Conservation Farmer of the Year 2015
Hoggard Farms
Russell & Russ Hoggard
Both Russell and Russ Hoggard have been around agriculture their entire lives, both being raised on the farm. Russell began farming in 1956 at the age of 19 after losing his parents in a fatal car accident in February of that year. Russ has also remained close to his roots on the farm although after returning from college, he decided to work off the farm for Ciba-Geigy, Terra, Syngenta, and now State Farm Insurance. Russell and Russ' partnership, Hoggard Farms, was established in 1992. Together they farm 4,000 acres in New Madrid County. The Hoggards raise cotton, corn, rice, soybeans, and wheat.
Russell was born in 1936 in the JY community where he has lived with a ¼ mile of his boyhood home for 78 years. He and his wife, Cookie, have two children, Rena and Russ. Russ was also raised in the JY community and now lives east of Portageville. He and Missy together have 6 kids, Sara Beth, Todd, Chase, Macie, Mallary, and Caleb. Russell and Russ are both members of St. Eustachius Church. Russ has been a Parish council and SES school board member—president of the SES school board for 2 years and Parish Council President for 3 years.
When not farming, you can find both Russell and Russ in the deer stand or watching one of the kids play sports. Russ also enjoys spending time at Norfork Lake in the summer and somewhere warm, with a beach, in the winter.
We honor Hoggard Farms for their dedication to preserving our natural resources. Just this past year, they completed contracts with the district for drop-pipe structures, as well as enrolled over 2,900 acres into a CSP contract. Hoggard Farms has worked with the district in previous years and have also participated in the EQIP program. The Hoggard are great to work with and are excellent stewards of our land.
We would like to thank Russell and Russ Hoggard of Hoggard Farms for helping our office put conservation on the ground.