Award Winner:

Shenandoah County couple capture Farm Bureau Achievement Award

Daryl and Tara Bowman live near Woodstock on a 91-acre farm. Together they manage an incorporated livestock hauling and brokering business. The success and financial growth of their operation has brought them recognition as the 2007 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award winners.

The couple was recognized Nov. 27 at the 2007 VFBF Annual Convention in Chantilly.

The award honors young Farm Bureau members for their efforts in their chosen occupation and for leadership achievement. Judging is based on goal-setting, problem-solving and achievement, as well as contributions to Farm Bureau on the local, regional and state level.

The Bowman’s operation includes 350 head of cattle in Shenandoah County, 400 head of cattle on partnership in Iowa, and 300 head of cattle on feed in Michigan.

Both grew up on farms and have been around livestock all their lives. Daryl’s family operates a livestock hauling business which has hauled to and from local livestock sales and farm-to-farm for more than 65 years.

“Even though I was the third generation getting into the livestock hauling business,” he said, “I had to start my own business right out of high school. There was nothing handed down to me.”

At age 25, he purchased his own 101-acre cattle operation. “Before that I had to pasture my herd on rented pasture land.”

Tara grew up on a 300-acre dairy farm that was run by her father and grandfather. “I had an incredible childhood playing on the farm and helping to feed the calves and rounding up the cows for milking time,” she said. In eighth grade, the farm was sold to another dairy farmer and is still in operation today.

It was those fond memories that encouraged her to also go into the agriculture industry following her graduation with a B.S. degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from Bridgewater College.

The Bowmans will represent Virginia Farm Bureau in January at the national Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award competition at the 2008 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in New Orleans.

Along with their upcoming trip to AFBF, the Bowmans received $500 from Dodge, $500 from Virginia Farm Credit, $500 from the Chesterfield County Farm Bureau, one year’s use of a Kubota Tractor, 50 hours use of a JD Loader/backhoe from James River Equipment, and 30 days use of a Great Plains Drill from William Shyman and Associates.

With 148,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farm organization.

Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization that supports its members through legislative lobbying, leadership programs, commodity marketing and risk management services, insurance products and other benefits.