Marshal and Taylor Sewell from Levy County have been recognized as the 2025 Excellence in Agriculture award winners by the American Farm Bureau. The announcement was made during the organization’s annual convention on January 27 in San Antonio, Texas.
The Sewells are known for founding a non-profit dedicated to mental health advocacy and awareness among farmers and ranchers. “We’re really excited to continue to spread the message around Mind Your Melon and bring awareness to the topic of mental health for farmers and ranchers and represent the state of Florida,” stated Taylor Sewell.
Their achievement was acknowledged by AFBF President Zippy Duvall, AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Chair Kevin Lussier, and OneMagnify Project Manager Josephine Krzesak. Marshal Sewell expressed his gratitude: “We were certainly not expecting to win; we were just excited for the opportunity to represent Florida.” He added that winning has been a blessing for their family.
As part of their prize, the couple received $35,000 credit towards a new Ford vehicle along with paid registration for the Farm Bureau FUSION Conference scheduled from March 7-10 in Denver, Colorado. Both prizes are sponsored by Ford Motor Company.
The Excellence in Agriculture Award is designed to honor young farmers and ranchers who contribute significantly through agriculture involvement, leadership skills, and participation in Farm Bureau activities despite not earning most of their income from farming operations.
