Montgomery County Soil Conservation District

The Montgomery Co. Soil Conservation District together with the Kiwanis Clubs of Clarksville, hosted their 65^th Annual Conservation Awards Banquet & Farm-City Program on November 5, 2019.  Each year the District, Downtown Kiwanis, Hilldale Kiwanis, Montgomery Co. Farm Bureau, Montgomery Co. Conservation Club, and the Clarksville Chamber of Commerce recognize those who have shown exceptional efforts in conservation and agriculture, conservation education, and agricultural educational contests in Montgomery County.

Montgomery County Soil Conservation District Chairman, Johnny Head and Kiwanis Club Agriculture Committee Chair, Chris Lanier, opened the program welcoming a full crowd.  County Mayor Jim Durrett presented a Proclamation for Nov. 2 – 8, as Soil Conservation & Farm City Week.  The proclamation honors “those that have made outstanding contributions to conservation and agriculture in our community.”

Wesley Sumner, Johnny Head, Dottie Mann receive Proclamation from County Mayor Durrett.

A special guest appearance and comments were made by Sheldon Hightower, USDA-NRCS State Conservationist. It was a great opportunity to host the State Conservationist in Montgomery County.

Sheldon Hightower, State Conservationist, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service

Kiwanis club member, Terri Martin provided the invocation before the meal and Brusharbor Revival Bluegrass Band provided entertainment during the meal.

The 2019 Award Recipients in the following categories are:

Master Conservationist Award – Tom Cook
presented by John Bartee, Jr., F & M Bank

Conservation Progress Award – Nick Greene & Sons
presented by Mike Rainey, Legends Bank

Conservation Educator Award – Megan Clegg, NWHS
presented by Dottie Mann, Hilldale Kiwanis Club

Outstanding Farm Family Award…………Matt & Deanna Thomas Family
presented by Keith Bennett, Clarksville Chamber of Commerce

Lester Solomon Award…………….Jesse Reynolds
presented by Steve Taylor, Montgomery Co. Conservation Club

1st Place Mont. Co. 4-H Team Land Judging Contest
MCHS – Mary Grace Key, Katie McCall, Elayna Martinez, and Datin Pendergrass
presented by Johnny Head for Farm Bureau of Mont. Co.

1st Place FFA Team Land Judging Contest
CHS – Will Comperry, Megan Summer, Logan Thurman, Nina Cates (not pictured)
presented by Johnny Head for Farm Bureau of Mont. Co.

Overall Highest Scorer Award for the Mont. Co. Land Judging Contest
Will Comperry, CHS; presented by Johnny Head, Farm Bureau

2^nd place Highest Scorer…………..Devon Bowles, MCHS

3^rd place Highest Scorer……………….Megan Summer, CHS

2^nd Place FFA Team Land Judging Contest……………….MCHS FFA
Emily Greene, Jacob Nicholson, Devon Bowles, Allie Baccus
presented by Dustin Daniel, Nutrien Ag Solutions

2^nd Place 4H Team Land Judging Contest……………….KENWOOD HIGH
Tyarah Yambo, Oliver Hickman, Elana Adkins, Peggy Hinson
(not pictured)

1st Place Award for Youth Conservation Wildlife Contest
Kiley Poole, CHS FFA
presented by Wesley Sumner, Downtown Kiwanis Club

2nd Place Award for Youth Conservation Wildlife Contest
Baylon Thomas, Montgomery Co. 4-H
presented by Wesley Sumner

David E. Hinton Scholarship for 2019 – CHEYENNE PRIEST

We are grateful to those that have continually supported this banquet, so that we may encourage and honor the efforts of our 4-H and FFA students and farmers in Montgomery County! Without you, this would not be possible!

Cumberland Bank & Trust

F & M Bank

Farm Credit

Legends Bank

Planters Bank

2019 Associate Sponsor – Nutrien Ag Solutions

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for additional pictures please visit us on facebook @MCSCD

SCHOLARSHIPS!
As part of the UT/TSU Beginning Farmer Outreach Program, we are pleased to offer scholarships to attend either the Pick TN Conference in Franklin TN or SSAWG Conference in Arkansas in 2020. The scholarship will reimburse you a maximum of $500 to offset the costs of attending the conference. You must register & make your own travel arrangements and then you turn in receipts for reimbursement.

PRIOR APPROVAL IS REQUIRED! PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ARRANGEMENTS AND EXPECT TO BE REIMBURSED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF SELECTION. PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE NOTIFICATION BY December 13th, 2019.

l to r: Richard Davis – Paul McKinney, Treasurer – Johnny Head, Chairman – Mayor Durrett – JD Bumpus, Vice Chair – Cody Greene

September 20, 2019 will mark 75 years since the establishment of the Montgomery County Soil Conservation District. THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT is one of 95 districts in Tennessee responsible for conservation programs within their counties. The MCSCD was the 23rd District in the State of Tennessee to be chartered on September 20, 1944 by founding board members James G. Childers, Cuyler Dunbar, David Hinton, Banks Batson, and James W. Cross, Jr.

l to r: James G. Childers, Cuyler Dunbar, Banks Batson, James W. Cross, Jr.

Soil erosion control and water quality improvement are the primary concerns of the District. It is the mission of the District to coordinate assistance and develop locally driven solutions to natural resource problems. The District strives to inform owners/operators on ways to reduce erosion and improve water quality through a comprehensive program of technical, financial, and educational resources and making them available to land users of Montgomery County.
More than 14,000 farm plans have been developed for Montgomery County agricultural use including beginning and veteran farmers over the last 75 years. The MCSCD has been involved in agriculture in the classroom, hosted Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H events, and sponsors an annual scholarship for students majoring in Ag-related fields. Johnny Head, District Board Chairman emphasized, “It is equally important that we teach tomorrow’s generation how to care and work the land both in agriculture but also in conservation for water quality purposes and good soil use.”
Current board members serving today are Johnny Head, Chairman; JD Bumpus, Vice Chair; Paul McKinney, Treasurer; Richard Davis, Member; Cody Greene, Member.

1st place FFA – Clarksville High FFA
Megan Summer
Logan Thurman
Will Comperry
Nina Cates
*cash and awards sponsored by Farm Bureau

2nd place FFA – Montgomery Central High FFA
Devon Bowles
Jacob Nicholson
Allie Baccus
Emily Greene
*awards sponsored by Nutrien

1st place 4H – Montgomery Central High 4-H
Katie McCall
Datin Pendergrass
Elayna Martinez
Mary Grace Key
*cash and awards sponsored by Farm Bureau

2nd place 4H – Kenwood High
Tyarah Yambo
Oliver Hickman
Elana Adkins
Peggy Hinson
*awards sponsored by Nutrien

INDIVIDUAL HIGHEST SCORES
*cash and awards sponsored by Farm Bureau
1st place – Will Comperry, CHS
2nd place – Devon Bowles, MCHS
3rd place – Megan Summer, CHS

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