<b>By NANCY VORIS<br>
Indiana Correspondent</b> </p><p>

NEW ORLEANS, La. — Young farmers of the Indiana Farm Bureau won two of three coveted national awards at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting recently in New Orleans, and another Hoosier farm family ranked among the top 10 finishers for the third award.<br>
For David and Kelly Ferguson of Jefferson Coun-ty, winners of the Young Farmer and Rancher Achi-evement Award, the recognition was much ap-preciated after 10 years of court battles to keep their operation – DaveCo Farms – and working to build their combined crop, hog, cattle and feed operation.<br>
DaveCo’s 1,200-sow confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) was the target of Save the Valley and neighbors fighting its existence, though Ferguson had followed all permitting rules with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.<br>
The court process and appeals were exhaustive and expensive, finally ending at the Supreme Court, which ruled in Ferguson’s favor in June 2006. A civil suit followed, but was dismissed by the judge in November 2007.<br>
Ferguson believes fighting that 10-year battle was one of the factors in winning the award.<br>
“It was very humbling, and there were some pretty impressive operations from throughout the nation represented (in the competition),” Ferguson said.<br>
“I think it stood out to the judges that we had gone as far as the Supreme Court and won the case.”<br>
He started his operation 11 years ago and now grows 1,000 acres of corn and soybeans, finishes 85,000 head of hogs per year and raises some beef cattle. He and his wife Kelly, a pharmacist, have three children: Jared, 5, Abby, 4, and Zach, 2.<br>
As winners, the Fergusons were awarded a 2008 Dodge Ram 3500, courtesy of Dodge, and a $1,000 product voucher from Valvoline.
The Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership in other activities.<br>
Don Shoemaker of Jackson County won the Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet after competing in four rounds against participants from all over the United States, discussing issues such as water rights and the public’s perception of farmers.<br>
The discussion meet simulates a committee meeting in which active discussion and participation are expected. Participants are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on a predetermined topic.<br>
Shoemaker said his experience was the result of conversing with neighbors on daily happenings and attending many meetings. To prepare for the discussion meet, he worked with those who had participated in previous years and with Indiana Farm Bureau district and state staff.<br>
He and his father raise feeder cattle and grow nearly 500 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat.<br>
For winning the meet, Shoemaker received a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, courtesy of Dodge, plus free registration to the 2008 Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Conference Feb. 16-18 in Baltimore, Md.<br>
Shoemaker described the meet as “completely nerve-racking.
“I’m ecstatic,” he said. “It’s not every day you win a new truck.”
A third Indiana farm family – Joe and Cheryl Caffee of Adams County – were among the top 10 finishers in the Young Farmer and Rancher Excellence in Agriculture contest.<br>
The award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from their agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.<br>
Joe works at a local bank as assistant vice president of ag and commercial lending. The family raises five to 10 cattle each year, grows some hay and assists his father in his crop operation.
This is the first year in the history of the awards that Indiana has earned more than one.