Dr. Ben Shelton said he felt blessed to be in Iredell County and those in the agriculture community showed they feel the same way about Shelton and his Rocky Creek Dairy.
Shelton was recognized Tuesday as the Farmer of the Year in Iredell County. The award was presented by Kathy Bunton of Carolina Farm Credit.
The award was handed out at the Farm City Week dinner, which is sponsored by Statesville Kiwanis Club and Iredell County Cooperative Extension. The banquet has not been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iredell County Extension Director and Farm City Week Committee member Nancy Keith said Shelton and his family have demonstrated commitment and innovation to their farm, which has been in operation for 30 years.
“They pay attention to detail, making sure to produce a high-quality product,” she said.
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Olin’s Rocky Creek Dairy, Keith said, has grown throughout its 30 years in Iredell. In 1992, she said, the dairy boasted 400 cows and about 450 acres of land. Since that time it has grown to 1,400 cows and 1,250 heifers and calves on around 1,900 acres. The Shelton farm also includes 500 acres of rented land which is tended to by two family members along with the farm’s 26 employees.
Keith said Rocky Creek Dairy milks 1,260 cows three times a day and has a rolling herd annual average of 31,200 pounds of milk. The milk, she said, goes directly from its parlor to tanker trucks for processing.
She said Shelton has embraced innovation and is happy to showcase his farm to nearly anyone, presenting tours to Leadership Statesville, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, Crosby Scholars and legislators.
He also works with 4-H Clubs and vocational agriculture students.
Shelton, Keith said, did a complete remodel of barns at the farm and those barns are essentially a “cow spa” complete with comfortable beds, fans, sprinklers and back scratchers.
Shelton is also a veterinarian and offers a range of services to area dairy farmers. Keith said he provides herd health, reproductive works, microbiological lab services and a bioPRYN lab to determine pregnancy through blood samples
Shelton’s involvement doesn’t stop at his farm operation. He is active with Power Cross and Matthew 25 ministries.
Shelton, in accepting the award, said he was blessed to be in North Carolina. “There are so many positive things, the university system, the farm bureau,” he said.
He expressed his appreciation for the recognition.
Dr. Ben Shelton speaks to the audience at Farm City Week after he was presented the Farmer of the Year Award.
Keith said the dinner provided to those at the banquet is an example of the importance of agriculture in Iredell County. “Without agriculture it (the plates) would be quite empty,” she said.
The Farm City Week banquet also featured guest speaker, Kaleb Rathbone, assistant commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
Rathbone spoke about the importance of agriculture to North Carolina and the country but also to the need for both the urban and rural sectors to communicate.
He said the dinner Tuesday was a perfect chance for that coming together to occur. He commented that about half of those in attendance stood when asked if they were involved in agriculture.
“It’s about half-and-half, and that’s outstanding,” he said. Rathbone said that while the two sides have different perspectives, both are equally important and the two have common ground.
Rathbone talked about the influx of new residents to the state, and with many of those moving to urban areas, the need to find that common ground is more important than ever. “We need to look at ways to move forward,” he said.
Keith said agriculture is still the engine that drives Iredell County, citing statistics that the county is the No. 1 dairy producer in the state and ranks in the top five in a number of other areas.
Keith also offered appreciation to the Kiwanis Club for its support of agriculture, from operating the annual county fair to sponsoring the banquet and Farmer of the Year award.
She pointed to the Kiwanis Club’s annual distribution of fair proceeds to local charitable organizations and to fund scholarships. “Every little bit helps,” she said.
Kiwanis President Chuck Gallyon said serving the community is what the club is all about, and that despite its small size in terms of members, it does a lot of good in Iredell County. “We are a small group of people with a big heart,” he said.
