Federation Scholarship Program Cultivates Future of Alabama Agriculture

By Maggie Edwards

The Alabama Farmers Federation scholarship program continues to cultivate the next generation of agriculturists.

Seventy-seven students were recognized Sept. 23 during the annual awards program at Lazenby Farms in Auburn. The partnership between the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation (AFAF) and county Farmers Federations awarded $136,000 to undergraduates pursuing degrees in agriculture, forestry and related fields at Auburn University (AU).

The scholarship lays a foundation for the success of students like Escambia County's John Braxton Rhodes. He and his mother, Susan Rhodes, are lifelong Federation members who are thankful for the organization's investment in young ag professionals.

"Alfa has impacted our lives in several ways," Susan said. "As a single mother, the cost of college tuition is overwhelming. As a parent, I want to provide tools and resources to help my son reach his full potential."

John Braxton's AU journey is an answered prayer, Susan said. For years, she asked the Lord to guide his path to The Plains.

"Parents want their kids to succeed and live their best life," Susan said. "If it wasn't for this scholarship, his success wouldn't be possible."

Motivational words from Susan flooded the room as she encouraged each student to get involved with the AU Collegiate Young Farmers.

"This organization will provide you with relationships and friendships in the ag world that will last a lifetime," she said. "I pray each student here can impact the future of agriculture."

AU student and Madison County native Hunter Rials said he's proud to be a part of the agricultural industry's network.

"I've always had a soft spot in my heart for agriculture," said Rials, who grew up on a small family farm. "I always knew I wanted to be involved, but I didn't know how I would get there."

Rials is a senior studying agricultural business and economics. This is his fourth year receiving the AFAF scholarship.

"College of Ag students take rigorous classes," Rials said. "Scholarships like these allow students to stay in the library to study versus having to work a full-time job to pay tuition. I speak for myself and the other students when I say, 'Thank you, Alfa, for allowing us to become better men and women in agriculture.'"

Four special scholarships were awarded to honor the legacy of leaders in agriculture. Poultry science junior William Bradberry of Cullman County received the Ronny Donaldson Memorial Scholarship; horticulture sophomore Nate Payne of Lee County received the Jimmy Witt Memorial Scholarship; Lawrence County's Taylor Hood, a junior studying animal sciences with an animal/allied industry concentration, earned the Mike Henry Memorial Scholarship; and Emily Brown, a sophomore studying fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic sciences, received the Alabama Catfish Producers Scholarship.

Federation President Jimmy Parnell encouraged the group of AU students to distinguish themselves through initiative and problem solving.

"Work hard," said Parnell, an AU College of Agriculture alumnus. "Nothing will make you stand out in a crowd like working hard. I encourage you to learn to think and to make friends with fellow classmates and professors."

Parnell expressed the Federation's commitment to Auburn and the next generation.

"This organization was formed almost 104 years ago at AU for the purpose of representing farmers and rural citizens of Alabama," Parnell said. "The future of the Federation and our state is in the hands of young people."

2025-2026 scholarship applications open Nov. 1 at AlfaFarmers.org/scholarships. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2025.

Scholarship Recipients:

Name	Classification	Major	County
Madison Thrailkill	Sophomore	Agricultural Business & Economics	Autauga
Audrey Garrett	Sophomore	Agricultural Business & Economics	Baldwin
George Cochran	Senior	Forestry	Barbour
Abby Burgess	Sophomore	Agricultural Communications	Blount
Joseph Ealum	Freshman	Agricultural Science	Butler
Will West	Senior	Agricultural Science	Calhoun
Jackson McKay	Freshman	Agricultural Business & Economics	Chambers
Lydia East	Freshman	Agricultural Communications	Cherokee
Anna Cleckler	Junior	Horticulture Undergraduate	Chilton
Mary Beth Hall	Senior	Biosystems Engineering	Chilton
Christian Cunningham	Freshman	Pre-Forestry	Choctaw
Mary Gunn	Junior	Biosystems Engineering	Clarke
Riley Milstead	Senior	Biological & Agricultural Technology Management	Clay
Colin Roberts	Sophomore	Pre-Forestry	Cleburne
Emily Ward	Junior	Biological & Agricultural Technology Management	Coffee
Jonah Dunn	Senior	Animal Sciences-Meat Science	Conecuh
Alli Broom	Senior	Ecological Engineering Option	Coosa
Laura Syler	Senior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Covington
Taylor Sikes	Freshman	Pre-Forestry	Covington
Caroline Courson	Sophomore	Poultry Science-Pre-Vet	Covington
Luke Troutman	Junior	Geospatial and Enivronmental Informatics	Cullman
Logan Bush	Freshman	Animal Sciences-Animal/Allied Industry	Dale
Colin Bush	Freshman	Animal Sciences-Animal/Allied Industry	Dale
Taylor Roberts	Freshman	Agricultural Business & Economics	Dallas
Maddie Jackson	Junior	Agricultural Business & Economics	DeKalb
Avery Nolin	Freshman	Agricultural Communications	Elmore
J.B Rhodes	Junior	Biological & Agricultural Technology Management	Escambia
Bryer Morrison	Sophomore	Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet	Etowah
Braydan Locke	Freshman	Animal Sciences-Equine	Fayette
Faith Dillard	Senior	Animal Sciences-Animal/Allied Industry	Geneva
Miranda Gajdos	Senior	Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet	Hale
Hannah Grace Falkner	Freshman	Applied Biotechnology	Henry
Ty Torbert	Junior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Houston
Luke Strickland	Senior	Forestry	Houston
Will Rich	Senior	Crop & Soils Sciences (Production)	Jackson
Drew Burke	Senior	Crop & Soils Sciences (Turfgrass)	Jefferson
Tori Spry	Junior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Lauderdale
LeAnne Pace	Senior	Crop & Soils Sciences (Production)	Lawrence
Kamden Watts	Freshman	Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet	Lee
Jewel Thompson	Sophomore	Pre-Agriscience Education	Lee
Olivia Walker	Freshman	Wildlife Ecology & Management	Lee
Sarah Bush	Freshman	Agricultural Science	Lee
Emily Moore	Junior	Biosystems Engineering	Lee
Preston Haney	Sophomore	Agricultural Business & Economics	Limestone
Faith Lane	Senior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Lowndes
Tamar Doull	Senior	Wildlife Enterprise Management	Macon
Elise Kennamer	Sophomore	Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet	Madison
Hunter Rials	Senior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Madison
Jacob Bates	Freshman	Biological & Agricultural Technology Management	Madison
Wesley Harvey	Freshman	Biological & Agricultural Technology Management	Madison
Trey Etheridge	Senior	Forestry	Marengo
Will May	Sophomore	Pre-Biosystems Engineering	Marion
Ella Kate Seymour	Sophomore	Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet	Marshall
Jeffrey Allen	Freshman	Fish & Allied Aquaculture-Pre Vet	Mobile
Cal Carter	Senior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Monroe
John Allen Lachney	Freshman	Agricultural Business & Economics	Montgomery
Lee Murray	Junior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Morgan
Hardy McMillan	Sophomore	Wildlife Enterprise Management	Perry
Kameria Doss	Senior	Biosystems Engineering	Pickens
William Mueller	Senior	Horticulture Undergraduate	Pike
Eli Rollins	Sophomore	Agricultural Business & Economics	Randolph
Carly Puckett	Senior	Agricultural Science	Russell
Ridge McHugh	Senior	Wildlife Enterprise Management	Saint Clair
Mallory Nabors	Junior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Shelby
Thomas Hodnett	Freshman	Wildlife Ecology & Management	Talladega
Harrison Hunter	Sophomore	Agricultural Business & Economics	Tallapoosa
Walt Denney	Sophomore	Pre-Forestry	Tuscaloosa
Katelyn Appling	Junior	Animal Sciences-Pre-Vet	Walker
Colton Odom	Junior	Fish, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences	Washington
Will McGraw	Junior	Agricultural Business & Economics	Wilcox
Halle Lancaster	Freshman	Environmental Science	Winston

View event photos here.

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