Gary DeWitt, Matt and Clay Deane honored at annual Farmer’s Banquet

SIKESTON — The Sikeston Regional Chamber held its annual Farmers Banquet Thursday evening and honored an agricultural leader of the year as well as young farmer of the year.

Gary DeWitt was honored as agricultural leader of the year. DeWitt, who grew up on a family farm with six brothers and one sister, graduated from high school in Matthews, Mo., and began working for his brother driving a truck and hauling farm equipment.

In 1972, he moved with his wife and daughter to Chicago, where he started a new job with TG&Y, a discount variety chain similar to Walmart. He worked as both an assistant manager and manager for stores in Chicago, Memphis, Gulfport, Miss. and Sikeston.

Clay Deane (foreground) and his cousin Matt (background) were honored as Young Farmers of the Year at the annual Sikeston Regional Chamber Farmer’s Banquet Thursday night at the Sikeston Rodeo Grounds.Bob Greenlee/Standard Democrat

Clay Deane (foreground) and his cousin Matt (background) were honored as Young Farmers of the Year at the annual Sikeston Regional Chamber Farmer’s Banquet Thursday night at the Sikeston Rodeo Grounds.Bob Greenlee/Standard Democrat

Tired of transfers, he came back to Sikeston and took a job as the director of the Community Sheltered Workshop and worked for his brother, Jeff, at DeWitt Auction Company every evening.

Gary DeWitt then gave up his job at the Sheltered Workshop to manage DeWitt Auction Company and he remains there to this day, always on call and ready to help out any farmer in need.

Growing up working beside “Papaw Deane” on the family farm, young farmers of the year Matt and Clay Deane have been around agriculture their entire lives. After Matt graduated from SEMO and Clay graduated from Mississippi State, the two cousins became instrumental in the family’s farming operation. One of their most important contributions has been the development of Triple D Farms’ peanut farming where Matt and Clay were able to implement strategies to farm more than 900 acres of peanuts, making it the northern-most peanut farm in the region.

Besides working with Triple D Farms, the cousins started the North Delta Planting Company with Matt’s brother, Hunter. With these two operations, Matt and Clay have gained the knowledge and expertise to grow corn, cotton, soybeans, peanuts, rice and wheat.

The cousins also sit on the National Peanut Council.

Matt and his wife, Kacie, have a 1-year-old daughter Bekah and are expecting twins while Clay and his wife, Sarah Beth, are expecting the arrival of their first child in May.