Dr. Mary Tomlinson of Galax has been named Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s 2017 Farm Woman of the Year. She was honored during the VFBF Spring Conference, held March 17-19 in Williamsburg.

The award recognizes recipients’ contributions to family, home, farm business, community and Farm Bureau.

Tomlinson is a dairy farmer and a large animal veterinarian at Healing Springs Large Animal hospital in Galax.

“As Farm Bureau Woman of the Year, I hope to expand my reach to students and teach them about the importance of supporting agriculture in their communities,” Tomlinson said. “I plan to hold an internship program where I have students come with me on large animal veterinary farm calls and give them the opportunity to see farm work up close.”

She is the third generation to operate her family’s farm, Cresthaven Farms, where she and her husband reside and milk 200 Holsteins. Tomlinson is in charge of herd management and develops all herd health protocols. She enjoys visiting local schools to talk to children about agriculture and having elementary school classes tour the dairy.

Tomlinson serves on the Agriculture Advisory Committee for Grayson County Schools and is a supporter of the Grayson County Youth Livestock Show and Carroll County Agriculture Fair. She also is involved with the Carroll-Grayson Cattle Producers Association and serves as on-site veterinarian for the association’s sales.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in dairy science and animal and poultry sciences from Virginia Tech and a doctorate of veterinary medicine from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

Tomlinson received $500 from the Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., a tablet computer, a trip to the 2017 VFBF Annual Convention in Williamsburg and an all-expense paid trip to the 2018 American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention in Nashville, Tenn.

With 126,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to supporting Virginia’s agriculture industry and preserving the Virginia way of life.

Contact Sara Owens, VFBF communications, at 804-290-1133 or Angela Haskovec, VFBF Women’s Program coordinator, at 804-290-1031.