2026 Top Young Farmers & Ranchers Awarded

Hot Springs, Ark. - ArFB announced the winners of two Young Farmer and Ranchers awards Thursday at the 2026 Officers and Leaders Conference in Hot Springs. The Holliday family won the Excellence in Agriculture award, and the Feather family won the Agricultural Achievement award.

The Excellence in Agriculture award honors young farmers and ranchers who earn the majority of their income outside of agriculture but are involved in farming and Farm Bureau. Competitors are judged on their understanding of agricultural issues, leadership achievements and involvement within Farm Bureau and their communities.

Cody and Cheyenne Holliday share a deep-rooted passion for agriculture shaped by their upbringing and education. Cody was raised on a family farm in northeast Kansas and earned a degree in agricultural education from Kansas State University. He works on the family farm and part time at the local farmers co-op, specializing in fertilizer application and sales. Cheyenne grew up on a Hereford cattle and chicken broiler operation in northwest Arkansas, was a National Champion livestock judge, and earned degrees in animal science and agricultural education from Kansas State University. She is finishing her ninth year as an ag teacher at Lincoln High School. Today, they are raising their two children in northwest Arkansas while working land alongside family.

The Holliday family received a $11,000 prize for winning the Excellence in Agriculture award. The Holliday's also won a trip to the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in Charlotte, N.C. where they will compete for the national award. Cody stated, "to be selected for the award is just very humbling" and that they are "thankful for those that have invested in us to get us to this point."

The Achievement Award honors young farmers and ranchers who are involved in full-time production of agriculture and have excelled in their farming/ranching operations. The competitors also show exemplary leadership skills.

Jacob Feather is a third-generation row crop farmer from Griffithville in southern White County. Raised on his family's farm, he developed a strong work ethic at a young age through hands-on experience in daily farm operations. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2014 from Harding University and a Master of Business Administration in 2016. Jacob honors both tradition and innovation in agriculture, farming approximately 1,200 acres of corn, rice, soybeans and pecans. He and his wife, Callie, are raising four sons while continuing their family's agricultural legacy

The Feathers received a $35,000 award as well as a trip to the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention to compete for the national award. Jacob stated, "We are honored to win this event and that Farm Bureau made this available and glad that Farm Bureau made this available and we were able to participate" and that they plan to use the prize money to expand their pecan cracking and shelling facility.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization with 167,877 families across the state working to improve farm and rural life.

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Rob Roedel

(501) 228 - 1383

[email protected]