New Jersey grower wins National Outstanding Young Farmer Award
New Jersey’s 2024 Outstanding Young Farmer Byron DuBois, of Salem County, was selected as a national winner at the 2024 National Outstanding Young Farmers Awards Congress held recently in Ferndale, Wash.
DuBois, with the support of his wife Karen, co-owns and operates Spring Brook Farms in Pittsgrove along with his father, Henry, according to a news release.
Byron DuBois was one of four national winners selected from a group of 10 finalists for the award based on their progress in an agricultural career, the extent of soil and water conservation practices and contributions to the well-being of the community, state and nation, according to the release.
“It was a whirlwind of emotions this past week as Karen and I were blessed to represent New Jersey and Spring Brook Farms at the Outstanding Farmers of America Congress as a top 10 national finalist of their National Outstanding Young Farmers program,” he said in the release. “All of the couples are amazing people and all well-deserved of their recognition. We were honored and humbled to have been chosen as one of the top four. It really could have been anyone in this great class of 2024."
DuBois, a seventh-generation farmer, gave credit to his family for Spring Brook’s success.
“I want to thank my parents, Henry and Marlene, for all the opportunities and support,” he said. “My sister, Crystal, for her hard work and dedication to the farm; my cousin, Steve, for always being there no matter what time of day; and every one of the Spring Brook Farms family current and past. Without these hard-working dedicated people, we could not do what we do. I am looking forward to growing lifelong friendships with the NOYF Class of 2024 as well as the many other members of the [Outstanding Farmers of America].”
National winners will receive a cash award from the Outstanding Farmers of America, and all finalists are presented the opportunity to travel to Washington. D.C., during National Ag Week in 2025, according to the release. In addition, all 2024 finalist registrants will be covered for their attendance at the 2025 National Outstanding Farmer Congress.
“The work Byron and his family have done over the past several years made them an exemplary candidate and we are proud they were recognized nationally with this honor,” NJDA Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joe Atchison III said in the release. “Byron’s passion for agriculture and vision for his family’s operation has made Spring Brook one of the outstanding farms in New Jersey as well as being a shining example to other farms in our state and the country.”
DuBois learned many intricacies of the business from his father. By the time he was a teenager, Byron DuBois was operating equipment for spinach harvest, combining grain and harvesting green beans, the release said. The primary crops grown on the more than 4,000 acres owned by DuBois and his father include carryover spinach, spring spinach, fall spinach, winter spinach, sweet corn, tomatoes, field corn, soybeans and wheat.
Throughout the years, DuBois has led the farm’s efforts to become more efficient in many facets of the operation, the release said. This includes upgrading equipment for quicker spinach and tomato harvests and using GPS technology for more precise planting, harvesting and treatment methods. The farm also uses detailed mapping information to find specific soil types in fields, which in turn has led to more economical use of fertilizers and irrigation, the release said.
The DuBois farm participates in the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Irrigation Water Management Programs, which have helped reduce soil erosion to allow water to drain from fields without soil disturbance, according to the release.
The National Outstanding Young Farmer program is the oldest farmer recognition program in the U.S., with the first group of national winners selected in 1955, according to the release. The program's goals are to foster better urban-rural relations through the understanding of farmers’ challenges, as well as the appreciation of their contributions and achievements; to bring about a greater interest in farmers and ranchers; and to help build an urban awareness of the farmers’ importance and impact on the U.S. economy.
The program is sponsored by Deere & Co., administered by the Outstanding Farmers of America Fraternity and supported by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, the National Association of Conservation Districts and the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce, the release said.
