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Farmers representing 16 Alabama commodities elected leaders, discussed priorities and reviewed research aimed at improving productivity during the Alabama Farmers Federation’s annual Commodity Organization Meeting Feb. 3-5 in Montgomery.

Arlie Powell of Chilton County was elected to serve on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Horticulture Committee Feb. 4 during the Federation’s Commodity Organization Conference in Montgomery.

Nearly 600 farmers attended the three-day meeting at the Embassy Suites Hotel where commodity leaders also helped establish Federation policy.

Federation Governmental and Agricultural Programs Department Director Brian Hardin said the meeting is part of the foundation of the state’s largest farm organization.

“It is the members elected to these state committees who provide the leadership and guidance for the Federation in every area of agricultural production,” Hardin said.

In addition to electing new commodity leaders, the meeting honored outgoing commodity committee members during lunch each day. The members and their committees were Lionel Evans, Limestone County, Bee & Honey; Gerry Holmes, Morgan County, Beef; Lance Whitehead, Fayette County, Cotton; Russ Runyan, Walker County, Forestry; Joe Adams, Bullock County, Horticulture; Bonnie Shanholtzer, Autauga County, Equine; Tommy Odom, Mobile County, Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod; Hank Richardson, Cherokee County, Greenhouse, Nursery and Sod; and Johnny Bryant, Calhoun County, Soybean.

Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard was the keynote luncheon speaker for the first meeting day, followed by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Steve Musser of the Natural Resources Conservation Service on day two and Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan on the final day.