Members of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Farm-City Committee got together Friday for the first time since the committee was named the state’s Best Farm-City Committee in Division II on April 2.

The Pike County Farm-City Committee also received awards for Best Media/Proclamation and Best Special Activities.

Randy Hale, committee chair, said Friday was the best opportunity to bring committee members together to be recognized for their accomplishments.

“These awards are committee awards and we have about 40 members on the committee,” Hale said. “I just happened to be the one who got to stand up in Birmingham and accept the awards. I wish that every member of the committee could be here to be recognized.”

Hale said being named the Best Farm-City Committee in Division II, which includes all counties with a population of 36,500 or less, is an quite an accomplishment.

“A lot of thoughtful planning and a lot of time and effort went into the events for the year and all of them were very successful,” he said. “I appreciate all the work that went into each event.”

Hale said the Pike County Farm-City Committee received the Best Farm-City Committee award in Division II in 2011.

“This is only the second time that we have received this award and it does not come easy,” he said. “The committee was successful in receiving the top award in Division II because the responsibility for the events and activities was spread among “responsible people.”

“We set up sub-committees and the responsibility was spread among all the members,” he said. “Each sub-committee was given a specific responsibility and they took charge and did an outstanding job.”

Hale said the work Farm-City committees do all across the nation is vastly important.

“I’ve said before that, during each of our lives, we might need a lawyer or a preacher or the government but we eat three times every day,” he said. “We must depend on our farmers every day of the year. So, we need to continually remind people where our food comes from.”

The Pike County Farm-City Committee is a working committee of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. Farm-City Week is the focus of the committee’s activities and events but the committee works year around in support of the agricultural community and to promote its relationship with the urban community.”

For more information about the Farm-City Committee or to volunteer with the committee, call the Chamber office at 334-566-2294.