UPPER MARLBORO, MD – On September 28th, The Prince George’s Soil Conservation District recognized Randy DeVaughn at its 46th Annual Cooperator of the Year Awards Dinner. Almost 200 attendees gathered to celebrate the DeVaughn family after a two-year hiatus due to COVID precautions. The event was held at Robin Hill Farm and Vineyard, in Brandywine, Maryland. Located on the Legacy Wine Trail, Robin Hill is one of six active “farm wineries” in Prince George’s County. Their combined farm activities, winery and wedding venue exemplify the growing agri-tourism industry in the region.
The Annual Cooperator of the Year Dinner is the District’s premier annual event and is attended by the agricultural, construction and consumer communities. Conservation partners from Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Prince George’s County Government were in attendance to present proclamations and recognize the DeVaughn family for their outstanding soil and water conservation efforts.
The annual dinner affords an opportunity to showcase the significant economic and environmental contributions of the County’s agriculture community, and to recognize the outstanding soil and water conservation efforts of local producers.
Randy is a fourth generation Prince George’s County farmer, and his operation covers over 888 acres in multiple counties on 23 individual farms. Randy has worked closely with the Upper Marlboro Service Center (the District, MDA, NRCS and the Farm Service Agency) over the years, participating in state and federal programs and a variety of best management practices including no-till, nutrient management, conservation crop rotation, hay plantings and cover crop.
The DeVaughn family farms have been preserved through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) and Rural Legacy Programs, preserving the farms in agriculture in perpetuity. Randy’s hard work ensures the family farm will be successful so it may be passed on to the next generation and is well deserving of this year’s award.
The District appreciates the continued support of its cooperators, conservation partners and county stakeholders in celebrating Randy DeVaughn as the 2019 Prince George’s Soil Conservation District Cooperator of the Year.
