A National Honor for an Alabama Farm Family

From the heart of central Alabama to the national stage, Drew and Lauren Wendland are giving their home state plenty to celebrate. The Autauga County couple was named America’s top young farm family after receiving the Achievement Award at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention in Anaheim, California. The honor recognizes their leadership at Autauga Farming Co., along with Farm Bureau involvement, civic service and agricultural advocacy.

For Drew, the recognition carries meaning far deeper than a trophy. A man of faith, Drew finds inspiration in wisdom handed down from his great-grandfather, Will Howard Smith. “He said of his father, McQueen Smith, that everything he did was marked with firmness, self-discipline, self-restraint, a high regard for right and wrong, and ambition to succeed in all undertakings,” Drew said. “For 31 years, I’ve been able to see my dad and my granddad exemplify those characteristics. I just hope and pray those are the same characteristics I leave in people’s mind when they remember me.”

Together, Drew and Lauren lead a diverse farm while raising sons Mills, Smith and Rhett, carrying a legacy built on faith, humility and stewardship into the future.