The Wayne County Livestock Development Association presented eight scholarships and two awards during its meeting on Monday evening.
The WCLDA Scholarship Committee (Jan Archer, Milton Ingram, Jennifer Johnson, and Eric Shivar) received eight applications. The committee recommended to the WCLDA Board of Directors that all eight be awarded scholarships this year for a total expenditure of $22,500. The Board approved this recommendation.
The scholarship recipients were: Michaela Gray (Wayne Christian, $1,500), Jacob Coates (Southern Wayne, $3,000), Oliver Thomas (Wayne Christian, $3,000), Harley Marie Haley (C.B. Aycock, $3,000), Isaac Linton (Countryview Academy, $3,000), Raelee Boren (Boren Academy, $3,000), Tara Anne Burnham (Wayne School of Engineering, $3,000), Aaron Whiting (Southern Wayne, $3,000).
The requirements for the scholarships were each recipient must be a senior at a Wayne County High School or have graduated from a high school in Wayne County. They must also provide transcripts, and two letters of reference, complete a four-page application, and have been an active participant in WCLDA activities and/or Wayne County FFA or 4H Programs.
Brothers Bryan and Eric Jones received the WCLDA Producer Award.
Wayne County Cooperative Extension Director Kevin Johnson received the WCLDA Service Award. Johnson has announced his retirement from his role with the Cooperative Extension.
Bryan and Eric grew up in the Rosewood community, going to church, playing sports, and visiting their uncle’s farm on the weekend. Other than helping on weekend and the summer, a garden at their parent’s house was the limit of their “farming” experience growing up.
Those weekends and dedication they saw of their uncle must have made an impact. Rosewood FFA experiences and their education at Wayne Community College definitely helped increase their love of farming. Both Bryan and Eric currently farm full-time, with crops and livestock.
Bryan completed an internship at NCDA Cherry Research Farm following his graduation from Wayne Community College. He was hired after only 2 weeks, where he worked part time at the Dairy and then worked there for 8 years full time as a research technician and then a research specialist. Bryan left Cherry Farm in 2021 to farm full time.
He currently operates a feeder to finish hog operation, cow-calf pairs, and grows wheat, hay, soybeans and corn. He is married to Christy Jones and has two children.
Upon his graduation, Eric took an internship with Case Farms. He eventually became a turkey serviceman at Butterball, serving Wayne, Duplin, and Lenoir counties.
In 2015, Eric bought his own breeding gilt farm and hasn’t looked back. Pigs are definitely a passion of his! Over the years he has added soybeans, wheat, oats and hay to his operation. This year was also a big year for Eric—he bought and renovated a broiler farm in Harnett County, and contracted with Mountaire to further diversify his operation.
Eric is married to Brandy Jones and has 4 children.
Both Bryan and Eric are active in their community, church, and children’s schools. In their limited free time, they enjoy going to the beach, the mountains, and sporting events.
