Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Farmers Federation celebrated its annual meeting on December 8-9 in Montgomery with a poignant farewell to longtime leaders and an enthusiastic welcome for new vice presidents. The event, attended by nearly 500 delegates, marked a turning point with the election of new leadership and the reaffirmation of existing roles.
Mark Byrd of Morgan County was elected North Area vice president, succeeding Rex Vaughn of Madison County. Byrd, a poultry and row crop farmer, will serve a two-year term overseeing Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, and Winston counties.
In the Southeast Area, Dale County’s Chris Carroll was chosen as vice president, taking over for Houston County’s George Jeffcoat. Carroll, who produces poultry, cattle, and row crops, will represent Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coffee, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Pike, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties. Both Vaughn and Jeffcoat stepped down after serving the maximum terms allowed.
The meeting also saw Jimmy Parnell unanimously reelected for a seventh term as Federation president. Parnell, who also leads Alfa Insurance, reflected on the organization’s progress and future. “We’ve accomplished so much. The federation is as strong today as, I think, we’ve ever been. I’m just excited about our future,” he said.
Other significant elections included four district directors chosen to three-year terms:
- Dorman Grace of Walker County was reelected for District 1, which includes Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion, and Walker counties. Grace is a poultry, cattle, and row crop farmer.
- Darrell Lee of Winston County was elected to represent District 4, succeeding Steve Lake of Cullman County. Lee raises cattle and hay in Blount, Cullman, Marshall, and Winston counties.
- Mahlon Richburg of Lee County, a cattle and hay producer, will serve District 7, replacing Joe Lambrecht of Elmore County. This district encompasses Chambers, Coosa, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties.
- Trip Horne of Barbour County was reelected for District 10. Horne, a poultry and cattle farmer, represents Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, and Pike counties.
Ex-officio members elected to one-year terms on the state board included Rachel Chastain of Talladega County, chair of the State Women’s Leadership Committee, and Denzil Dees of Sumter County, chair of the State Young Farmers Committee.
The meeting underscored the federation’s commitment to leadership renewal and its robust future.
