By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

BENTON, Ky. — Kentucky farmers Ron and Heather Davis have been named 2009 ASA/DuPont Young Leaders. The announcement came last month by the American Soybean Association (ASA), Kentucky Soybean Association (KSA), and Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Inc., a DuPont Business.

The Marshall County couple, who will represent Kentucky will join participants from 21 other states and Canada in the program.
The Young Leader Program began in 1984, as a way to identify and help develop leaders in the soybean industry.

“We are proud to have Ron and Heather represent us nationally through this program. They are an outstanding farm family and champions of the animal agriculture industry,” said KSA President Aaron Reding.

Champions could be an understatement considering the vastness of their farming  operation which includes 2,300 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, participation in a family grain elevator business, and a wean-to-finish hog operation with approximately 10,000 head. They grow hogs on contract for Tosh Farms in Tennessee. The couple was presented the Tosh Farms Top Grower Award last year. Ron also serves as president of the Marshall County Young Farmers.

He said they got into the hog business to help with input costs incurred in the grain operation.

“We knew we had to do something to offset the input prices so we raise the hogs to utilize the manure and use it for fertilizer. Which was a big relief on us. Our goal was to have enough to put on our corn. So we first used it on the corn and had enough carry over to use on the beans,” said Ron. “Plus it became a good extra income.”

The pair, who married three years ago and are expecting their first child in a couple of weeks, have farming in their blood. Both were raised on farms and Heather has her master’s degree in agriculture from Murray State University.

Ron grew up raising tobacco. “I raised tobacco since I was old enough to be in the tobacco patch,” he said. But the tobacco went away once the hog operation came into the picture.

Being named as Young Leaders is a big deal in the soybean business. In fact, more than half of those chosen go on to serve on state and national soybean associations and boards as well as being active in regional and state organizations according to the ASA.

The couple has already participated in the program’s first training seminar that took place Dec. 1-4, 2008 at Pioneer Headquarters in Johnston, Iowa. There they, along with other winners, participated in leadership and media training sessions. They also had the chance to meet and learn from past participants.

Ron is optimistic about the future of farming saying he feels like input costs will continue to decline while commodity prices should go back up. “People are always going to need farmers so they can eat.”

The Davises are quick to recognize the help they have received from their parents. “We couldn’t have gotten to where we are without the help of our parents they have really been supportive in what we do,” said Ron.

The next phase of the program will take place in Grapevine, Texas., Feb. 24-29 of this year, where Young Leaders will receive leadership recognition awards at the ASA Awards Banquet.
KSA also recognizes the DuPont Young Leader by placing them on the board as an ex-officio director.