<p>The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has honored Mitchell Jones with the New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmer Award at the New Jersey State Agricultural Convention in Atlantic City.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“Mitchell Jones is an innovative and hard-working farmer who has been an active participant in the agriculture community,” said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. “He is a great example for other young people who are interested in starting careers in agriculture.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Jones, a 1st-generation farmer from Warren County, is a hay and grain farmer who adapts to his customers' needs by providing diverse sizes of hay bales. Over several years, he has increased his production volumes and transitioned to larger bale sizes, which reduce his labor needs and increase profits, according to a press release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> When Jones was a teenager, he worked on local farms and was a member of FFA, where he gained hands-on training and experience in agricultural production. After he graduated from Penn State in 1998 with a B.S. degree in Agronomy, Jones began renting farmland. Over time, he expanded his rental properties and eventually bought his own small farm.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Jones, whose father worked for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, takes conservation very seriously. Conservation practices are used on all acres Jones owns and rents. He uses cover crops to control erosion and increase organic matter; uses minimal till or no till; has installed lined waterways, underground outlets and erosion control measures; has lands enrolled in a Conservation Stewardship Program; implemented Intensive Nutrient Management on farmland; and works with the NRCS in conjunction with the Audubon Society.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> “I’m very honored they chose me for the recognition,” said Jones. “It is important to keep agriculture vibrant and have new ideas and new blood coming along. FFA and 4-H are good places to start to learn leadership.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> New Jersey recognizes outstanding young farmers on an annual basis. Nominees must be farm operators, earning a minimum of two-thirds of their income from farming and must be between the ages of 21-40.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Congratulations to Mitchell Jones on receiving the New Jersey Outstanding Young Farmer Award!<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/about/sba/cover.html" target="_new"> New Jersey Department of Agriculture </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
