Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
Local farmer Tyler Shadrick, of Shadrick Farms, in Pinetta, has been named one of three finalists for the 2025 Achievement in Agriculture award by Florida Farm Bureau. This award recognizes young farmers and ranchers between the ages of 18 and 35 who “excel in their involvement in agriculture, leadership abilities and participation in Farm Bureau and other civic and service organizations.” As part of the selection process, Shadrick Farms underwent an on-site visit by a group of judges as part of the process for final selection.
The winner of the Achievement in Agriculture Award will receive a $45,000 cash prize from Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Companies, an additional $500 cash award. The winner will also represent Florida during an all-expense paid trip to the 2026 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Anaheim, Calif., in January of 2026. The winner will be announced during the Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Orlando, in October.
Tyler, along with his wife, Emily, starts growing organic blueberries on their farm in 2019. Shadrick Farms is a USDA certified organic blueberry farm that uses a holistic approach to farming. They believe it is important to leave the land better than they found it. Both Tyler and Emily want future generations to be able to enjoy the Earth’s natural resources. To help accomplish this, they use processes such as drip irrigation, a weather station, precision fertilizer application and more. They also help promote wildlife with bird houses and buffer zones around their fields. In June of 2024, Shadrick Farms was awarded the Suwannee County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship Award.
Shadrick Farms can be found at 10129 NE Colin Kelly Hwy., in Pinetta.