written by Marlee Jackson
Faith. Family. Farming.
These ideals have had an impact on Ricky Wiggins for seven decades.
It’s fitting that the humble, hardworking farmer earned the highest distinction at an annual gathering featuring the same theme stated Federation Chairman Jimmy Parnell.
“Ricky has to be one of the people who you can sit down with and chat about life and farming,” Parnell said. “He’s an incredibly thoughtful person and a man with even greater faith. This is evident. Ricky is driven to be a good person in his land, whether it’s located in Covington County, or even in Washington, D.C. fighting for reforms to farm policies. I’m honored to award Ricky with this Service to Agriculture Award.”
Since 1965 Since 1965, since 1965, the Service to Agriculture Award has been awarded to Federation leaders and politicians, as well as farmers, and pioneering researchers for their work that has benefited farmers as well as rural Alabama. Wiggins was awarded the award at General Session II Dec. 4 in Montgomery.
Former Federation Southeast Area vice president, Wiggins has a strong moral compass as well as a sharp business intuition that was honed by triumphs and challenges on the farm of his parents in Andalusia.
Wiggins joined forces along with his dad, Gene and Gene on a diverse family farm situated in the Carolina community shortly after his wedding to wife Sharon in the year 1971. Within 10 years the farm had grown to include peanuts as well as soybeans, corn custom harvesting, and hogs and kids Heather, Russell, Shonna and Kristen.
The beginning of the 1980s saw a devastating local droughts, crippling rates of interest and declining prices for commodities. Farmers throughout all of the U.S. were in foreclosure which included Wiggins’.
“I was in my office at evening, and it was threatening to occur,” said Wiggins, now age 73. “I was crying, praying and trying to figure out. I said, “Lord. Thank you. I’m not sure what I’ll end up doing down the road however, whatever I do I will be more of a man as well as a better husband a better father, and a better Christian and will certainly become a better businessman regardless of the farm or wherever I currently.'”
A few days later, a kind Samaritan came forward to assist in saving the farm. It was a generous gift by God, Wiggins said.
“We are still struggling and tough times however God has been good to us. Lord has been gracious for us,”” the pastor said.
After the recession, Wiggins streamlined the farm to the current crop of peanuts and cotton, and cattle for stocking. He also worked with Russell after the younger Wiggins graduated in agriculture from Auburn University (all three sisters went to the land grant school as well).
The Wigginses strongly believe in conservation tillage. This was initially implemented by the farm’s owners in using strip tillage and cover crops.
“The primary reason is erosion control,”” Wiggins said. “Everyone was saying”No until there was no yield. There was no belief in it in the past.”
After a couple of years, it became clear that their soil wasn’t being washed away.
The subsequent shift to cover crops that have high residuals made work in the field more difficult, but it also increased soil quality and increased organic matter. The yields also increased.
“We are adamant, and even supporters, of conservation Tillage,” Wiggins said. “I consider it to be one of the most beneficial things we’ve done.”
In addition to improvements on the farm Russell’s return also allowed Wiggins to increase his involvement in the Federation in which he’d previously been a member of the State Young Farmers Committee. He was a member of on the Covington Board of the County Farmers Federation, was District 10 director, and took on the leadership positions through commodity organizations. Wiggins became the Southeast Area vice president in 1998.
Wiggins has also discovered a passion for policy on agriculture. He shared his thoughts based on personal experiences led him to testify before Capitol Hill as well as discussions on the farm bill with decision makers high in Covington county cotton.
Wiggins was a major player also, when the Federation was a member of with the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2004 in response to Alabama farmers the need for an international voice.
In the present, Wiggins intentionally invests in the interconnected tenets of family, faith and farming. A smile appears on his face when he talks about Sharon’s and his “fiercely self-sufficient” family of 13 children. They are A tight-knit group that prioritizes meals, holidays and the worship services at Carolina Baptist Church.
This is in addition to agriculture-related work and involvement. Wiggins is the chair of the Alabama Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation but is stepping off of other responsibilities to inspire younger generations to take on the role of serving.
A man with few phrases, Wiggins is quick to be awed by his colleagues.
“There’s many individuals who are excellent leaders, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with in the past five decades,” He said. “Anyone you speak to or meet, you could take lessons from.”
The article Wiggins gets Service to Agriculture award from Alabama Farmers Federation appeared first on The Andalusia Star-News.
