By Laura Crosio
Local farmer Danny Kornegay has been named the 2015 North Carolina winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award. He joins nine other state winners as finalist for the prize.
The Princeton-area farmer has over 40 years of experience growing tobacco, sweet potatoes, row crops and raising hogs on 5,500 acres, including 2,900 acres of rented land and 2,600 owned acres. He farms in three North Carolina and two South Carolina counties.
Kornegay will now advance to the finals, which will be held on Oct. 20 at the Sunbelt Ag Expo farm show in Moultrie, Ga. But Kornegay says the honor is really a family effort. Johnston County Commissioners recently presented him, wife Suzie, and children, daughter, Kim and son, Dan, with a special proclamation honoring the family’s farm and celebrating Danny’s award.
As the North Carolina state winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo award, Kornegay will now receive a $2,500 cash award and an expense paid trip to the Sunbelt Expo He is now eligible for the $15,000 cash award that will go to the overall winner.
“It’s an honor,” said Kornegay. “I love Johnston County and we have a lot of good things going on.”
