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What a great way to kick off National Farm-City Week!
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The 2007 National Farm-City Week Kickoff Luncheon in Washington D.C. featured music, celebrities, awards and live media coverage. National Farm-City Council board member Mike Adams and host of the popular radio show, AgriTalk, broadcast live during the luncheon, interviewing a number of distinguished guests, including former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture John Block.
(Left: Chuck Zimmerman, from the agricultural blog site, AgWired also provided coverage of the luncheon online.) |
Rolling Stones keyboardist and tree farmer Chuck Leavell
Featured speaker; country artist Michael Peterson
Featured speaker and award-winning country music artist Michael Peterson provided entertainment in song and story.
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The success of the hit single, "Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie" catapulted Michael Peterson into the national spotlight in 1997 and the follow up release, "From Here To Eternity," earned the singer his first #1 hit. The self-titled debut disc was certified gold and Peterson was recognized as country music's top selling new male artist of 1997 and 1998.
As Michael often says, “Music drives emotion and emotion drives action.” And, the Farm-City Council is a perfect venue for Michael who, not long ago, knew very little about the farm. |
But, how time changes things: Today, Michael Peterson is a spokesman for agriculture. When U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns stood backstage at the 2006 Commodity Classic listening to the performance, he told Michael he liked his message and extended an on-the-spot invitation for Michael to visit his USDA office. The invitation was accepted and executed!
| Not long after Michael performed a song written by two soldiers, Michael was on a plane with General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a nearly 12-nation tour, including Iraq, to raise the spirits of our men and women in uniform.
Shortly after a meeting with representatives of CASN (Childhood Agricultural Safety Network), Michael became an official spokesman for its tractor safety campaign. Marilyn Adams, founder of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, is a member of the network, and is also on the National Farm-City Council Board. |
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After Michael made an appearance at the 2006 National FFA Convention, he was invited back to take part in six venues in the 2007 convention. In fact, Michael has used his celebrity to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local FFA and 4-H organizations, Breast Cancer Awareness, Make a Wish, Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, USO, and even the Legacy Scholarship Fund of the American Legion, an organization for which he is now the national spokesperson.
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Not bad for a singer who hit the charts with songs such as “From Here to Eternity” and "Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie" – both, by the way, are love songs. Michael Peterson loves people and finds friends with every handshake.
(Left: Michael Peterson with National Farm-City Chair Al Pell.)
And what would the kick-off luncheon be without recognizing the hard-work of Farm-City Committees across the country? |
National Farm-City Council Chair Al Pell presented national awards for outstanding accomplishment to:
- Frederick County Farm Bureau Women, Maryland
- Coffee County Farm-City Committee, Alabama
- Chambers County Farm-City Committee, Alabama
- Long Island Farm Bureau, New York
- Chautauqua County Farm Bureau, New York
State awards for outstanding accomplishment were presented to:
- Reno County Farm Bureau, Kansas
- Greenville County Farm-City Committee, South Carolina
- Lexington County Farm-City Week Committee, South Carolina
- Richland County Farm-City Week Committee, South Carolina
- Beaufort County Farm-City Week Committee, South Carolina
- Saluda County Farm-City Week Committee South Carolina
- Darlington County Farm-City Week Committee, South Carolina
Thank you, sponsors!
As a table sponsors, the following companies play an important role in bringing about better understanding between urban and rural people.
- American Bankers Association
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture
- H.B. Fritz and Associates
- New Holland
- Missouri Farm Bureau Federation
- Monsanto
- Osborn & Barr Communications
If you missed the Kickoff Luncheon, you can still get a taste of the excitement online at AgriTalk or AgWired.
Photos courtesy of AgWired.
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