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AFBF Celebrates Visionary Leadership at Annual Convention

Jan 22, 2025
By Farms.com

Collin Peterson and Mark Haney Recognized for decades of dedication and transformative impact on American farming

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) celebrated two outstanding leaders at its 106th Annual Convention in San Antonio.

Collin Peterson, former congressional leader from Minnesota, and Mark Haney, former president of the Kentucky Farm Bureau, received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award and the Farm Bureau Founders Award, respectively.

The Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, established in 1928, honors individuals who have significantly impacted American agriculture.

Peterson’s leadership spans over four decades, including serving as chair of the Agriculture Committee during pivotal farm bill negotiations in 2008, 2014, and 2018. Reflecting on the honor, Peterson said, “It’s a high honor to get this award. I appreciate it.”

The Founders Award, introduced in 2017, recognizes exemplary contributions to the Farm Bureau.

Haney’s 30-year tenure on the Kentucky Farm Bureau board and 15 years as president left a legacy. He championed initiatives like the Certified Farm Market Program and the Legacy Farm Program, enhancing agriculture in Kentucky. Haney expressed his gratitude, saying, “For me to be mentioned in that elite group is such an honor.”

AFBF’s recognition highlights the importance of leadership in advancing agriculture, ensuring a sustainable future for farmers across America.


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Alberta Honey: A Day at Molenkamp Honey Farms

Video: Alberta Honey: A Day at Molenkamp Honey Farms

When was the last time you read the label on your honey?

We spent a day at Molenkamp Honey Farms with Michael Molenkamp, who has been keeping bees for 17 seasons and runs three to four thousand hives. In mid-September, he was finishing treatments and getting his bees ready for winter, and he walked us through how Alberta honey gets made.

Alberta has just 150 commercial beekeepers running 300,000 colonies, and together they produce 40% of Canada’s honey. Long summer days and golden canola fields give Alberta honey a light flavour that’s hard to match anywhere else.

Molenkamp calls Alberta beekeepers some of the most resilient farmers he knows. There’s plenty of Alberta honey to go around, but a lot on our shelves isn’t from here, so his ask is simple. Give the label a second look and choose honey made by Alberta beekeepers, or buy straight from a beekeeper near you.