PRINCETON, Ind. — It is not uncommon when a reference to the
agriculture industry is made for a person to immediately associate it with farm
producers and the work they do with their fields and livestock.
However, to recognize the hard work that other people
related to agriculture are able to accomplish, Indiana Farm Bureau presents an
Excellence in Agriculture Award.
Courtney Rude, IFB outreach projects coordinator, noted that
the award is given to someone who does not necessarily derive a majority of
their income from farming.
She added that although the recipients may not have a heavy
background in farming, they still are greatly involved in the Farm Bureau
community, along with the agriculture world. This year’s winners are John and
Marybeth Feutz of Gibson County.
The Feutzes, who both are veterinarians, will receive a John
Deere Gator courtesy of Farm Credit Services, $3,000 in prize money from Farm
Bureau Insurance and the opportunity to represent Indiana at the national Farm
Bureau convention Jan. 13-16 in Nashville, Tenn.
The couple owns a small Angus cattle operation, and Marybeth
Feutz also is heavily involved with social media, writing two blogs where she
shares her story with others online.
She noted that her blog, Alarm Clock Wars, started 2 ½ years
ago as an accountability partner to track when she went to bed, what time she
woke up and when she pushed the snooze button.
She said that it morphed into something totally different as
she wrote about the weekly happenings of the farm, along with updates on the
cattle herd and different recipes.
Feutz noted that she also writes another blog, known as
AgriCultured, that she launched in February, which she hopes will be a place for
people to get answers to the questions they have about their food. “We’re really
excited,” John Feutz said. “It’s a neat award that recognizes the work we do in
our day-to-day lives.”
He noted that besides being active in their community and
Farm Bureau, his wife and he are heavily involved with the Indiana Veterinary
Medical Association, and he will serve as the group’s president-elect in
2013.
Rude said another requirement of being considered for the
Excellence in Agriculture Award is involvement with the local Farm
Bureau.
She noted that both the Feutzes are heavily involved in the
Gibson County Farm Bureau, and John currently serves as the president of the
organization. She added that Marybeth stays busy by participating on the Farm
Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee, and they both are supporters of
4-H.
Feutz mentioned that he has been active with 4-H since he
was tiny and was a member himself, and he has been involved with the fair board
in Gibson County for more than 11 years.
Rude said that IFB honoring outstanding individuals with
this award is important because it reaches out to everybody, even those not
involved in agriculture, and shows them that there is more to the ag world than
just farming.