Nathan Jeffers/photo

Pictured are (front row, from left) Mason County Farm Bureau President Benny Hoffman, Mason County Fair President Dan Foglesong, (back row, from left) Evan Wilson, Shawn Absten, Kyle Kidwell, Mason County Vocational FFA President Anthony Linger, State FFA President Wes Davis, Josh Mattox, Caitlyn Parsons, and Alicia Hodnik.

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POINT PLEASANT — As part of National FFA week, FFA students at the Mason County Career Center have recently been hard at work at establishing an Agricultural Hall of Fame for Mason County.

Sam Nibert, Agricultural Education Instructor at the Mason County Career Center, reported on the need for a hall of fame such as this one. He stated there are several other “hall of fames” that honor people such as athletes and musicians, but there’s not really anything like this. Students have been working with their partners, Mason County Farm Bureau President Dan Foglesong and Mason County Fair President Benny Hoffman to get this Hall of Fame started and to continue it in the years to come.

State FFA President Wes Davis talked on one of the many reasons why they wanted to establish something like this.

“We just wanted a way to honor the agricultural history in Mason County,” Davis said. Davis and Nibert went on to list several individuals that have influenced them to create this Hall of Fame and also discussed some potential nominees.

Nibert also reported on some specifics regarding the nomination process for this new Hall of Fame. There will be five inductees into the Agricultural Hall of Fame at the FFA Banquet later this year, who will be in one of three categories. The first category will be for service. Nibert stated nominees in this category do not need to be farmers themselves, but someone who has provided for others to perform this work or some other agricultural service. The second category is for performance, which is for those who perform agricultural work, such as farmers. The third category is a joint category, which will include service and performance.

Following the induction at the FFA banquet, Nibert reported a plaque honoring the inductees will be on display at the Mason County Fairgrounds during fair week, and then will be moved to a permanent placement at the West Virginia Farm Museum.

In order to nominate someone for the Agricultural Hall of Fame, call the Mason County Career Center at 304-675-3039 to receive an application form.