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Sussex County Farm Bureau holds annual meeting, banquet

November 3, 2016

The Sussex County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Banquet was held at the Bridgeville Fire Hall Oct. 1. Special guests included Congressman John Carney, who spoke briefly to thank the Sussex County farmers for their hard work year in and year out. Each year Sussex County selects a Farm Family of the Year, a Distinguished Service to Agriculture award winner, Youth Ambassador, scholarship winners, Rate of Gain winners and the top nationwide recruiter of new Sussex County Farm Bureau members.

This year, the Guy Phillips Family was awarded as the 2016 Sussex County Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year. Phillips has been a member of the Delaware Farm Bureau since 1979, and he currently serves Sussex County Farm Bureau as a county director. He has been a state director and was Sussex County Farm Bureau president for six years. His love of farming began at the age of 4 when his grandfather bought him a pedal Farmall tractor for Christmas.

Phillips' family moved to Georgetown in 1962 and he helped plow a family friend's field from elementary school all through high school. In 1975, he graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education. In 1991 he purchased a farm after teaching at Laurel High School and Glasgow High School. In 1995, he made the decision to become a full-time farmer. He currently owns 300-plus acres and operates two poultry houses.

Dale Ockels was named this year's Distinguished Service to Agriculture award winner. Ockels was a member of the FFA at Seaford High School, when he started his farming career by renting a 30 acre-farm at the age of 15. Currently, he and his two brothers, Gary and Dennis, operate the family farming operation, tilling 4,000 acres of corn, soybeans and small grains and operate a poultry farm with a capacity of 135,000.

He formerly served on the National Pork Producers Council and was on the Delaware Nutrient Management Commission during its formation. He serves on the board of MidAtlantic Farm Credit, is a member of the Governor's Council on Agriculture and the Sussex County Land Trust, serves as treasurer of the Sussex County Soil Conservation and has been a director of the Sussex County Farm Bureau for many years.

The Scott Carey Agency was named the Nationwide Top Recruiter with 54 new members joining Sussex County Farm Bureau. Zakary Keeler, Amanda Ritter and Erryn Smith received academic scholarships. Rate of Gain awards were presented to 4-H member Thomas Warren for sheep and swine.

For more information, go to www.defb.org or call 302-697-3183.

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