Spavinaw Creek for water. As stewards of the land, we believe it’ s our responsibility to do everything we can to protect it.”“ We want everyone to enjoy the same great meals with the high-quality meat we do,” Whitney said.“ Our beef is all natural with no added hormones, raised from start to finish right here in Northwest Arkansas. Our beef is USDA inspected and dry aged for a minimum of 14 days. There’ s really nothing better. And our beef is available to the public sold in individual cuts at the Hiwasse Mercantile. Our hope is for you to eat healthy, have full bellies and happy hearts with the ones you love, too.”

Better cattle handling facilities and advances in animal nutrition have changed dramatically in the last 50 years since Phillip and Alta Fletcher started farming.

“ Genetic tracking and record keeping has allowed producers to see what areas of their operation can be improved upon and maximize genetic potential in reproduction,” Michael said.“ Modern hay equipment has made it possible to put up a lot more hay in a shorter amount of time.”

Michael and Whitney believe the family farms in America are still strong and thriving, but they are concerned about the rising prices.

“ I believe that the small cow / calf operations across America are still the backbone of our industry,” Michael said.“ The majority of family farms in the U. S. are relatively small and have less 50 cows, but still outnumber large

operations. I am, however, concerned about the price of land and operational costs. I’ ve seen many producers make the tough decision to sell out rather than to continue to struggle.”

The Fletcher’ s are thankful to be named Farm Family of the Year and hope it is an inspiration for those who are considering following in their footsteps.

“ It is an honor to represent Benton County agriculture,” they said.“ We are excited for the opportunity and hope to help encourage the next generation of farmers and ranchers in Arkansas.”