WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Each year, those gathering for the American Forage & Grassland Council (AFGC) conference learn about such things as grazing species, pasture diversity, hay establishment and plant identification.

One of the most popular and informative sessions at this conference is the Forage Spokesperson Contest. This year, six farmers from forage and grassland councils from across the country vied for top honors. The winner was Bart Hamilton, of the Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council. Hamilton farms is in Bracken County in northern Kentucky.

“I won’t lie, I was quite nervous,” Hamilton said of addressing the large gathering.

Hamilton farms with his wife, Mindy, and children, Abby (18), Ainsley (16) and Bryce (12). They tend to 110 owned acres and 70 rented acres. They raise five acres of cigar wrapper tobacco and sell roughly 800 square bales of alfalfa and orchard grass. They have 35 cows and recently started selling freezer beef.

“My dad always told me it’s not how much you’ve got, it’s how you manage what you’ve got,” Hamilton said. “I didn’t manage my farm, it managed me, so I knew I had to do something different.”

Such changes included using cost-share money more wisely, putting in cross fences and subdividing the farm into 10 permanent pastures. He took the advice of purchasing poly wire and running water lines all across the farm.

He uses the cull cow money to purchase back smaller framed heifers and uses artificially inseminated bulls to complement some of the small cows he already has. He began hay testing, soil testing and focuses on forage quality.

“I was a poster child for inefficiency,” Hamilton laughed. “That’s when Dr. Les Anderson at the University of Kentucky was looking for some willing farmers whose farm was in a mess and needed assistance, and I was a perfect candidate. They came out to help me and that was the best decision I ever made.”

Ag officials in Bracken County urged Hamilton to share his success story at the AFGC gathering.

Most farmers seldom confront a live audience, but the six contestants were handed the mic and allowed no more than 19 minutes to give an overview of their farming operation, with emphasis placed upon how forage management contributes to the overall farm objectives and marketing.

After their talk, an additional five minutes were reserved for questions from the judges and the audience. A diverse panel of judges comprised of producers, industry representatives and government agency employees scored the producers on criteria including innovativeness, practical application of sound principles, communication skill and enthusiasm.

State affiliate councils nominate individual farmers to present at the conference.

“Bart learned quickly that you cannot manage what you do not measure,” said David Appelman, University of Kentucky agriculture and natural resources extension agent in Bracken County. “I enrolled him in a genetic improvement program with UK Department of Animal and Food Sciences extension professor Les Anderson. In addition to forage management, Bart also focused on improving his genetics, reducing the physical size of his cattle and shortening his calving season. That made it easier for him to manage his forage resources.”

Hamilton has participated in numerous UK programs over the years, including Master Cattlemen, Grazing School, Fencing School and collaborated with Anderson on the East Kentucky Integrated Reproductive Management Program.

“My successes and failures along my farming journey, as well as the UK programs, helped me improve my grazing management,” Hamilton said.

Among the six spokesperson competitors were Jason Harschuh, of the Ohio Forage and Grassland Council, and Devin Churchill, of the Indiana Forage Council.

The National Forage Spokesperson Contest began in 2016, and many farmers from the Farm World readership area have participated each year.

In 2017, Steve Carr, of Depauw, Ind., finished third overall. In 2018, Dave Fischer, of southern Indiana, was third. In 2019, Bryan Eash, of Country Meadows Farm in northeast Indiana, finished first, while Anne Bays, operator of Moonlight Farms in Corbin, Ky., finished second.

In 2020, Will Bowling, of Clay County, Ky., finished second. In 2021, brothers Miles and Caleb von Stein, of Hancock County, Ohio, finished first in the contest. Last year, Cody Rakes, of Marion County, Ky., finished second.

AFGC is an international organization made up of 22 affiliate councils in the United States with more than 2,500 members. AFGC’s goal is to promote and advance forages in agriculture.