Haygood Earns National Honors

Toombs County Farmer Aries Haygood has solidified his reputation as being one of the best in the industry, as American Vegetable Grower named him the 2025 National Grower Achievement Award winner.

The Grower Achievement Award honors outstanding vegetable growers across the country that use their leadership skills, innovation, and community impact to help improve the agricultural industry. Haygood was nominated for the award alongside 92 other candidates, and was named the East Region Award Winner, as he went on to face two growers from Ohio and California for the National Award.

In announcing his selection continued from page

as the regional award winner, the award committee championed Haygood for his success, as they stated his farm serves as “a national model for sustainability and quality.” These individuals went on to explain that under Haygood’s guidance, A & M Farms, headquartered in Lyons, had increased and expanded the Vidalia Onion crop production, improved soil health and pest management practices, and embraced new technologies while maintaining consistent excellence with his produce.

Haygood’s vast knowledge of both the business and growing side of the agricultural business comes as result of his time in the field, as he did not begin his career as a farmer. Though he grew up in Vidalia and graduated from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Haygood first worked as an insurance agent until after he married his wife, Megan, whose family farmed Vidalia onions. After marrying Megan, Haygood convinced his wife to help him get a job with his father-in-law, and soon, he was working in the fields during planting.

He worked his way up from the planting job and later learned how to run the business side of farming from the farm’s pack shed in Lyons. In 2019, Haygood and his wife purchased the farm from her father, and he has continued to grow the business ever since. The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges that Haygood did not expect, as he had to adapt to all new practices of farming. Yet, as he does with most challenges, Haygood continued to overcome these adversities, as he has now grown the farm’s production management area to around 1,500 acres – 200 acres of Vidalia Onions, 100 acres of watermelons, 150 acres of peas, 200 acres of corn, 800 acres of soybeans, and a small cabbage program. Haygood is even currently dabbling with peanut production.

During the Hurricane Helene relief efforts last year, Haygood used his resources and leadership to give back to his community. In the midst of several out-of-town contractors seeking to thrive on the area’s desperation for help, Haygood put his crew and equipment to work at reasonable hourly rates, often a fraction of the quotes residents had received. The side venture did not make him rich. It kept his people working, protected neighbors from predatory pricing, and reminded the community what local agriculture stands for.

It was for these reasons and many others that Haygood was selected as the National Grower Achievement Award recipient. He commented on this success, saying, “I am so thankful for receiving this continued from page

award. It feels good knowing that someone acknowledged what I am trying to do for agriculture in our local area.”

“I want us to have options for nutritionally dense food so we can try to heal our bodies one meal at a time,” he emphasized.

Haygood continues to own and operate A & M Farms, where he grows produce to be sold both locally and to large buyers across the nation, including Kroger, Publix, Walmart, and Sam’s Club. The farm also operates a local storefront, located at 749 Collins Road in Lyons, where community members can peruse the produce and buy goods made right here in Toombs County.