Nashville, TN (January 15, 2013) – LaRue County’s Ryan and Misty Bivens bested young farm families from around the country at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting to take home the Young Farmer & Rancher “Achievement Award.” This award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.

The Bivens, who were also winners of Kentucky Farm Bureau’s 2012 “Outstanding Young Farm Family” award, are first-generation farmers on the land they work and own in LaRue County. They raise approximately 2,400 acres of corn, more than 1,900 acres of soybeans, nearly 1,200 acres of wheat, 250 acres of grass hay, 30 acres of alfalfa, plus 26 head of commercial beef cattle. The Bivens’ operate on a total of 5,753 acres, own 587 acres of that land and rent the remaining portion.

As the winners of this national competition, Ryan and Misty were presented with their choice of either a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2013 GMC Sierra, courtesy of GM, and a paid registration to the 2013 Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, February 8-11, 2013.

“We are very excited and honored by receiving the achievement award,” said Ryan. “We have had the goal of entering this competition for over 12 years, and by us winning this award it proves that through hard work and dedication any goal can be achieved when you set your mind to it.”

For more information about the 94th American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting, held in Nashville, TN, visit annualmeeting.fb.org.