Farm Bureau awards several members

By Sean Ellis

Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

BOISE – Bingham County farmers Ralph and Joyce Dalley were presented Idaho Farm Bureau Federation’s most prestigious award Dec. 5.

The President’s Cup Award is the organization’s highest honor and goes to a person or individuals who have committed themselves to Farm Bureau and agriculture.   

“As I think of these two individuals, a couple of words come to mind: unselfish servants,” IFBF President Bryan Searle said when presenting the award during the organization’s 85^th annual meeting. “They serve, serve, serve, serve.”

Ralph and Joyce Dalley previously participated in IFBF’s Ag Ambassadors program, which is designed to train and engage Farm Bureau members to be leaders and to advocate for agriculture.

“That lit a fire,” Searle said, and they went on to serve on the Bingham County Farm Bureau board and Ralph also served as the BCFB president.

“It was just constant service and concern about individuals,” Searle said.

The Dalleys attended the annual meeting with their children, some of whom have also served Farm Bureau in various capacities. That includes Chris Dalley, who previously served on the IFBF board of directors.

“We honor and tribute you as an entire family,” Searle said.

“We have loved and appreciated the Farm Bureau,” Joyce Dalley said while the family was being presented the award in front of several hundred fellow IFBF members. “Thank you, Farm Bureau. This award is very humbling …  We love Farm Bureau. We love you.”

“Farm Bureau is the way we can make a difference,” Ralph Dalley said.

Miguel and Camas Villafana, who farm in Wilder, were presented with IFBF’s Achiever Award, which recognizes young farmers or ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operation and honed their leadership abilities.

Achiever award contestants are evaluated on a combination of their farming operation’s growth and financial progress and their leadership both within Farm Bureau and outside of the organization.

Contestants give a presentation to a panel of judges, who ask them questions.

The Villafanas won an all-expenses-paid trip to the Executive Program for Agricultural Producers, sponsored by AgWest. TEPAP is an extensive business course in Texas that is meant to help individual ag producers improve their farm or ranch business.

Rigby rancher Paige Nelson received IFBF’s Excellence in Agriculture Award, which spotlights young Farm Bureau members who are agricultural enthusiasts but have not earned a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture enterprise in the past three years.

Competitors for the Excellence award are judged based on their understanding of ag issues as well as their leadership experiences and achievements.

Nelson won a 2024 Polaris side by side, sponsored by the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.

The Achiever and Excellence awards are both part of IFBF’s Young Farmers and Ranchers program, which is open to Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18 and 35.

Denton Perkins won IFBF’s annual Discussion Meet, which helps young producers hone their public speaking and problem-solving skills during a competition that is meant to simulate a committee meeting rather than a debate.

The contestants, who moderate themselves and engage each other in a cooperative manner, discuss a pre-selected topic and are judged based on constructive criticism, cooperation and communication.

Perkins won a 2024 Polaris side by side, sponsored by Valley Wide Cooperative.

The winners of the Achiever and Excellence awards and the Discussion Meet will compete during the American Farm Bureau Federation annual conference in San Antonio in January.

A special Collegiate Discussion Meet, which featured students from University of Idaho, College of Southern Idaho and BYU-Idaho, was won by Eliza Dugan of CSI.

She won $2,500, sponsored by Cache Valley Bank.

In both Discussion Meets, dozens of people participated at the district and state level.