AUGUSTA COUNTY, VA (Virginia Farm Bureau) — Clay and Paula Greene of Augusta County received the 2025 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers Achievement Award. They were recognized July 26 during the VFBF Young Farmers Summer Expo in Franklin County.

The award recognizes outstanding young farmers for their business success and volunteer involvement, while helping them evaluate their business plans and set goals to strengthen their farming operations.

The couple farms full-time on their multi-generational family farms. Paula works on her family’s dairy and beef operation while Clay assists with his family’s beef cattle farm, where they raise cow-calf pairs and background feeder cattle. He also operates a custom work enterprise and retails hay and forage supplies.

They also serve on the VFBF Young Farmers Committee; Clay serves on the Augusta County Farm Bureau board; and Paula is a member of the VFBF Dairy Advisory Committee, in addition to other Farm Bureau leadership roles.

During their presentation to judges, the Greenes shared how they have helped operate, expand and improve the efficiency of their families’ operations while growing their own farm operation and custom operating enterprise.

Clay returned to the family farm in 2011 and has played a key role in the cattle operation and growing the farm’s custom services. Since joining the operation full time in 2018, Paula has made efforts to modernize the dairy through strategic investments and management improvements, resulting in increased production and efficiency.

The Greenes juggle myriad responsibilities. On his family’s farm, Clay is responsible for feeder cattle care, field work, fence repairs, nearly all equipment maintenance and repairs, and managing customer relationships. He also plays a major role in the hay and forage supply retail business, and handles management decisions for his custom hire business and cow-calf herd.

While sharing a herdsperson role with her sister, Paula tackles a variety of day-to-day farm management decisions for her family’s beef cattle and dairy cows, including managing robotic milking data, grant projects and regulatory compliance.

The couple shared how they have each improved efficiency over the years through practices such as modernizing harvesting equipment, developing a milk culturing program, refining vaccination protocols, and implementing marketing strategies for their cattle.

When they’re not farming, they serve as agriculture advocates by frequently participating in county and state Farm Bureau initiatives, staying active in other organizations and advocacy groups, and regularly hosting educational tours at the dairy farm. They also are graduates of the Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results program.

The Greenes are driven by a shared passion for enhancing their families’ farm operations and carrying forward the tradition of agriculture for future generations.

The couple hopes to acquire additional land for their farming operation and diversify their income in the short-term. Clay also works toward improving feeder cattle data management, streamlining individual animal performance tracking, and further developing his leadership skills. Paula focuses on upgrading her family’s dairy cow wellness tracking system, upgrading facilities and promoting healthy communication.

The Greenes found the Achievement Award application process rewarding, as it brought them closer together and inspired fruitful reflection.

“It’s like a review of our business plan,” Clay remarked. “It made us take a good, long hard look at both of our operations and see our strengths and weaknesses, and that’s very important.”

Paula added that “it makes you think about where you’re at and where you want to go.”

As Achievement Award winners, the Greenes will receive a 250-hour lease on a piece of Kubota equipment, up to $10,000 toward a Kubota utility vehicle courtesy of Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., and a cash prize. They also will receive a travel package to the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention, where they will compete for the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award.

Marshall Slaven of Augusta County was named this year’s runner-up and will receive $500 and a travel package to the AFBF convention.