January 24, 2008
Panaca Man Runner-Up In National Contest

Photo by Dave Maxwell Commissioner Paul Mathews, runner up in the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Contest.

By Dave Maxwell, Staff Writer

Paul Mathews of Panaca, Vice-President of the Nevada Farm Bureau, received a runner-up award in the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Contest. The award was made at the American Farm Bureau 2008 National Convention, January 12-15 in New Orleans.

As one of four runners-up, he will receive a Case IH DX compact tractor, courtesy of Case IH, and a $500 product voucher from Valvoline, and a wall plaque from the AFB. The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming and ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants were evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership, and leadership outside the Farm Bureau.

A 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Animal Science, Mathews is in partnership with his dad, Robert, and brother, Shane, running a feedlot operation of about 400 mother cows along with growing alfalfa hay and corn.

As Nevada Farm Bureau Vice-President, Mathews was selected to attend the National Convention. He said he had entered the Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Contest in December, 2007. He said the application form was a lengthy series of questions that focused on life achievements and leadership roles, both in agriculture and working on the farm, as well as community activities apart from farming/ranching. Mathews serves as a Lincoln County Commissioner, has served on the Panaca Farmstead Water Board, Farm Service Agency County Committee, and served in various church related functions.

Mathews said at the National Convention, 10 finalists were selected from among the contest applicants. One-on-one personal interviews were held with each of the finalists and during the general session meeting at the Convention, Jan. 14, the winner and four runners-up were announced. Paul said he was quite surprised when his name was read. The national winner was from Indiana, with the three other runners-up being from Arizona, Texas and Missouri.