Raymond Phillips
Raymond Phillips of Water Valley has been named a recipient of a 2026 Diamond Award from the National Society Descendants of American Farmers.
The Diamond Award is the organization’s highest honor and is presented to farmers who have dedicated 60 years or more to agriculture.
Phillips has farmed in Yalobusha County for more than six decades and was nominated for the award by NSDOAF member Valerie Herod Belay.
According to the organization, the award recognizes farmers whose lifelong commitment to agriculture reflects the hard work, perseverance and stewardship that have sustained American farming for generations.
“Raymond Phillips, we celebrate your lifetime of stewardship to the land,” the organization said in announcing the award.
Phillips joins other recipients across the country who make up the NSDOAF’s 2026 Diamond Award class.
