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The Texas Farm Bureau has named three young farmers and ranchers, including two rice producers, as finalists in this year’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher competition.
The annual award recognizes the accomplishments of some of the state’s top agricultural leaders between the ages of 18 and 35.
The 2015 Outstanding YF&R finalists are Galen Franz of Victoria; Timothy and Lindy Gertson of Lissie; and Marcus and Amy Halfmann of Garden City.
Franz, 35, and his wife, Leslye, 36, grow rice, Napa cabbage, hay and wheat in Victoria County. They also raise Brahman-Charolais mix cattle. They have three children, Kate, Claire and Lexi.
Timothy and Lindy Gertson, 30 and 29 respectively, grow rice, organic corn, grain sorghum, soybeans and wheat in Wharton County. Lindy is a registered nurse and works at a community hospital. They have two boys, Jacob and Nathan, and a third son on the way.
Marcus and Amy Halfmann, 31 and 28, respectively, grow long- and short-stable cotton, sesame, wheat and hay in Midland County. They also raise cattle.
Marcus has a custom farm businesses and uses cotton burrs—gin trash—to create compost. Amy is a dietitian who works in her children’s Mothers’ Day Out program. They have a son, Byler, and a daughter, Blakley.
The three finalists will receive an expense-paid trip to the TFB Annual meeting, Dec. 5-7, in Arlington.
The state winner will also represent Texas in the Achievement Award competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Orlando in January.