Local family wins Outstanding Young Farm Family award

Michael and Nora McCain of Washington County were honored as Kentucky Farm Bureau’s (KFB) 2011 “Outstanding Young Farm Family” during the organization’s 92nd annual meeting in Louisville.

Photo courtesy Farm Bureau

Michael and Nora McCain (center) received the 2011 “Outstanding Young Farm Family” award during Kentucky Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in Louisville. Presenting the award, are Mark Haney, KFB President (left) and David S. Beck, KFB Executive Vice President (right).

KFB annually awards this distinction to a couple under age 35 who has exhibited the strongest farm management skills, most consistent financial growth and highest level of involvement in both Farm Bureau and their community.
The McCains are row-crop producers in Washington County, raising approximately 4,200 acres of corn and soybeans plus another 16 acres of burley tobacco.
They own 190 acres and rent the remaining land that they farm.
Michael was raised on a beef cattle and tobacco farm and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in agricultural economics.
Nora’s family owns and operates a small grocery store in Meade County.
She has a degree in marketing from Western Kentucky University and works part-time in the circuit clerk’s office.
Today, Michael is responsible for the daily operations and labor on the farm while Nora handles finances, recordkeeping and public relations.
“We have had to build this business from the ground up,” said Michael. “Our farming operation has been established by building an acreage base through rental arrangements. Basically, we started by renting the small tracts of land that were either difficult to access with large equipment, too small for established operations or had fertility issues. In other words, we tried to get our feet in the door by farming land that nobody else wanted.”
The McCains plan to continue growing the farm into a 6,000-acre operation.
“We have worked to increase production on these farms and have gradually been able to lease larger and better tracts of land,” added Michael. “We are still in an expansion mode.”
The couple has also launched a few secondary enterprises over the past several years – including the sale of greenhouse-raised tobacco transplants and subcontracting right-of-way mowing for the State Highway Department in two nearby counties – as ways to increase cash receipts and expand their farm acreage.
Additionally, the McCains have improved their marketing capabilities by gradually expanding their grain storage capacity to 285,000 bushels.
They note that this is a dramatic increase from their humble beginnings 11 years ago when they had no on-farm grain storage, drying capabilities or in-house trucking.
Outside of life on the farm, Michael is a director for Washington County Farm Bureau and chairman of the young farmer committee.
He also serves as the secretary/treasurer for both the Kentucky Small Grain Grower’s Association and the Kentucky Livestock Coalition, is an active member of numerous other civic and commodity organizations, and is a graduate of KFB’s Leadership Enhancement for Agricultural Development (LEAD) program.
Nora serves on the Washington County women’s committee, volunteers her time at an elementary school mentoring program and Relay for Life, and is also a member of several commodity-based organizations.
The McCains have two children, ages 3 and 18 months. They hope to eventually pass the farm on to them.
“We have a strong desire to raise our children on the farm in hopes of instilling in them a strong work ethic, closeness in family, strong ties to community, and the importance of stewardship and resource protection,” Michael said. “We intend to grow our business to a scale that will enable our children to have the opportunity to return to production agriculture if they so choose.”
Washington County agriculture agent Rick Greenwell said the award was a high honor, and a very competitive one to earn.
He estimated over 30 local friends, family and Farm Bureau members were on hand to see the McCain’s receive the award.