PENDLETON – Several Eastern Oregon farmers and a Long Creek rancher were among those honored March 18 at the annual Ag Progress Awards dinner.

The honorees were cited for protecting the resources of the land, adding value to their products, being ambassadors for agriculture and providing leadership for their communities.

Oregon’s FFA, celebrating its 80th anniversary, also received recognition for its role in developing leadership, personal growth and career success of its members and for the valuable ways the organization’s 4,600 members in 104 chapters serve their communities.

The awards included:

Leadership in Conservation: Mike, Charlie and Ellis Barlow and brother-in-law Ralph Hadley received recognition for their efforts to improve water efficiency, soil conservation and nutrient management on their land near Nyssa.

Excellence in Education: The FFA was recognized for embracing new challenges, developing life skills and providing “learning experiences that transform young men and women into leaders.” FFA members have also been involved in their communities to help with work projects that help others.

It was also celebrated that, for the first time in 20 years, “the national FFA has an officer from Oregon … a proud achievement considering there are 7,000 chapters nationwide.”

High-Value Products: The Zielinski family and their EZ Orchards farm near Salem were honored for not only producing a high-quality product but also making it a memorable experience for consumers.

Excellence in Marketing: Earl Brown and Sons Growing and Packing Inc., located in Milton-Freewater, ships about 750,000 boxes “of fresh apples a year to customers around the world, making it the largest apple growing and packing operation in all of Oregon. The computerized packing line is modern and efficient, ensuring that a high-quality fruit product maintains its advantages in the marketplace.”

Individual Contributions:

? Sharon Livingston, a rancher in Long Creek, was honored for her “tireless efforts to help the overall ag industry.” In 2005, she became the second woman to be elected president of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. “Under her leadership, OCA tackled a number of issues critical to the industry including marketing, grazing, water and protection from predators,” the audience was told.

In the past year, Livingston was appointed by the USDA secretary to the national Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion Board.

? Clint Shock is a professor and superintendent at the Malheur Experiment Station in Ontario. He received credit for his “administration, research and overall assistance to the growers of Eastern Oregon” and for being an “ambassador of agricultural goodwill to some of the poor nations of the world” for his work in South America and Africa.

? Reid Saito is owner-operator of KLG Farms, a 1,000-acre farm at Nyssa that grows a variety of crops, primarily onions. He was recognized for his involvement with the Malheur County Onion Growers Association. He has been an adviser to the Malheur Experiment Station and volunteered his own farm for demonstration projects.

ODA Employees of the Year: Diana Walker, Geographical Information Systems coordinator, and Casey Prentiss, the Ontario District manager of the Shipping Point Inspection Program, received awards for distinguished service.