Ben and Savannah Robin from Bourbon County have won top honors in Kentucky Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Excellence in Agriculture Awards program for 2018. The couple received the award during the organization’s recent annual meeting.

The Excellence in Agriculture competition awards first, second and third place distinctions each year to individuals or couples under the age of 35 who contribute to and exhibit leadership growth from consistent involvement in Farm Bureau and other agriculture and civic-oriented organizations. To qualify, contestants must not have the majority of their income subject to normal production risks associated with farming.

Ben and Savannah both grew up on family farms understanding the efforts needed to keep those farms sustainable. They currently maintain their own farm, a cow/calf operation along with a cut flower business in addition to off-farm jobs. Ben is an Information Systems Coordinator for an agricultural lending institution, while Savannah is the Internship Coordinator for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.   

Both are active in various agricultural-related programs in their community including their local Farm Bureau.

For the win, the Robins will go on to represent Kentucky in the national competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual convention, held in New Orleans, LA, January 11-16, 2019. The Robins were also presented with a John Deere Gator, courtesy of Farm Credit Mid-America, and an expenses-paid trip to the AFBF annual meeting.

Second place in the contest went to Mike and Shelley Meyer of Harrison County were awarded $400 courtesy of KFB. Evan Michael Tate of Hancock County placed third and received $300 from KFB.

Kentucky Farm Bureau, with nearly 500,000-member families statewide, is the state’s largest general farm organization. Approximately 2,000 members attended KFB’s 99th Annual Meeting in Louisville to recognize this year’s individual and organizational achievements and adopt policy for 2019.