The Chester County commissioners and the Chester County Agricultural Development Council (Ag Council) recently presented two annual agriculture awards.

The recipient of the Chester County Farmer of the Year award was Jamie Hicks, owner-operator of Hicks IV, a crop farming business on over 5,000 leased acres in Chester County and the surrounding region. Hicks also farms land for high-profile organizations, including Longwood Gardens and land trusts. His customers range from equestrians with a few horses to large-scale dairies. Hicks is known in the agriculture community for his entrepreneurial drive, sustainable farming practices, and innovative partnerships with research institutions such as Stroud Water Research Center.

Hicks sees promise in farmers driving agribusiness, the intersection of agriculture and business - from production and processing to distribution. He believes the way forward is with new markets and product opportunities and partnering with nontraditional customers interested in environmentally friendly packaging materials, like online retailers.

According to Hicks, Chester County is a great place to farm because of the easy access to ports and large consumer markets, including New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Hicks also noted that his business is geographically close to some of its clients, and the local area's mushroom industry provides resources such as fertilizer.

Hicks recommends that new farmers look at least 10 years into the future and anticipate how agricultural products can best serve emerging business trends. Working with more experienced farmers first is also crucial, he said.

Hicks was nominated for the Farmer of the Year Award by the Chester County Agricultural Development Council.

This year's Duncan Allison Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture went to the Baily family of Baily's Dairy of Pocopson Meadow Farm in West Chester. Three generations of the family operate Baily's Dairy, including patriarch Bernard Baily; daughter Becky Baily and her husband, Eric Cockroft; and daughter Meredith Parsons and her son Tyler Parsons.

The family was recognized for positively promoting local agriculture and serving as community ambassadors on the industry's behalf. The Bailys have played an integral role in hosting the Chester Valley Dairy 4-H club and leasing cows to young club members who would not otherwise be able to participate. The family is also deeply involved in helping to host the livestock portions of several area county fairs and festivals, which are often the first time children meet farmers and see livestock up close. Meredith, who oversees school field trips to the farm, said she especially loves working with the younger children because they may have read about farm animals but may never have seen them in person. The pandemic provided even more opportunities for the Baily family to make a difference, especially when its Chester Valley Dairy 4-H club members brought special bovine visitors to nearby Pocopson Home residents in the summer of 2020.

To learn more about Chester County's agriculture industry, visit http://www.chescofarming.org.