LOUISVILLE, KY (Oct. 14, 2024) – Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) has selected Kori Beth Thomas of Allen County as its 2024 Farm Woman of the Year. This prestigious annual award honors the outstanding achievements of women in Kentucky agriculture. Thomas, along with runners-up Jennifer Poole of Daviess County and Kristan Wright of Jefferson County, will be recognized during KFB’s Gold Star Luncheon held in conjunction with the organization’s annual meeting in December.

“Kori Beth Thomas is a shining example of excellence and innovation in production agriculture,” said KFB President Eddie Melton. “Not only is she making an impact through her work on her family farm, Kori has proven herself to be a leader and advocate for farmers at the local, state, and national levels. Her efforts are helping to ensure that current and future generations develop the same knowledge and passion for farming as she has.”  

Thomas and her husband, Micah, own and operate Peach Tree Farm and Greenhouse in Scottsville, Ky. The third-generation farm consists of commercial beef cattle, an orchard of peach, apple and pear trees, 29 varieties of pumpkins, as well as row crop and hay production. In the past two years, Thomas has opened both an agritourism venue and retail garden center on the property, where she sells annual bedding plants and hanging baskets as well as perennial flowers, trees and shrubs. A graduate of Scottsville High School, Thomas earned her agribusiness degree from Western Kentucky University. She and her husband have two children, whom she homeschools.

Thomas is the epitome of a hard-working farm woman. Most days, she can be found climbing trees to pick fruit, elbow deep in wheelbarrows of potting mix for flowers, or doubled over in the pumpkin field searching for her favorite crop.

“Farming is not just a career,” said Thomas. “It is a way of life. A true calling. An unidentified genetic marker of sorts that you could not get out of you even if you tried. We go into production agriculture knowing that rarely is it a 9-5 job. Rather, we are on call 24 hours a day.” But, she added, “we are eternal optimists at heart. We understand that we must overcome the obstacles that are set before us.”

Her passion for agriculture extends beyond the family farm. She is committed to ensuring a legacy of agriculture production in her community through volunteer efforts as the USDA representative for the local allocation of Ag Development funds, host of the 2024 Allen County Farm to Fork Dinner, member of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and Allen County Cattlemen's Association, Allen County Extension Board and Council Member, Allen County 4-H volunteer, a children’s ministry volunteer at her church.

A lifetime KFB member, Thomas and her husband were named the 2020 Allen County Young Farm Family of the Year. She helps to coordinate the offset of expenses and registration fees for local fourth grade students to attend the Progressive Agriculture Farm Safety Day at Western Kentucky University, and she is involved in the KFB Generation Bridge program. In addition, Peachtree Farm is a KFB Certified Farm Market.

Thomas is also a proud supporter of Operation Christmas Child, Feeding Faith Coalition, Allen County FFA Alumni Chapter, Allen County First Friday Events, NorroFest, Allen County­ Scottsville High School Football Boosters and Senior Co-op programs, The C.O.R.E. Project 330 and youth sports, and the Austin-Tracy Elementary Greenhouse Class.

More about the runners-up

Jennifer Poole is a huge asset to the Owensboro/Daviess County community. She is dedicated to promoting agriculture and encouraging other women to be leaders, and is actively engaged in all aspects of her family's farming operation. She is a leader and advocate that gives unselfishly of her time to benefit agriculture, farmers and her community.

Poole and her husband, Wes, operate first-generation Poole Farms in Lewisport, Ky. The farm consists of six mega-turkey grow-out houses, 1,500 acres of row crop, rotating corn and soybeans, and a thriving beef cattle operation. In 2013, Poole left her public career to focus on the farm full time and was pivotal in transitioning the farm from tobacco production to turkey production.

On the farm, Poole has a hand in everything from implementing technology to hauling hay, as well as bookkeeping, payroll and marketing. In her community, she is very active in Daviess County Extension Office and 4-H. She will serve on the Kentucky Poultry Federation Board beginning in 2025. Poole earned her degree from Western Kentucky University in agriculture education. She and her husband have been together since high school and have two children.

Kristan Wright is a leader in Jefferson County’s farming industry, and a prominent agriculture educator who is passionate about dispelling many of the misconceptions about life on the farm. She and her husband, Daniel, have been married since 2010 and have two children.

Wright and her husband operate several farming operations in Jefferson and Henry counties, and she continues to lead expansion efforts in both the size and scope of their agriculture production capabilities. Wright’s collective farmland produces tobacco, wheat, corn, pumpkins and other produce, hay, beef cattle, sheep and hogs, as well as alpacas and exotic animals. She handles all elements of animal operations, including breeding, management, feeding and marketing, and serves as resident veterinarian. She is also responsible for planting, maintaining, harvesting, stocking and marketing the farm’s produce.

For the past 13 years, Wright has served as an Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor at Seneca High School in Louisville. This summer, she transitioned to her new position as an Agricultural Education Consultant and State FFA Advisor. Wright organizes over 15 community outreach events throughout the year to spread her love and knowledge of agriculture. One of the largest events is Animals for Learning, when 650 schoolchildren come out to the farm to learn about livestock and other animals.

For more about this award program, visit kyfb.com/farmwomanoftheyear. To download a photo of winner Kori Beth Thomas with her family, click HERE.