(SEDALIA, Mo.) – The 2014 Missouri State Fair announced today two outstanding female agriculturalists, selected in a second annual contest sponsored by Monsanto. Tammy Bartholomew of Archie received the contest title of Missouri Woman in Agriculture, and Ashlyn Richardson of Lincoln received the title of Missouri Woman in Agriculture Rising Star. Each winner will receive a $1,000 cash donation from Monsanto, for a non-profit organization of her choice.
“The Missouri Woman in Agriculture Contest offers the opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievements women make in our state's number one industry,” Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe said. “The two women receiving top honors this year have demonstrated leadership in agriculture, a commitment to advance agriculture, and extensive State Fair participation.”
Mrs. Bartholomew, the winner of the 31 year old and over age division, is a retired agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor, and has served as the first female President of the Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association. She has been actively involved in several other agriculture-related groups including the National and Missouri Cattlemen’s Associations, and American and Missouri Angus Associations. She and her husband, Steve, and daughters Hannah Bartholomew and Rachel Kagay and her husband Bryant, raise registered Angus cattle.
Mrs. Bartholomew has been active in the Missouri State Fair for many years, as an agriculture educator, Cass County Farm Family representative and as an exhibitor. The Missouri FFA Leadership Fund will be the agriculture-related beneficiary of the $1,000 donation sponsored by Monsanto.
Miss Richardson, winner of the 18-30 year old age division, is a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying Agriculture Education-Leadership and serves as a College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Student Ambassador. She is an active member of Missouri FFA and 4-H, serving as an officer in each of those organizations. Miss Richardson has attended the Missouri State Fair each year of her life, participating through 4-H and FFA exhibiting cattle.
“The experiences that I have shared with the Missouri State Fair are certainly second to none," Miss Richardson said. "Growing up only twenty miles from the Fairgrounds, August has always been a time that every day is spent attending the Fair. My participation in the Fair will never cease.” Ashlyn chose the Missouri State Fair Foundation Youth in Agriculture Scholarship as the agriculture-related beneficiary of the $1,000 donation sponsored by Monsanto.
New to the contest this year were awards for second-place in each age division. Receiving second in the 31 year old and over age division was Marilyn Calvin of Mount Vernon. Receiving second in the 18-30 year old age division was Ashley Bauer of Warrenton. These women will receive plaques for their efforts, and all participants in the contest will receive certificates of acknowledgement in a special reception to be held in their honor Thursday, Aug. 14.
The State Fair will further emphasize women's roles in the industry in a pictorial exhibit of women involved in agriculture, on display again this year Aug.7-17 on the lawn of the Womans Building.
Free gate admission for all women will also be offered Aug. 14, as part of the focus on Missouri women agriculturalists. Special activities this day will include the Missouri First Lady’s Pie Contest, sponsored by Starline Brass and AgriMissouri, at 10 a.m. in the Home Economics Building, and the Missouri Travel Council’s trade show, A Celebration of Women, held 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Lowell Mohler Assembly Hall. Several prizes will be given away during the event, and a free Missouri craft beer and wine tasting event will start at 4 p.m. A wristband for the tasting will be available starting at 11 a.m. at the trade show, while supplies last.
The 112th Missouri State Fair, themed “Harvest the Fun,” will be held Aug. 7-17 in Sedalia. For more information about the events on Aug. 14 and other highlights during the Fair, visit www.mostatefair.com, follow the Fair on Facebook and Twitter, or call 1-800-422-FAIR (3247).
