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ALBANY, N.Y. - On the final evening
of New York Farm Bureau's State
Annual Meeting held last week in
Niagara Falls, two individuals were
honored for distinguished service to
agriculture.
In
presenting the awards, Farm Bureau
President John Lincoln said, "The
Distinguished Service Award is one
of the highest honors that can be
bestowed on a member of the
agricultural family. We are
fortunate this year to have two very
deserving recipients." Those being
honored included Monty Stamp of
Schuyler County and George Young of
Onondaga County.
Monty
Stamp's leadership efforts are a
major reason for the success of the
state's wine and grape industry.
While he passed away this year at
the age of 71, the impact of his
service survives.
Monty was
one of the founding members of the
New York Wine Grape Growers
Association and served as
Secretary/Treasurer for many years.
His leadership in the wine and grape
industry came at a time of serious
crisis in the grape growing
community in the Finger Lakes.
Monty was
part of the industry leadership
that, working with the NYFB, created
the New York Wine and Grape
Foundation.
Monty was
always there-in Albany or
Washington-to advance the interests
of the grape industry. He helped
organize the NYFB-led fight for the
sale of wine in grocery stories in
the 1980s, which eventually led to
the authorization of the sale of
wine coolers in grocery stores.
George
Young is considered a pioneer in
Farm Bureau history. He was one of
the original membership workers in
1955 whose efforts helped establish
the Oswego and Onondaga County Farm
Bureaus.
George, a
resident of Clay, N.Y., is now
retired from farming, but when
active, operated farms in Oswego,
Jefferson and Onondaga Counties. He
also served as a leader in the
Oswego County Farm Bureau for many
years prior to his retirement.
George was
also a farmer advocate at the local
level. Oswego County boasts a very
diverse agricultural landscape-from
onions to apples to dairy-and
farmers from all backgrounds knew
that they could count on George. In
recognition of his leadership at the
county level, George was presented
with the Oswego County Farm Bureau
Service to Agriculture Award in
2003.
George
instilled in his son, Lyle, the
importance of the Farm Bureau
organization. Lyle currently serves
as a member of the Oswego County
Farm Bureau Board of Directors, an
organization that his father helped
build.
New York Farm Bureau's State Annual
Meeting brings together members of
the largest agricultural advocacy
group in the state to determine the
policies that will guide the
organization for the coming year.
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