton County was re-elected president of the state’s largest farm organization during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 93rd annual meeting in Montgomery. Elections were held during the Federation’s business session, where 500 delegates from Alabama’s 67 counties cast their votes.
Parnell, a fifth-generation farmer who raises timber and beef cattle, was unopposed in his bid for re-election to a second two-year term. He said he enjoyed his first term as president and looks forward to representing Alabama farm families in the future as the Federation works to strengthen agriculture’s position as the state’s largest industry.
“I am honored by the faith and trust that farm families across this state have placed in me,” Parnell said following his election. “Our state is blessed with a rich agricultural history that helped shape the very foundation of our society. But what’s exciting about agriculture in Alabama is the potential it provides for our future. We are blessed with abundant natural resources and the hardest-working people I know. I’m excited to see what’s in store for our state and this organization.”
Parnell, 50, served on the Federation’s State Board of Directors from 1999-2008, was chairman of the Federation’s State Young Farmers Committee in 1997 and served as president of the Chilton County Farmers Federation from 2006-2012. He currently serves on the board of directors for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Southeast Area Vice President George Jeffcoat of Gordon in Houston County and North Area Vice President Rex Vaughan of Huntsville in Madison County also were re-elected for two-year terms at the meeting.
Jeffcoat, 65, is a row crop and cattle farmer. The Southeast Area includes Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike, Russell and Tallapoosa counties. He is president of the Houston County Farmers Federation and has a long history of service to the Farmers Federation. He was a Federation state board member from 2002- 2005 and is a former chairman of the National Peanut Board.
Vaughn, 54, is a row crop and beef cattle farmer. The North Area covers Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston counties. He is president of the Madison County Farmers Federation. He also has a history of service to the Farmers Federation having served as a former Federation state board member, chairman of the State Young Farmers Committee and on numerous state and local committees for the organization.
Elections also were held for four district board positions, which have three-year terms.
Phillip Thompson of Scottsboro in Jackson County was elected to the District 3 board of director’s seat, which includes Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah and Jackson counties.
Dell Hill of Alpine in Talladega County was re-elected to his second term and will represent District 6, which includes Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair and Talladega counties.
Garry Henry of the Hope Hull Community in Montgomery County was re-elected to his third term as the District 9 representative, which covers Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Lowndes, Montgomery and Wilcox counties.
Fred Helms of Dothan in Houston County was elected to the District 12 board seat. He represents Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties.
Elected to one-year, ex-officio terms on the state board were Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Cheryl Lassiter of Silas in Choctaw County and State Young Farmers Chairman Garrett Henry of Hope Hull in Montgomery County.
The Alabama Farmers Federation, with 358,000 members, is Alabama’s largest farm organization and a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
