Agriculture Commissioner James Comer honored the winners of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s annual Poster and Essay Contest at the annual Kentucky Agriculture Day luncheon recently.

“The winning entries really captured this year’s theme – ‘Agriculture Grows My Community,’” Commissioner Comer said. “Agriculture is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of income in Kentucky communities of every size. Agriculture also is an important part of Kentucky’s heritage. I congratulate these young people for their efforts, and I thank their parents and teachers for their support.”

Statewide winners in each grade were awarded $100 each.

Public school essay contest winners and schools in each grade, with their teachers’ names in parentheses, were:

1st grade – Isis Carballo, Custer Elementary School, Breckinridge County (Cheryl Van de Streek)

2nd grade – Vincent Mayfield, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Lisa Clark)

3rd grade – Andy Peeples, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Cynthia Owens)

8th grade – Tucker Woolum, Pineville Middle School, Bell County (Elizabeth Madon)

10th grade – Aaron Elswick, LaRue County High School, (Misty Bivens)

11th grade – April Webb, LaRue County High School, (Misty Bivens)

12th grade – Laura Jane Phelps, Woodford County High School, (Tracy Probst)

Public school poster contest winners and schools in each grade, with their teachers’ names in parentheses, were:

1st grade – Benjamin Wheat, Squires Elementary School, Fayette County (Shirla Ramey)

3rd grade – Zoe Barker, Deer Park Elementary, Daviess County (Cynthia Owens)

4th grade – Jacob DeFevers, Austin Tracy Elementary School, Barren County (Sarah Vetter)

6th grade – Anna Avery, Memorial Elementary School, Hart County (Sarah Vetter)

7th grade – Maria Campos, Warren East Middle School, Warren County (Susan Comer)

8th grade – Heather Bensinger, King Middle School, Mercer County (Tiffany Penn)

9th grade – Anna Lee, Metcalfe County High School (Chris Long)

10th grade – Emily Jeter, Metcalfe County High School (Chris Long)

11th grade – Allison Davis, Mercer County High School, (Julia Snellan)

12th grade – Taylor DeWeese, Metcalfe County High School (Chris Long)

The statewide winner of the Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Contest also was honored at the luncheon. Holden Underwood of Nelson County received a check for $1,000 from Michael Morgan, a Kentucky sales representative for Bonnie Plants. Holden grew a cabbage that weighed 20.5 pounds.

To find out more about the Poster and Essay Contest, go to www.kyagr.com/marketing/poster-essay-contest.html.