Jason and Paige Pratt of Pulaski County have been named this year’s Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Excellence in Agriculture Award winners.

They were honored at the VFBF Young Farmers Summer Expo in Franklin.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes individuals for their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations.

Jason Pratt is an agriculture agent for Virginia Cooperative Extension and works on his family farm with his father. Paige Pratt is an Extension specialist at Virginia Tech and oversees youth livestock programs across the state.

The couple, who married in May, have long been involved with Farm Bureau and are interested in improving genetics on their farm.

The Pratts will receive a new chain saw from Mid-Atlantic Stihl, up to 200 hours’ use of a Kubota utility vehicle from Kubota Tractor Corp., up to $5,000 toward the purchase of the vehicle from the Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., $1,000 toward the purchase of the vehicle from the VFB Health Insurance Companies, and $750 toward the purchase of the vehicle from the VFBF Young Farmers Program. They also will receive a travel package to the 2011 VFBF Annual Convention in Norfolk, the 2012 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Honolulu and the 2012 VFBF Young Farmers Winter Expo in Leesburg.

Fred and Amanda Wydner of Pittsylvania County are this year’s Excellence in Agriculture Award runners-up.

Fred Wydner is Pittsylvania County’s agriculture development director, and Amanda Wydner is an executive account manager for Certified Angus Beef.

They will receive $500 from Farm Bureau and a travel package to the 2012 AFBF convention.

With nearly 150,000 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 protecting Virginia’s farms and ensuring a safe, fresh and locally grown food supply.