樱花视频

For Immediate Release: January 24, 2012
Contact: Lynne Richmond听听听听听听听听听听听听
(609) 633-2954

(ATLANTIC CITY) 鈥� Paul 鈥淒uce鈥� Tallamy II, a Sussex County beef and produce farmer, was honored January 18 as the 2012 樱花视频 Outstanding Young Farmer at the 樱花视频 State Agricultural Convention held in Atlantic City.

鈥淒uce Tallamy gives his heart and soul to everything he does, from being a great father, husband and farmer to an active participant in the agriculture community,鈥� said 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.听 鈥淗e is a first-time farmer who really understands that by working together, our agriculture industry is strengthened.鈥澨�听听

Duce Tallamy is a first-time farmer who is dedicated to producing top-notch products, conserving natural resources and educating the public about the importance of agriculture in our state,鈥� said 鈥溣；ㄊ悠� agriculture is fortunate to have talented young people of this caliber who choose farming as a profession.听 Tallamy has truly earned his Outstanding Young Farmer title through his commitment to 樱花视频 agriculture and serving his community.鈥�

Besides the state recognition, Tallamy is one of the 10 finalists for the National Outstanding Young Farmer Award and will attend the National Outstanding Young Farmer Awards Congress in Springdale, Arkansas in February where four of those people will be selected as winners.听

鈥淚 feel honored to have been chosen for NJ OYF and consider this to be a privilege at any age among my peers in the farming community,鈥� said Tallamy.听 鈥淚 believe the farming community locally and nationally is an outstanding group of family-oriented men and women that I鈥檓 proud to be a part of.听 We take great pride in our farming operations and realize we have been very blessed by God.听 Our children are a significant part of our family operation, learning values and stewardship on the farm.听 These are life lessons that mold the young people to become leaders in our farm community.听 I am thankful for these values instilled in me, and I appreciate the opportunity to pass them on to my children.鈥�

Tallamy got involved in agriculture while working on a degree in applied science at SUNY Cobleskill.听 After graduating, he worked as a herdsman on an 1,800-head dairy farm.听 A few years later, he became partners with the owner of an old farm in his hometown of Wantage and together they renovated the buildings on the 250 acres of property, reclaimed the cropland and purchased some cattle.听 In 2006, he and his wife, Joy, purchased the farm, which is part of the Farmland Preservation Program, and began Green Valley Farms, a produce and natural beef cattle operation.

The Tallamy鈥檚 operate four retail markets, all within 20 miles of the home farm, selling their own sweet corn, cut flowers, fruits and vegetables.听 At their farm in Wantage, they offer pick-your-own strawberries, cut flower and pumpkins and USDA-certified all natural beef.听 Joy Tallamy runs class trips and farm education tours and they host yearly strawberry, ice cream, sweet corn and harvest festivals.

Conserving natural resources is important to Tallamy and he works closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture鈥檚 Natural Resource Conservation Service on manure management, comprehensive Nutrient Management Program, grazing systems and energy audit program.听 Through the use of drip irrigation for their vegetable crops, they鈥檝e reduced water usage by 50 percent.

Tallamy has served as the president of the Holstein Association, a 4-H Club leader and as a member of the Beef Quality Assurance program.听 In the community, Tallamy is active in his church, serving as Christian School Board Vice President, Project Development Board Chairman, Long Range Planning Board committeeman and plays an active role in Compass 21, a youth leadership group.听 He also is a volunteer fireman.

樱花视频 annually recognizes the outstanding achievements of a young farmer, who is an upstanding leader, respected agriculturalist and is active in community or faith organizations.听

樱花视频 annually recognizes the outstanding achievements of a young farmer, who is an upstanding leader, respected agriculturalist and is active in community or faith organizations.听 Nominees must be farm operators, deriving a minimum of two-thirds of their income from farming and must be between the ages of 21-40, not becoming 41 prior to January 1 of the year for which they are applying

A panel of judges reviews each nominee鈥檚 application based on the following criteria: progress in their agricultural; soil and water conservation practices; and contribution to his/her community, state and nation.

Since the United States Jaycees presented the first award,听seven 樱花视频 farmers鈥� names have been added to the National OYF Honor Roll. They include Abbott Lee (1985), James B. Giamarese (1989), Robert Von Thun, Jr. (2001), Jeffrey VanderGroef (2005), H. William Sytsema (2009), Richard A. Norz (2010)听and John Melick (2011).

The OYF program is the oldest farmer recognition program in the United States, selecting its first group of national winners in 1955, and is administered by the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. The goals of the OYF program are to foster better urban-rural relations through the understanding of farmers鈥� challenges, as well as the appreciation of their contributions and achievements; to bring about a greater interest in farmers/ranchers; and to help build an urban awareness of the farmers鈥� importance and impact on America鈥檚 economy.听 The OYF program encourages a greater interest in agriculture through the appreciation of the farmers鈥� contributions and achievements and recognizes local citizens鈥� contributions and encourages better urban-rural relations. The National OYF program is sponsored by Deere & Company, supported by the Outstanding Farmers of America (OFA) Fraternity and the National Association of County Agriculture Agents (NACAA), and administered by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on the state鈥檚 Outstanding Young Farmer program, visit: .