Thank you for visiting Thrive. Voting for the 2020 #RootedinAg Contest has ended. To find out which one of our three finalists below is this year’s grand prizewinner, go to the Thrivenews section later this fall.
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Hannah Borg Farmer Borg Farms Wakefield, Nebraska
In a heartwarming video, Hannah Borg of Wakefield, Nebraska, pays tribute to her 86-year-old grandma, Lois Borg, the matriarch of her sixth-generation farming family.
Stephon Fitzpatrick Doctoral Student; Coordinator of Recruitment, Retention & Experiential Learning for the School of Agriculture; MANRRS Adviser University of Maryland Eastern Shore Princess Anne, Maryland
For Stephon Fitzpatrick, meeting Karen Hutchinson with the Delaware FFA when he was a young student set in motion an incredible journey that has led him to become a vibrant leader in ag.
Of all the amazing people I have encountered in my agricultural journey, one stands out the most — Karen Hutchinson. I do not know if she realizes how vital she was for helping me develop a tenacious mindset and love for agriculture. I first met Mrs. Hutchinson at the 2002 Delaware FFA Convention, where she served as the Delaware FFA Executive Director.
Through the DE FFA Association, I was fortunate to obtain several leadership roles and accolades, including becoming the first black chapter FFA president of my high school. At that time, there were not many African Americans interested in agriculture.
There were significant challenges and culture shocks that had to be endured to get to where I am today. For five years, I witnessed Mrs. Hutchinson’s passion and dedication to students. She told me years ago that agriculture is where I needed to be; and if I could tune out the noise, I could do amazing things and find a home in this industry.
Seventeen years later, I have a degree in agriculture, a masters and am now pursuing a doctorate degree with the hopes of becoming a dean for a School of Agriculture to advocate for minorities to pursue agriculture. #RootedinAg.
DeLeon Pope Certified Crop Adviser Self-employed Clinton, North Carolina
Today, DeLeon Pope uses the lessons his father taught him on their family-owned farm in eastern North Carolina to create a successful business built on respect, hard work and perseverance.
It can be difficult to isolate a single individual who has had the most impact on my life in regard to agriculture. I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most knowledgeable and forward-thinking individuals in the industry. I have used the information gathered from those individuals to establish the framework to build my business and position myself to be successful. Being mindful that a multitude of people helped mold me into the agricultural professional I am today, I can genuinely say my father is the one who motivated and supported me in pursuing my agronomic career.
Growing up on a family-owned farm cultivated a love for agriculture that has never diminished. I grew up cropping tobacco, picking cucumbers, hauling bell peppers and working with swine. As time has passed, the things I remember as a child have changed significantly. My family has slowly gotten smaller as my parents and grandparents have passed away. The homeplace that was once the hub of activity for family dinners and farming activities is a little quieter these days.
I started my business nearly 10 years ago and built my office on the land we once used for our farming operation. My daddy taught me to treat others with respect and that anything can be achieved through hard work and perseverance. I have taken the tools the Lord gave me and the values instilled in me by my parents to forge my place in the agricultural community.
My daddy planted a seed that has been nurtured by a desire to help others and promote a positive image for agriculture and the people who work within this realm. He never got the opportunity to see the business I have built nor will he ever know the lasting impression he made on me throughout my childhood and life. He was a man who led through example and was always willing to help those in need. I have used these principles as the backbone on which my success has been predicated.
I wake up every morning and attempt to leave the world better than I found it the day before through good stewardship, hard work and humility. In a perfect world, I would like my legacy to be a continued love for agriculture, which can be seen through the eyes of my children.
