MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — During the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF), Williamsburg Farmer Alan Everett received the 2018 John Ogonowski Award. The annual award is given to a Farm Bureau member who has demonstrated distinguished service to the organization, to agriculture and to the community.
MFBF established the award in 2001 as a memorial to John Ogonowski, longtime MFBF member, county leader and victim of the Sept. 11 attack. Ogonowski was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 11. He was actively involved in the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, serving as a mentor to immigrant farmers.
“I was pleased to present Alan with the 2018 Ogonowski award,” said MFBF President Mark Amato. “With more than 35 years of dedicated service to Farm Bureau, he was a deserving recipient of this award.”
Everett runs a small dairy farm with help from his three daughters, one son-in-law and Everett’s brother. He has been active in Farm Bureau since 1981 and currently serves as the Hampshire County representative to MFBF’s board of directors. He is also active in the farming industry as he is involved with the Pioneer Valley Milk Marketing Cooperative [Our Family Farms], the Williamsburg Ag Commission, Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers, Agrimark Cooperative and more.
He also is active in his community as he serves as a volunteer fire fighter. He also completed four years on the school building committee in Williamsburg.
“The Ogonowski award is meant to recognize those farmers that are not only a fixture in the Farm Bureau community but ones that give back to their own communities,” Amato said. “Alan has split his time between Farm Bureau, the dairy industry and his local community, making him an excellent award winner.”
Everett received the award on Nov. 29.
Congratulations, Alan!
–Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation
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