Autaugaville Wendlands Win National Achievement Award at American Farm Bureau Convention

Drew and Lauren Wendland of Autaugaville were named national Achievement Award winners by the American Farm Bureau Federation during the federation’s 107th Annual Convention in Anaheim, California, on Jan. 12, 2026, a recognition that carried a $35,000 vehicle award courtesy of Ford and drew nearly 100 Alabama farmers to celebrate among more than 4,000 attendees at the Jan. 10–13 meeting.

The Wendlands operate Autauga Farming Co., a family operation in Autaugaville that traces its roots to 1919 and was in its 107th year in 2026. The couple, described as third-generation operators with Drew and his family in their 10th year running AFC, manage a diversified business that includes row crops, cattle and hay, timber, a fertilizer business and custom work for neighboring farms, and they farm while raising sons Mills, Smith and Rhett.

Alabama Farmers Federation coverage highlighted the award’s rationale and prize structure: “The accolade honors their impact at Autauga Farming Co. (AFC) in Autaugaville, plus Farm Bureau involvement, civic service and agricultural advocacy.” Alfafarmers noted the $35,000 Ford vehicle award “builds on the $80,000 prize package they clinched as the state champion,” and described the Wendlands’ win as the second time in four years Alabama produced the nation’s top young farm family.

Both local and national coverage carried personal reactions from the Wendlands. In Alfafarmers’ account, Drew Wendland said, “We are very honored and humbled to bring this award home to the state of Alabama. It’s a reflection of the opportunities we have had to grow and develop through Alfa to be better equipped to serve our business and our community. God has blessed me with the opportunity to spend my days working and raising a family in Autaugaville. This award is just icing on the cake. I am proud of the legacy of AFC, the team that makes it work today and the opportunities we have looking forward. It’s not my farm. It’s just my turn.”

WAKA Action 8 News ran an extended feature that captured the Wendlands’ emphasis on teamwork and statewide representation. WAKA printed Drew Wendland saying, “I think that it’s a real honor for the whole family, the whole operation, and the whole team that we have here. I know that our name is on the award, and we are the people who go stand on the stage, but the farm doesn’t work without everybody who shows up every day. The more people who sent me a ‘congratulations,’ and I think about the relationship that they have with the work that we do,” and Lauren Wendland adding, “Like Drew said, even though our names are listed on the awards, we represent so many hard-working families and farm families across the state who work sunup to sundown. I just want to say thank you to them, and I appreciate them for all that they do. We are thankfully not alone in this along with many hard-working farm families across our state.”

Alfafarmers also reported broader convention context, noting more than 4,000 farmers nationwide attended the Jan. 10–13 meeting and that Karah Skinner, attending her first AFBF convention, said a highlight was being introduced to international representatives for agriculture during Orange County specialty crop farm tours. Local outlets, including Elmore-Autauga News, and social media posts celebrated the Wendlands’ achievement, and Aginfo framed the recognition as affirming the power of values-driven farming.

Alabama Farmers Federation issued a related news release on March 6, 2026 confirming the Wendlands’ national Achievement Award; the recognition underscores Autauga Farming Co.’s century-long presence in Autaugaville and the Wendlands’ role in continuing a multi-generational operation that combines crop, livestock, timber and farm services.