Six people who've made significant contributions to agriculture in the region are set to be inducted Jan. 18 into the Mid-Columbia Agriculture Hall of Fame. The ceremony is at the Pasco Red Lion.

This year's honorees range from a pair of Franklin County wheat farmers to a retired congressman. This marks the 23rd year of the Hall of Fame honors, which are presented by the Pasco Chamber of Commerce and the Port of Pasco.

Read on for more about the 2024 inductees.

Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame Pioneer Award

The Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame Pioneer Award is going to longtime Franklin County wheat farmers Walt and Tonie Neff, who "have had the privilege of seeing five generations work on the family ranch on the Pasco-Kahlotus Highway," a chamber news release said. The Neffs have been involved in numerous groups in the community, including the Pasco Chamber of Commerce, Franklin County Cattlemen's Association, Franklin County Cowbell Association, Franklin County Association of Wheat Growers, National Association of Wheat Growers, Washington Wheat Foundation and the Mid-Columbia Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Agriculture Advisor Award

The Agriculture Advisor Award is going to Tina Bush, who's helped with 4-H and FFA swine projects at the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo for 30 years, including serving the last two decades as swine superintendent. Bush had been honored by the fair board and the Finley FFA chapter for her volunteer efforts. 

Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award is going to Tim Waters, who specializes in integrated pest management of potato, onion, carrot, dry bean and other production vegetables in the region. He's published more than 200 articles, secured more than $2 million in grant funding for research, earned the Washington State University CAHNRS Faculty Excellence in Extension Award and was part of a team that won the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Region Excellence in Multistate Research Award.

Stewardship Award

The Stewardship Award is going to Vic Reeve, a leader in dryland wheat farming who's also served on the Franklin County and Benton County noxious weed control boards. Reeve has been a member of or helped lead numerous groups, including the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, the Washington State Association of Wheat Growers and the Franklin County Conservation District.

Visionary Award

The Visionary Award is going to former U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, who represented Central Washington in Congress for 20 years until his retirement in 2015. Hastings chaired the House Committee on Natural Resources, a role that saw him deal with topics from energy production to irrigation and reclamation.

"Doc was instrumental educating the executive branch on the importance of the Lower Snake River Dams under George W. Bush’s administration and welcomed the president to speak at Ice Harbor Dam in 2003, the last time a sitting president of the United States visited the region," the chamber news release said.

Event tickets

The Ag Hall of Fame event begins at 5 p.m. Jan. 18 with a reception, followed by a 6:30 p.m. dinner and program at the Red Lion Hotel in Pasco. A full-course dinner will feature local produce and local wines. The cost to attend is $75 per person, or $525 for a table of eight.

For reservations and information, go to pascochamber.org, call the Pasco chamber at 509-547-9755, or drop by the office at 1110 Osprey Pointe Blvd., Suite 101, in Pasco.