The first couple ever recognized with the Distinguished Service to Virginia Farm Bureau Award was announced Nov. 30 at the organization’s 2023 Annual Convention in Virginia Beach.

Peanut and cotton growers M.L. and Jeannette Everett hail from Southampton County, where they have built a legacy as public servants and advocates for agriculture. Long-time friends and colleagues say they lead by example, are true to their word, sustain an immaculate farm operation and are committed to conservation practices.

The award was initiated in 1966, established to honor those who have demonstrated exceptional service to advancing statewide agriculture and Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

The Everetts have served in a leadership capacity on several Farm Bureau committees and boards.

Jeannette shared her talents with the VFBF Women’s Leadership Committee––both statewide and on the county level.

“She’s known as a quiet worker, seeing projects through to the end,” said Faye Hundley, VFBF Women’s Leadership Committee chair.

Jeannette’s projects included assisting local fire departments and rescue squads in mapping 911 addresses for every farm in Southampton County. In her career, she served as deputy of the Southampton commissioner of the revenue, and now chairs the Community Electric Cooperative board of directors. She also is an outspoken breast cancer survivor and awareness advocate.

M.L. sits on the Southampton County Farm Bureau board and the Farm Bureau state board of directors, now in his sixth term, serving farmers in Charles City, Dinwiddie, Greensville, James City, New Kent, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, Sussex and York counties. It’s a distinction he shares with his late father, as both held a state Farm Bureau board and county Farm Bureau president seat. M.L. currently serves on the boards of the Virginia Peanut Growers Marketing Association and the Chowan Basin Soil and Water Conservation District. He previously served on the boards of the Virginia Peanut Growers Association and Virginia Cotton Growers Association. He currently chairs the VFBF Peanut Advisory and Cotton Advisory committees, and holds a seat on the Countryway Insurance Co. board of directors.

Additionally, he is president of the State Fair of Virginia Youth Development Board and serves on the oversight committee for The Meadow Event Park. The Everetts are supportive of the fair’s youth fundraisers, including Black Tie & Boots and the Sale of Champions, contributing auction item donations and volunteering at the fair.

To keep the site centered on Virginia’s agricultural traditions, M.L. “envisioned the livestock pavilion to be a multi-use facility, and worked with the oversight committee to keep The Meadow booked with year-round events,” said Thomas Graves, a VFBF board director.

In addition to church leadership and Masonic activities, the Everetts support Special Olympics Virginia activities in their area, including the annual Polar Plunge at Virginia Beach.

This hard-working, God-fearing couple still refer to each other as “best friends” after 46 years of marriage. They have two sons and five grandchildren.


With almost 135,000 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.

Contact Pam Wiley, vice president of communications, at 804-291-6315.