The first annual meeting of the Carroll County Agriculture Association was Monday night at the 4-H Building.

Awards and scholarships were presented, directors were elected, and a report was given on the Ag Association's first year.

Miriam Robeson and Jeff Shanks were named to the 2009 class of the Carroll County Agriculture Hall of Fame. (See related story in this week's Comet).

Another award was given for Outstanding Service to the Carroll County Agriculture Association. The recipient was Paul Marcellino.

Brock Farrell and John Zook were announced as the 2009 scholarship winners. They will receive their scholarships at next year's annual meeting.

Brock is the son of Gary Farrell and Debbie Farrell. He plans to attend Purdue University this fall and major in agricultural economics. He would like to pursue a career in agricultural sales and marketing. He is a four-year FFA member and a 10-year 4-H member and attended Hoosier Boys State.

John is the son of Sam and Jane Zook. He has worked for Orem Farms for three years, and helped on the 50-head beef cattle operation. He was in the work-study program at Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School for one semester, where he worked for Kevin Ross managing a nursery-to-finish hog barn.

John has been accepted into Ivy Tech where he plans to major in animal science, with a goal of working in the swine industry. He has started a small swine herd, producing show pigs. His goal is to sell pigs to people who show pigs across the country at national shows. He would also like to have a small herd of beef cattle in the future. He plans to help his dad on the farm parttime during planting and harvest.

John is involved in FFA and has participated in soils judging and livestock judging. He ranked first in the district and second in the state in beef production proficiency. A 10- year 4-H member, John achieved grand champion gilt in 2003, and the Swine Achievement Award and the Charley Award, both in 2008.

Natalie Garrison and Kristine Barnard, the 2008 scholarship winners, received their scholarships this year (from the former Carroll County Pork Producers).

Ag Association board members for 2009 are: Dean Scott (representing corn producers), Sam Moffitt (swine), Travis Flora (dairy), Maurice Robeson (soybeans), John Garrison (beef), Jason Pearson (agribusiness), George Mears (at-large), and Travis Martin (student).

Dean Scott, Ag Association president, reported on the association's first year. The association produced a handbook for county officials, providing information about the agriculture industry in general and about Carroll County agriculture. It also launched a website (www.carrollcountyag.com).

While representing all aspects of Carroll County agriculture, the association adopted the community benefit projects previously supported by the Carroll County Pork Producers. These include cooking at the annual Carroll-Delphi Bacon Bowl, sponsoring the 4-H Junior Leaders at the county fair, providing meat for the Christmas basket projects, and awarding scholarships. In 2008, the Ag Association also gave support to the Delphi Farmer's Market and the YMCA Day Camp.

The Ag Association strives to improve training and encourage best management practices among producers in the county.

The association received the Beyond the Fence Award in 2008 at the Indiana Livestock Forum, sponsored by GINA (Growing Indiana Agriculture).