By Blake Jackson
The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service annually bestows the Thomas Poe Cooper Farm Leadership Award, honoring outstanding contributions in agriculture, 4-H, family and consumer sciences, or community and economic development. The award, established by former Dean Thomas Poe Cooper, was recently conferred upon Clayton Geralds and Frank Penn for their exemplary leadership in Kentucky.
Clayton Geralds, renowned for his commercial hay farm in Munfordville, shifted from dairy farming in the 1980s to focus on high-quality hay production. His innovations in hay, particularly alfalfa hay, have garnered national recognition. Geralds actively contributes to the Hart County Farm Bureau, Hart County Cattlemen's Association, and held leadership roles in the National Hay Association, Kentucky, and American Forage and Grassland Councils.
Frank Penn, proprietor of Pennbrook Farm, is a recipient of the Thomas Poe Cooper Award, boasting a farming legacy dating back to the late 1960s. Penn's diversified agricultural pursuits include tobacco, cattle, corn, soybeans, and sod. Notably, Pennbrook Farm is acclaimed for its Thoroughbred racing and sales. Beyond farming, Penn's extensive service encompasses roles on boards such as the Kentucky Ag Development Board, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and Kentucky Equine Education Project. He played a pivotal role in the Council for Burley Tobacco and held leadership positions in the Kentucky Farm Bureau, leaving a lasting impact on the Fayette County Farm Bureau Board through endowments and support for local scholarship programs.
Geralds and Penn, reflect a commitment to advancing agriculture and community welfare. Their transformative leadership, recognized through the Thomas Poe Cooper Farm Leadership Award, underscores the vital role of individuals in shaping Kentucky's agricultural landscape.
For more information about Extension or the Thomas Poe Cooper Farm Leadership Award, visit http://extension.ca.uky.edu/.
Photo Credit: university-of-kentucky
Categories: Kentucky, Business, Education