[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 28, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S6394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ARKANSAS'S FARM FAMILIES

 Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I recognize eight Arkansas 
families who were recently selected as district winners of the Arkansas 
Farm Bureau's 64th Annual Farm Family of the Year program. This year's 
winners are:

       Michael and Sarah Oxner of Searcy (White County) in the 
     East Central District. The Oxners own Red River Farms, where 
     they grow 2,700 acres of rice, 2,100 acres of soybeans, 300 
     acres of corn, 280 acres of cotton and 700 acres of moist 
     soil, millet, and native grasses for wildlife. They have 
     three children, Mary, Laura, and Paten.
       Mark and Nancy Satterfield of Norfork (Baxter County) in 
     the North Central District. The Satterfields are registered 
     seed stock producers of Charolais and Angus cattle with a 
     production herd of 110 cows. They have had champion bulls and 
     females in both Arkansas and Missouri. They have two 
     children, Taylor and Justin.
       Lammers Farms Partnership located in Manila (Mississippi 
     County) in the Northeast District. Lammers Farms Partnership 
     is a family operation with three generations of farmers. 
     Louis and Carol Lammers, their children Jeff Lammers and 
     Laura Weiss, and their respective families, are partners of 
     Lammers Farm. Louis and Carol Lammers also have seven 
     grandchildren. On 6,662 acres, Lammers Farms grows 530 acres 
     of irrigated upland cotton, 1,072 acres of nonirrigated 
     upland cotton, 2,060 acres of long grain rice, 80 acres of 
     grain sorghum, 1,207 acres of irrigated soybeans, 742 acres 
     of nonirrigated soybeans and 971 acres dedicated to the 
     Conservation Reserve Program. Lammers Farms Partnership also 
     owns a grain storage facility in Blytheville that is 
     currently leased to Riceland.
       Randy and Anjie Cockrum of Rudy (Crawford County) in the 
     Northwest District. Randy and Anjie Cockrum have 578 acres, 
     400 of which produce hay. They also have 160 cow/calf pairs 
     and a meat processing operation. When calf prices are low the 
     Cockrums market their calves as beef through their processing 
     operation. They have three children, Siera, Tyler and Shelby.
       Curt and Ellen Rankin of Lake Village (Chicot County) in 
     the Southeast District. The Rankin's farm consists of 500 
     acres of corn, 1,950 acres of irrigated soybeans and 150 
     acres of nonirrigated soybeans. They have two children, Seth 
     and Jacob.
       Darrell and Jennifer Ford of Hope (Hempstead County) in the 
     Southwest District. The Fords graze about 700 yearling calves 
     per year. The cattle-grazing operation also provides pasture 
     for outside farmers. The Fords own 100 cows and about 25 
     percent of the calves they graze. The Fords also co-own the 
     Hope Livestock Auction, which sells roughly 45,000 head of 
     cattle each year. They have four children, Kade, Kylan, Grace 
     and Aubrie.
       Jeremy and Leslie Allmon of Murfreesboro (Pike County) in 
     the West Central District. The Allmons have 103 cows, 92 
     calves, 35 heifers, 2 bulls, 2 poultry laying houses 
     containing approximately 28,400 hens and 100 acres of hay on 
     their 420 acre operation. They have one child, Holden, who is 
     2.
       Larry and Marilyn Huddleston of Waldron (Scott County) in 
     the Western District. The Huddlestons run 100 cows, 700 
     stocker calves and produce hay on 1,340 acres. They have two 
     children, Hannah and Cole.

  As a seventh-generation Arkansan and farmer's daughter, and as 
chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I understand firsthand 
and appreciate the hard work and contributions of our farm families. 
Agriculture is the backbone of Arkansas's economy, creating more than 
270,000 jobs in the State and providing $9.1 billion in wages and 
salaries. In total, agriculture contributes roughly $15.9 billion to 
the Arkansas economy each year and is responsible for one out of every 
four Arkansas jobs.
  We must work to continue the farm family tradition, so these families 
are able to maintain their livelihoods and continue to help provide the 
safe, abundant, and affordable food supply that feeds our own country 
and the world and that is essential to our own economic stability.
  I salute all Arkansas farm families for their hard work and 
dedication.

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