The Greene County Farm Bureau Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award was presented to Bill Sutton of Jefferson at the 2022 Greene County Farm Bureau member appreciation picnic July 19 at the Grand Junction Community Center.
Board member Jim Giese made the presentation after reading the following:
“This year’s Greene County Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service to Ag Award goes to an individual who served as a county Farm Bureau board director from Hardin township from 2002 until 2018.
“Let’s step back a few years and note our recipient grew up on the family farm north of Jefferson and graduated from Jefferson High School. Post high school studies took him to Iowa State University where he earned a bachelor of arts degree from Iowa State University in speech and journalism.
“For 41 years, he commercially produced corn and soybeans in the county. Over the years his interest in energy production heightened.
“In 2007 our award winner co-developed Hardin Hilltop Wind, LLC near Jefferson. It is a 14.7 MW facility and was the first community-owned commercial windfarm in the state. Today, he still shares in some of the management duties for this windfarm.
“2012 brought another opportunity when he co-developed the 8 MW Junction Hilltop Wind project where he currently serves on its management team. There are five 1.6 MW GE turbines in the windfarm which have shown an outstanding record of profitability. Management responsibilities include working with legal, accounting, tax preparation, maintenance, insurance, public relations, or any other job that needs attention.
“His continued interest in energy production resulted in the installation of a 10-kW solar photovoltaic array, which offset his household and EV recharging needs. Also built in December of 2012, it continues to produce energy as a grid-tied system.
“One of his many accomplishments was his involvement on a team effort in 2016 that brought 44-kW of solar photovoltaic generation to the Grand Junction Municipal Utility. This was in conjunction with a new community center that was being built, which we are currently sitting in. The community center is a net zero energy facility with the solar array completely offsetting the building’s consumption. This is a premier building on Main Street in Grand Junction.
“As mentioned earlier, our recipient was a member of the Greene County Farm Bureau board of directors for 16 years. Under his leadership as vice president in 2005 and president in 2006, 2007, and 2008 the county Farm Bureau achieved many accolades one of which was being named an outstanding county Farm Bureau. He also served as the county’s voting delegate for three years where he represented the county Farm Bureau at the state level. A strong believer and supporter of young people, he and his wife coordinated Greene County Farm Bureau’s Bill Riley Talent Show for several years. Along with that, he was a presenter at the “energy” station at the county’s annual Ag in the Classroom farm tour for many years.
“In 2017, he retired from row crop farming to spend more time on special projects and on-going project management. Over the years, he has served on several energy advisory committees with Iowa Farm Bureau and continues to manage the family farm in Greene County and still helps with crop production. Our recipient also developed an aquaponics farm, combining a greenhouse and fishery, which uses an algae wastewater treatment system.
“On a personal note, he attends Abundant Life Ministries and is an elder within the church. He is married to Donna, and they have two children – Sarah Nazar, a missionary to Honduras, married to Edward; and a son Zachary, an emergency room physician, married to Megan. They also have three grandchildren.
“It is with great pleasure that Greene County Farm Bureau presents the 2022 Greene County Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service to Agriculture award to Bill Sutton of Jefferson.”
Sutton was then presented with a plaque to commemorate the honor.
