The 10 growers honored as the 2022 Southeastern Farmers of the Year in their respective states took the opportunity provided by Syngenta to donate to organizations close to their hearts. Syngenta gave $5,500 in donations in $500 increments to the charity, group or non-profit chosen by each farmer in the 2022 Swisher/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year program.

Robert E. Saunders of Piney River, Virginia, was chosen as the overall Farmer of the Year for 2022. Because of this distinction, Saunders received two $500 donations, which he will be donating to the Nelson Memorial Library, which is part of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library system in his home of Nelson County, Virginia.

“My wife Pat and I chose to donate to the Nelson Memorial Library, which has been serving individuals of Nelson County for 50 years,” he said. “Our donation will benefit all of Nelson County, a place my family has called home for nearly 200 years.” 

The rest of the 2022 Southeastern Farmers of the Year and their charities of choice include:

• Mark Byrd, Danville, Alabama: St. Jude Children’s Hospital

• Chris Sweat, McCaskill, Arkansas: Huck’s Military Care Package Project

• Jerry Dakin, Myakka City, Florida: Gator Wilderness Camp School 

• Scotty Raines, Sycamore, Georgia: First Baptist Church of Tifton 

• Wesley C. Parker, Oak Grove, Kentucky: St. Jude Children’s Hospital

• Michael Lynn Wagner, Sumner, Mississippi: St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Extra Table Mississippi 

• Kevin Matthews, East Bend, North Carolina: Forbush High School FFA

• Keith Allen, Latta, South Carolina: The Miracle League of Florence County 

• John M. Harrison, Philadelphia, Tennessee: Randy Davis Memorial Milk Fund