News Release
July 06, 2018
2018 Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest Winners Announced
A stunning photo capturing the hard work and dedication of cattle ranchers is the Best in Show for the 2018 Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest, hosted by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The photograph, submitted by Jody Teague of Cole Camp, Mo., was chosen from nearly 1,000 photos submitted by amateur photographers from across Missouri.
“The beauty and diversity of Missouri agriculture has been perfectly captured by this year’s talented amateur photographers,” Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said. “These images capture the hard work and dedication of the many family farms across the state.”
Photos submitted by individuals 13 and older were placed into five categories: Beauty of the Farm, Faces of the Farm, Farm Selfie, the Farmer’s Life and Pride of the Farm. Photographers age 12 and under entered their shots in the Children’s Barnyard category. In total, 25 winners were selected by a panel of judges consisting of Dana Rogge, USDA Farm Service Agency; Kari Asbury, Missouri Farmers Care; and Tisha Spencer, Firehouse Design.
In addition to awarding winners in each of these categories, the winning photos were featured on Facebook for the People’s Choice Award. The winner was selected based on the number of shares, comments and likes from June 20-30.
The winning photos will be on display throughout the Missouri State Fair Aug. 9-19, 2018, in the Agriculture Building. The 2018 winners are:
BEST IN SHOW:
“Pure Joy” by Jody Teague of Cole Camp, Mo.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE:
“Curious” by Jon Wilson of Ava, Mo.
BEAUTY OF THE FARM:
1st Place: “Early Morning Walk” by Betsy O’Neal of Cabool, Mo.
Runner-Up: “Slowly Coming Along” by Kimberly Patke of Villa Ridge, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Bloom Groomer” by Aaron Baker of Lawson, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Hay Season” by Caleb Hawkins of Napoleon, Mo.
FACES OF THE FARM:
1st Place: “Spraying Pastures” by Pam Thompson of Lohman, Mo.
Runner-Up: “Oink” by Ashley Homan of Pilot Grove, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Pop-Pop’s Little Helper” by Wendy Hall of Liberty, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Howdy Neighbor” by Carolyn Buhman of Clarksdale, Mo.
FARM SELFIE:
1st Place: “Juliet” by Lindsay Mercer of Cole Camp, Mo.
Runner-Up: “Curious” by Jon Wilson of Ava, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Uncle Paul” by Tricia Wisbrock of Fenton, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Sneaking a Lick” by TJ Bruner of Jacksonville, Mo.
THE FARMER'S LIFE:
1st Place: “Farmer and Tractor” by Emily Meneely of Wheeling, Mo.
Runner-Up: “Hard Days Work” by Jody Teague of Cole Camp, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Waitin’ on the Water” by Ashley Homan of Pilot Grove, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Farmer Mechanic” by Lacey Miller of Palmyra, Mo.
PRIDE OF THE FARM:
1st Place: “Old and New” by Michaela Carroll of Deepwater, Mo.
Runner-Up: “Branding Day” by Lacey Miller of Palmyra, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Dairy Beauty” by Aubrey Fletcher of Purdy, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Gooseberry Harvest” by Juliane Sykes of Chillicothe, Mo.
CHILDREN'S BARNYARD:
1st Place: “Good Morning” by Clara Wallace of Vandalia, Mo.
Runner-Up: “Eye on the Soul” by Caroline Volner of Saint James, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Farm Traffic Jam” by Asher Ahrens of Jackson, Mo.
Honorable Mention: “Better than a Playground” by Emma Bell of Bucklin, Mo.
All the photos entered in this year’s contest can be found on the Department’s Flickr stream.
For more information on the 2018 Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest and other Missouri Department of Agriculture programs, visit the Department online at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.
###
To download a high resolution image of this year's Best in Show for publication, click here.