SCYFAA Tour officials, Dr. Steve Meadows (left), Director of the Edisto Research and Education Center,
with Mindy Sandifer, Jeff Sandifer and Ricky McDaniel
BARNWELL HOSTS STATE YOUNG FARMER AND AGRIBUSINESS TOUR
BARNWELL, SC…A record breaking crowd of farmers, other agri-business officials and agricultural educators from throughout South Carolina participated in the SC Young Farmer and Agribusiness Association’s Summer Study Tour hosted by the Barnwell County Young Farmer-Agribusiness Chapter Friday and Saturday, July 15-16.
 |
| Some of the attendees at the Friday evening banquet at the Edisto REC. |
Mindy Sandifer, Agricultural Education Teacher at the Barnwell Career Center and Advisor to the local Young Farmer-Agribusiness Chapter, spearheaded the event. Her husband, Jeff Sandifer, is president of the Barnwell County Young Farmer-Agribusiness Chapter and vice president of the SC Young Farmer-Agribusiness Association.
The tour included visits to Clemson University’s Edisto Research and Education Center, Home Place Ranch, Collums Lumber Mill, Pat Chappell’s Peach Farm, Birdsong Peanut Buying Station, Carolina Soya Plant and Sandifer’s Packing Facility .
The Edisto and Bamberg-Colleton Young Farmer-Agribusiness Chapters partnered with the Barnwell chapter to make the tour a successful reality.
Sponsors for the event included the SC Watermelon Association, Edisto Research and Education Center, AgSouth Farm Credit, Agricultural Heritage Museum, Winton Inn, Home Place Ranch, Collum’s Lumber Mill, Carolina Soya, Birdsong Peanut Company, Chappell Peach Farms, Graham’s Turnout, Guess Farm Equipment, Hartzog Foundation, Forage Grass Farm, Collins Fertilizer, Jason Stapleton, William’s Farm and Garden, SC Department of Natural Resources, SC Beef Board, SC Pork Board, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Santee-Cooper Electric Cooperative, The People Sentinel, Clemson University’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Edisto Farm Management Association, Barnwell County FFA Chapter, Allendale Chamber of Commerce, Barnwell Chamber of Commerce, Hampton Chamber of Commerce and First Citizens Bank of Barnwell.
 |
| Beef cattle being moved at the Home Place Ranch. |
Young Farmer-Agribusiness chapters constitute the primary Adult Agricultural Education Program in South Carolina administered by the local Agricultural Education teachers.
State Young Farmer-Agribusiness Association officials in attendance were Ricky McDaniel, President, Sumter; Henry Herndon, President-Elect, Bamberg; Michael Nance, State Vice President, McConnells; and Jeff Sandifer, State Vice President, Barnwell.
Other state agriculture officials in attendance were Billy Keels, State Director of Agricultural Education, Columbia; Steve Sanderson, Associate State Director of Agricultural Education, Sumter, Dr. Phil Fravel, Associate State Director of Agricultural Education, Clemson; Dr. Tom Dobbins, Program Coordinator, Agricultural Education, Clemson University; Roger Estridge, President-Elect of the SC Agricultural Educators Association, Kershaw; Stephen Still, SC Watermelon Association, Barnwell; Ricky Varnadoe, AgSouth Farm Credit Association, Allendale; Dr. Steve Meadows, Director of the Edisto Research and Education Center, Blackville; Blake Berry, Vice President, Clemson University Collegiate FFA Organization, Shane Grice, State FFA Vice President, Warrenville; and John W. Parris, State Director of Public Affairs for Agricultural Education.
 |
 |
 |
||
Barry Burdette, Agricultural Educator in Greenville, and his family (left to right - John, Alex, Eliza, Barry and Beth) |
Chris LeMaster, Agricultural Education Teacher at Aiken County Career Center, enjoys watermelon…and a lot of it! |
Clay Collins (left) and his wife, Becky, owners of the Home Place Ranch, present Ricky McDaniel, president of the SC Young Farmer-Agribusiness Association, Sumter, one of the official tour shirts which they sponsored. |
