Five generations into its existence, Wildy Family Farms is still thriving. In fact, the 9,200-acre operation in Mississippi County and the Wildy family themselves have earned national attention. The Wildys were named 2015 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year and David Wildy was named Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award for 2016.

David, the present patriarch of the family, is the fourth generation farming the Northeast Arkansas land alongside his sons, Justin and Tab and son-in-law, Paul. After graduating from the University of Arkansas in 1975, David returned to the farm and was made a partner in Widly Family Farms.

Wildy Family Farms grows cotton, soybeans and wheat and for the first time in 2015, milo and peanuts. Sustainability on every acre is David’s number one priority. They plant cover crop wheat and rye on 85 percent of the farm each year to conserve soil and protect it from wind and rain erosion. They irrigate using the PHAUCET software to ensure crops are receiving the exact amount of water needed and none is wasted. Each year, Wildy Family Farms undergoes an environmental audit to help them implement the best management practices, manage risk and secure credit all while improving the health of the soils.

“We believe that being environmentally certified makes us better farmers, and we hope it sets us apart from others in our area,” David said.

Additionally, Wildy Family Farms has 20 Angus cattle. Justin and wife Kristi’s two children, Blaire and Blaine, are members of the Buffalo Island Central FFA Livestock Show Team, showing cattle and serving as officers for the Arkansas Junior Cattlemen’s Association.

Goals for Wildy Family Farms have included precision leveling, developing an organizational and communications process, becoming certified in on-farm security practices, and to hire an in-house crop consultant. Currently, 88 percent of the owned land is precision leveled and the remaining 12 percent will be leveled in the next five years. With four people being in charge of different areas, it can be easy for communication lines to be crossed. The Wildys have implemented weekly management meetings and the use of apps such as Evernote and Trello. Evernote allows them to color-code a map that shows what applications have been made in particular areas. The Wildys also have a full-time, in-house crop consultant who has been working with the family since 1993.

Future growth plans include expanding the business 10 percent annually while increasing working capital to $100 per acre and improving the chemical loading area by building a chemical spill retention area. They are also in the plan of developing a farm succession plan to ensure the successful transition of Wildy Family Farms to future generations.

For more than 20 years, Wildy Family Farms has participated in on-farm research in an effort to be on the cutting edge of new practices that will increase production efficiency and sustainability of natural resources. They are participating in studies to help identify ways to improve the use of precision agriculture.

Wildy Family Farms understands the need to develop the future generations of agriculturists and they are doing their part to help. Each year, they award scholarships to students at Buffalo Island Central and Manila public schools for students wanting to pursue careers in agriculture. They also allow graduate students to conduct research on their farm and provide them with office space.

Learn more about the Wildy Family here, or watch the video below.