Board Member

John Freeman Chairman Lincoln County Call: 870-866-0003 Email: jff@centurytel.net Nominated By: Ag Council       John Freeman’s passion for farming and his personal work ethic come from his dad. While in high school, John worked on the farm alongside his dad where he developed a strong appreciation for the hard work it takes to…

Douglas Hartz Vice Chairman Arkansas County Call: 870-673-6521 Email: dh_hfm@yahoo.com Nominated By: Arkansas Soybean Association For those in the soybean industry, the Hartz name started it all. For Doug Hartz, his last name means the tradition his grandfather, Jacob Hartz Sr., started 91 years ago when he planted the first soybean crop in Arkansas. Doug…

Joe Thrash Secretary-Treasurer Perry County Call: 501-514-5631 Email: thrash@tcworks.net Nominated By: Farm Bureau Joe Thrash said he spent his childhood on the farm with his dad, wearing the paint off the fenders of a few tractors. A third-generation farmer, he didn’t know what else there was to do, but after high school, Joe packed up…

Donald Morton Jr. Prairie County Call: 501-516-5724 Email: donald1581@hotmail.com Nominated By: Riceland       Donald Morton Jr. never wondered about the path he would take. Farming was a part of his past, and he wanted it for his future. A third-generation farmer, Donald started on his own in 1992 with 800 acres. After 25…

Brad Doyle Poinsett County Appointed By: Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders           Brad Doyle’s agricultural roots trace back to his great-grandfather, who cultivated soybeans on the family farm in Cross County. Although venturing on a different agricultural path in the 1990s scouting soybeans and cotton, Brad returned to his family origins after…

Rusty Smith Prairie County Email: roo119@hotmail.com Nominated By: Farm Bureau         Rusty Smith was raised with respect for agriculture, but he didn’t grow up on a farm. His father worked for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Extension Service, and Rusty earned his bachelor of science in agronomy. After graduation, he…