Committee

Lindy (Chair) and Matt Fimon

State Young Farmers Chair

State Chair Lindy Fimon

Rome Farm

Lunenburg County, VA

Cow-calf operation where they raise beef cattle and grow hay

Lindy is a former Agriculture Extension Agent in the county, currently supporting operations on the family beef farm and enjoying raising their 1-year old daughter while serving as leader of the state Young Farmers committee.

We enjoy Farm Bureau Young Farmers because it is growing and stretching our leadership experiences by exposing us to challenges and issues faced by producers across the state on both farm and policy fronts. By creating a widespread network of people who share our love of the land, we’re excited to get to know other Young Farmers and share their love of ag!

Matt was named to the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee and will serve from now through 2024.

Other occupation: Matt is a Human Resources manager for a lumber company.


Nathan & Michelle Fox

District 1

District 1 Nathan & Michelle Fox

The Fox Family

Tazewell County, VA

Supporting farming through county Young Farmers activities. We grew up connecting with farmers in the community and through FFA.

Other occupations: Nathan works at Dyna Pump & Electric Co., building and repairing pumps and motors, and Michelle teaches math at Graham Middle School.

Children: Jacob and Jonathan

We’ve been fortunate to attend several Young Farmers Expos where we met so many great people and got more involved in our local Farm Bureau. Michelle now serves on the county board of directors. We enjoy the opportunity to help promote the Young Farmers in our area and learn more about Southwest Virginia by serving on the state committee.


Courtney Umbarger

District 2

District 2 Courtney Umbarger

Laurel Springs Farm

Smyth County, VA

Courtney operates Laurel Springs Farm Store in Marion and helps husband, Seth on their direct market beef farm that supplies the store. Courtney received the first Distinguished Farm Bureau Woman award from the state Women’s committee.

She loves working with the schools to bring agriculture into their lives through education and farm-to-school food efforts.

Children: Addie, Corbin, Henry and Asher


Jonathan & Kelsey Grimes

District 3

district 3 Jonathan & Kelsey Grimes

A & G Safety Solutions

Wythe County, VA

Other Occupations: In addition to our agriculture safety curriculum company, Jonathan is an agricultural education teacher and FFA advisor for Fort Chiswell High School, and Kelsey is the county 4-H Extension agent.

Children: Dawson

We love the opportunities that are available within Farm Bureau to constantly be learning about agriculture and our natural resources. It provides us with the chance to expand the agricultural education programs in our county. There isn’t anything better than watching youth fall in love with agriculture.


Courtney Henderson

District 4

Disctrict 4 Courtney Henderson

Cave Hill Dairy

Botetourt County, VA

Serves as chair of the Botetourt County Farm Bureau Young Farmers. Co-owns Cave Hill Dairy farm where she farms full-time primarily managing the milking cow herd and calf production.

She loves advocacy for the industry and produces videos on the farm or hosts visiting school groups whenever possible. Has an incredible social media presence for the farm and promoting dairy.

Other Occupation: ABS Global as an authorized Representative for genetic selection and breeding serving the mid-Atlantic.


Morgan Slaven

District 5

District 5 Morgan Slaven

Mercy Mill Farm

Augusta County, VA

Morgan co-owns a cow/calf and sheep farm near Staunton.

Other Occupation: Morgan works for Shenandoah Valley Electric Co-op.


Thomas French

District 6

district 6 Thomas French

French Brothers Dairy

Shenandoah County, VA

Other Occupations: Route salesman for C&C Farmers Supply, performing routine services on dairy farms

My favorite part of Young Farmers has been the networking. With my job, I travel across the state, and it’s very rare that I don’t run into someone I met at a Young Farmers or Farm Bureau event! I always get to have a great conversation with them and see what’s new on their operations as a result.


Jacob & Jennifer Gilley

District 7

Distrct 7 Jacob & Jennifer Gilley

Heaven’s Hollow Farm

Orange County, VA

Cow-calf operation; direct-marketed beef and pork; backgrounding beef calves; livestock services, including custom cattle working and hauling, and bull leasing

Other occupations: Jacob works for American Farmland Trust, and Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom.

Children: Nora Grace, Tucker & Ryder

We love agriculture and the challenges and opportunities that it provides. Every day we learn something new and are challenged to grow outside our comfort zone, which helps us and our children learn patience and perseverance. Through agriculture, we have learned to appreciate the small things in life and to not take anything for granted. We love the community surrounding agriculture too, especially Farm Bureau and Young Farmers.


Jake Bevins

District 8

Jake Bevins

Bevins Farm

Hanover County, VA

Cow/calf beef operation in Louisa and Hanover counties

Other Occupations: Operator for Virginia Department of Tranportation

I’m a 2017 graduate of Virginia Tech’s Agricultural Technology Program and a past president of the VT Collegiate Young Farmers. I spent much of my childhood working on my uncle’s cattle farm in Bedford County, which led me into my agriculture career and eventually to the Young Farmers Program.


Brandon & Ginny Moyer

District 9

District 9 Brandon & Ginny Moyer

Oakmulgee Dairy Farm

Amelia County, VA

Brandon farms with his brother and father in a family corporation that they recently established to grow the dairy operation into something that will sustain their families into the future. They raise all their feed and have a special facility that includes 8 robotic milkers for 360 cows.

Other occupation: Ginny works in the construction industry as a project engineer

Children: Annabelle


Adam & Brittany Davis

District 10

District 10 WIll & Becky Roberts

Adam Davis Farms

Halifax County, VA

Adam and Brittany own and operate a soybean, wheat and corn operation in the heart of the Old Tobacco Belt. They also have an Angus cow-calf operation and raise bred heifers. Adam is currently serving on the Halifax County Farm Bureau board and the Virginia Soybean Association board of directors.

Other Occupations: Brittany works as a magistrate in the 2nd magisterial region for the Virginia Office of the Executive Secretary.

We are excited to join the State Young Farmers Committee and are honored by the opportunity to serve the industry.


Rick & Melody Brown

District 11

District 11 Rick & Melody Brown

Halifax County, VA

Rick and Melody own and operate a cow-calf beef herd in Charlotte County.

Other Occupation: Rick works as the location manager of Meherrin Ag & Chemical and Melody is a technical specialist for Framatome.

Children: Dalton, Ramsey & Hazel


Daniel Judkins

District 13

District 13 Daniel Judkins

Pecan Knoll Farm

Surry County, VA

The 6th generation to work his family farm, Daniel operates a 50 head commercial cow/calf operation with his father. They also produce and store their own hay.

Other Occupation: Farm Manager for the Isle of Wight Agricultural Land Lab, which is a 30-acre working farm for the Agriculture Classes of the Isle of Wight County School System.


Richard & Livvy Preisser

District 14

District 14 Richard & Livvy Preisser

Rafton Farm

Isle of Wight County, VA

Richard grew up on a family dairy farm in Madison County and worked at a local butcher shop. Livvy’s family farmed row crops in Lancaster County, and she raised a small poultry flock.

Other Occupations: Livvy is the Isle of Wight agriculture Extension agent, and Richard is an associate research and development technologist for Smithfield Foods.

We graduated from Virginia Tech, where our love of agriculture brought us together and where we were introduced to Farm Bureau through the Collegiate Young Farmers chapter. We are very active in supporting local 4-H youth and hope to have our own farm very soon!


Austin & Nikita McNett

Member At-Large

Member At-Large Austin & Nikita McNett

McNett Angus Beef

Augusta County, VA

Operate a cattle business where they finish beef products for direct sales and raise feeders for wholesale markets.

Other Occupation: Austin manages 10 turkey houses for a local farm and Nikita works for the Farm Service Agency as a program technician.

Children: 2 boys


Kory Gough

Member At-Large

Member At-Large Kory Gough

Gough Family Farm

Prince William County, VA

Family cattle & hay business in Nokesville area of northern Virginia.

Other Occupation: Owns and operates Freedom Roofing and Exteriors specializing in all types of residential and commercial projects.


Kyle (Past Chair) & Emily Sturgis

Immediate Past Chair:

State Chair Kyle Sturgis

Tri-S Farms Inc., Southern Shore Farms LLC, C&S Seafood

Northampton County, VA

Farming soybeans, corn, sorghum, wheat, vegetables, hydroponic lettuce, clams and oysters

Farming is one of the most noble professions anyone could partake in, and we are all in it for one common goal—to feed the world.

The Young Farmers Program has been a great experience. We love the ability to network with other young people across the state who have a passion for agriculture. It is great building friendships that will extended into the future in farming and Farm Bureau.

Other Occupation: Emily works full-time in a CPA firm.