The Virginia Beach Excellence in Agriculture Award is an annual award given to a farmer or farmers who have made significant contributions to the agriculture industry in Virginia Beach. Winners are selected by the Virginia Beach Excellence in Agriculture Committee. Nominees are voted upon by past winners.
The award is given to its recipient or recipients during an annual awards banquet held in coordination with the Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture. In recent years, the banquet has been held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
In addition to the Excellence in Agriculture Award, other recognitions are bestowed during the banquet. These are the Special Recognition Award and the Friend of Agriculture Award. These are awarded to people who may or may not be farmers for their support of farming or contributions to the industry.
Excellence in Agriculture Award Winners
- W. Clark Fleming [1966]
- E.R. Cockrell Jr. [1967]
- W.R. Malbon Jr. [1968]
- R.H. DeFord Jr. [1969]
- Frank T. Williams [1970]
- Fred Jackson [1971]
- R.H. DeFord Sr., John Potter and Kenneth Whitehurst Sr. [1974]
- Norris Shirley [1975]
- Ralph Frost [1978]
- Edward Vaughan [1979]
- Bonney Bright [1980]
- Paul McKown [1981]
- William Sawyer and Robert Midgett [1982]
- J. Curtis Payne [1983]
- Donald Horsley [1984]
- S. Blair Myers [1985]
- Floyd Waterfield Jr. [1986]
- Alex Brown [1987]
- Everett Sawyer [1988]
- Eugene Daniels [1989]
- John Baum [1990]
- Arnold Dawley [1991]
- Earl Teabault [1992]
- Steve Barnes [1993]
- Louis Cullipher [1994]
- R. David Flanagan [1995]
- Alvah L. Dawley [1996]
- David Salmons [1997]
- Barry Knight [1998]
- Robert White Sr. and Robert White Jr. [1999]
- Larry Bearden [2000]
- John Cromwell [2001]
- Horace Malbon [2002]
- John Williams Sr. [2003]
- H.M. Dudley Jr. [2004]
- Marvin “Pete” Dozier[2005]
- Michael L. Cullipher [2006]
- Mr. & Mrs. G. Winston Henley, Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Henley and Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Henley [2007]
- William P. “Billy” Vaughan [2008]
- Robert P. “Bobby” Vaughan [2009]
- James Howard Salmons Sr. [2010]
- Land of Promise Farms [2011]
- Brookdale Farm [2012]
- C.I. Meiggs Sr. and C.I. Meiggs Jr. [2013]
- Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture [2014]
- E. Ronald Spence [2015]
- J.T. Morris, Nelson Eddy Morris and Nelson Scott Morris [2016]
- David E. Trimmer [2017]
- Bart Frye [2018]
Sources:
- Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture
- Virginia Beach Excellence in Agriculture Committee