London Rotary Club member Matt Doherty (right) presents the Joe Yoder Award to David Peart at the club’s annual Rural Urban Day Breakfast.
(Posted April 3, 2023)
The London Rotary Club celebrates contributions in agriculture with their annual Rural Urban Day Breakfast. One of the highlights is presentation of the Joe Yoder Award. This year’s recipient is Dave Peart.
The breakfast took place on March 30 at the Madison County Senior Center. The public was invited at no charge to enjoy breakfast, a speaker, and the award presentation.
The award’s namesake was a lifelong farmer and strong advocate for farmers in the community. He also was a member of the Rotary Club and dedicated to the ideal of “Service Above Self.” Since his death in 2008, the club has presented the Joe Yoder Award to a deserving member of the agricultural community:
• who has made a significant contribution to agriculture in Madison County;
• who has preservation of the land for the future as an ultimate goal;
• who has a strong reputation in the agricultural community; and
• who has agriculture as a significant source of their livelihood.
David Peart, this year’s winer, has spent his life in service to the city of London and to Madison County. He and his brothers grew up farming the family land and incorporated as Peart Farms in 2001. He has been instrumental in increasing crop production and maximizing revenue in the county through proper irrigation, drainage, and streamlined harvesting procedures.
Peart graduated from Madison-Plains High School in 1976 and immediately began working for the United States Postal Service in London, as well as continuing on the farm. He and his wife, Cheri, raised their family in Madison County where their girls attended Madison-Plains.
After nearly 40 years, Peart retired from the postal service to spend more time with his family and concentrate on the farm. He has proven himself to be an exceptional steward of the land.
Donna Quilter, program technician with the USDA Farm Service Agency, speaks at the London Rotary Club’s annual Rural Urban Day Breakfast held on March 30 at the Madison County Senior Center in London.
Prior to the award presentation, Donna Quilter, program technician with the USDA Farm Service Agency, served as the program speaker. Born and raised in Adams County, Ohio, Quilter graduated from Wilmington College with a degree in production agriculture.
She started her career with the USDA 32 years ago in Clinton County, then transferred to Clark County. While in Clark County, Quilter was elected to the Clark County Senior Fair Board and was responsible for the Junior Fair program. She co-founded the Clark County Farm Bureau Youth Group and was a member of the Southeastern High School FFA Alumni.
In 2013, the Clark County and Madison County Farm Service Agency offices combined to make one office. Madison County’s FSA serves all of Clark and Madison counties and half of Franklin County.
Quilter is married to Rotary Club member Mike Quilter and lives in London.
