Texas County Agricultural Agents Association presents Man of The Year in Texas Agriculture awards
CORPUS CHRISTI — During its Professional Improvement Conference at the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi recently, the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association presented seven Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture awards at its annual banquet.
“The Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture Awards program has been proudly sponsored by the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association for the past 50 years,” said Cary Sims, the current association president.
“The members, directors, and officers of the TCAAA are privileged to bestow this award to seven individuals in recognition of their outstanding leadership in agriculture, agribusiness and their support of the educational program efforts of the county Extension agents of Texas. Their unselfish service has contributed to improving the economic well-being and quality of life in their community, our state and our nation.”
Sims, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for agriculture and natural resources in Angelina County, presided over the evening’s ceremonies, attended by more than 300 association members and guests.
Man of the Year in Agriculture awards were presented to Otis Lee Johnson, Jack LeClair, Dr. R. Mikel Lemons, Rodney Schronk, Gary Dickenson, Haskell Simon and Juan Martinez.
Biographical information in award nominations and awards includes the following:
— Otis Lee Johnson has been involved in agriculture in some form or fashion all of his life. He was raised on a family farm near Seminole, where he developed his love for the land and began his lifelong career in the agricultural production industry. He currently owns and operates Johnson Farms, which encompasses approximately 5,000 acres of irrigated farmland, producing cotton, peanuts, grain sorghum, corn, and other small grains. He also is a partner in Oasis Gin.
“Otis understands the importance of advances in technology and research in the farming industry while still being an exceptional steward of the land,” his nomination states. “He has partnered with AgriLife Extension, AgriLife Research, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 25 years in research trials that focus on efforts to educate other farmers in increasing production and profitability. He willingly gives his time and expertise to a wide and diverse group of organizations. He is a member of the Leadership Advisory Board, Agriculture Committee, Extension Livestock Advisory Board, 4-H Youth Board and is president of the Gaines County Junior Livestock Show Association. He also is a past member and secretary of the Seminole Independent School District Board of Trustees and an active member of the First Baptist Church in Seminole.”
— Jack LeClair’s long career in crop protection and range management has included working with ranchers, AgriLife Extension personnel, land managers, wildlife consultants, state and federal biologists, and chemical applicators, distributors and dealers in determining chemical supplement programs for forage production, weed control, habitat development and land reclamation. His skills include plant identification, herbicide recommendations, mechanical and prescribed burning recommendations, grazing practices and stocking rates. Part of his duties include the evaluation of new experimental chemical products, and he has been involved with the federal and state labeling process for over 40 products.
“Result demonstrations for producers in cooperation with AgriLife Extension are critical to reaching targeted audiences and helping to educate producers, and Jack has installed many plots and conducted many field days with agents in most parts of the state, often providing products and equipment,” the nomination states. “He has also made many presentations on new products, drift management, application technology, integrated pest management and pesticide safety at educational programs presented by AgriLife Extension agents throughout Texas.
— Dr. R. Mikel Lemons, a native of Pecos and a Reeves County 4-H alumnus, Lemons has been a lifelong supporter of and cooperator with AgriLife Extension. According to his nomination, Lemons’ philosophy has always been, “Someone was there for me when I was in 4-H and FFA, and now it’s my turn to return the favor.”
Lemons began his long tenure as a 4-H volunteer when he and his wife Martha became club managers of the Gardendale Rangers 4-H Club in 1992 where their children, Hoss and Lindsey, were members. Over the next two decades Mike would coach horse judging teams and method demonstration teams that would go on to compete at the state and national levels. In 1996, Mike began volunteering at the State 4-H Horse Show and continues to do so. Mike has also served locally on the boards of the Ector County Livestock Association and Permian Basin Fair.
— Rodney Schronk, a Hill County farmer, is very active in local, state and federal agricultural issues.
“An equally eloquent speaker at locations ranging from turnrows to county commissioners courts, he is a great supporter of AgriLife Extension,” his nomination states. “He has cooperated in a number of row crop demonstrations including numerous potassium fertility studies, grain sorghum variety trials, Hessian fly, carryover nitrogen, oilseed sunflower variety and others.
“A graduate of Texas A&M University and the Texas Farm Bureau’s Ag Leader Program, Schronk currently serves as the chairman of the Hill/McLennan Integrated Pest Management Steering Committee and has been a member for over 20 years. He has been very active in describing AgriLife Extension’s impact on farmers to statewide elected officials. He has made presentations to county commissioners court and has hosted a number of community events on his farm. As an innovative farmer, Rodney was one of the first in the county to successfully raise oilseed sunflowers and utilize strip till/minimum tillage farming practices.”
— Gary Dickenson has been a central figure in Caldwell County agriculture for over two decades. In 1983, he joined Pioneer Hi-Bred’s microbial genetics division, where he covered 70 counties in East Texas and Louisiana as a microbial specialist.
“Gary came to Lockhart after he married his wife Sue in 1988,” the award states. “With Pioneer, Gary became a part of the seed division as an account manager for the 40 counties in the Upper Gulf Coast, and became a certified crop advisor. In 2013, Gary retired from Pioneer and started with Crop Production Services as a part-time crop consultant.
“Today, Gary continues to run his own herd of commercial cattle, as well as pecan orchards. Even with his tireless work schedule, Gary has served AgriLife Extension for many years in volunteer leadership positions. He has served as president of the Caldwell County Leadership Advisory Board since its inception, and as president of the Caldwell County Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee since 1995. Gary has also served on the board of trustees for the Luling Foundation Farm since 2000, as vice president for the past six years, and this year as president. Gary has also served on the Caldwell County Go Texan Committee since 2012.”
— Haskell Simon is a lifelong resident of Bay City in Matagorda County, but his influence goes far beyond his home county.
“Haskell’s biggest impact for the region and the state has been on water issues,” his nomination states “He saw the need to get involved in how water was managed in Texas long before many realized it was an issue. His work with the Lower Colorado River Authority and the Texas Water Development Board has influenced the way both surface and groundwater is handled in Texas. He served in many capacities including advisory and focus group committees for the TWDB, LCRA, and the General Land Office. Haskell was there when the TWDB began discussing groundwater districts as a management tool for groundwater. Later he led the way with educational meetings to inform his local community, culminating in the creation of the Coastal Plains Groundwater Conservation District.
“Haskell’s direct involvement in several projects has resulted in positive outcomes for agriculture. These included production of an award-winning video/DVD on the environmental merits of rice production, obtaining substantial funding for the Texas A&M University Rice Experiment Station from the Lower Colorado River Authority to develop a new water efficient rice variety.”
— Juan Martinez has made many contributions to Agrilife Extension and the local, state and international agricultural community, chiefly by hosting over 25 educational programs, field days and tours for both adults and youth from 1985 to 2014.
“During his time at Cerrito Prieto Ranch, Juan welcomed groups as diverse as the Sacred Heart Children’s Home and the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association,” his award states. “Students from the Texas A&M Range Science Department visited regularly as did a delegation from Univerisdad Autonoma Chapingo.
“In addition to serving on the Webb County AgriLife Extension Wildlife and Fisheries Committee for 24 years, he also works regularly with the Webb County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Webb County.”
Martinez has been recognized for his extensive support by AgriLife Extension, the Laredo International Fair and Exposition and the Texas Wildlife Association.
High-resolution photos of individual award winners can be obtained online at http://tcaaa.tamu.edu/awards/2015-awards/ .
