A strong work ethic paired with a genuine passion for people and agriculture are likely reasons Andrea Whitfield was named the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce 2020 Ag Partner of the Year.

A crop insurer with AgSouth Farm Credit, she also is a member of the Chamber’s Agribusiness Committee, which honors an agricultural partner or farm family every year during Farm/City Week in November. Other committee members found a way to surprise Whitfield with the award at the Farm/City Week Luncheon held at the Bulloch County Agricultural Complex arena recently.

Whitfield has been with AgSouth for 16 years, working for the past five as a crop insurer. This means she gets to venture out into the fields where she can talk with farmers, inspect their crops, and get “hands-on” experience in what they are dealing with regarding the weather and other factors.

Whitfield grew up in Bulloch County, so she already knew a good many people with whom she now works. She enjoys getting to know new customers and continue helping those she has known for years. 

“I love working with farmers,” she said. “They have to have crop insurance in order to get loans, and it protects them in case of major disasters such as hurricanes and drought.”

It isn’t just an office job. Whitfield gets to experience the dusty fields during harvest, the muddy roads at planting time in the spring, and spends a lot of time traveling to remote farming operations to get a look at a field of peanuts, corn or cotton.

“I have a large territory so I not only serve Bulloch County, but also provide crop insurance in Evans, Tattnall, Bryan, Effingham, Screven, Jenkins and Emanuel counties,” she said.

Work is no stranger to Whitfield. She got her first job at age 16 at a Middleground convenience store, working evenings and weekends, while jointly-enrolled in Statesboro High School and Georgia Southern University.

She doesn’t regret the hard work, she said. 

“I would go to Statesboro High, then go to Georgia Southern, then would go to work at the store.”

After graduating high school, Whitfield kept working as she put herself through college. 

“I worked at Eagle Bank & Trust, First Bulloch Bank, Sea Island Bank and then Farmers & Merchants,” she said.  

After graduating from GS with a bachelor’s degree in finance, she began working at AgSouth Farm Credit. 

“Gratefully I am still here,” she said. “I began as a loan assistant and then moved to accounting. After 10 years with AgSouth, I was finally considered for a sales position in crop insurance.”

Working her way through school might have been challenging, but it was well worth it, she said, “I feel I learned so much more with real work experience while attending college. I feel it helped me to develop relationships early with people who I still work with daily.”

Not only is Whitfield a dedicated career woman, she is a wife and mother, too. She and Jason Whitfield have been married 17 years and they have two children – son Tanner, a junior at Portal Middle High School, and daughter Taylor Ruby, who is in 8th grade at Portal Middle High.

She loves plants and yard work, and spends most of her “spare” time with family and friends.  

“I love the holidays and love to entertain,” she said.

One of her main passions outside of work is still work-related – being a member of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber Agribusiness Committee. 

“I have been involved with the committee for 15 years and I am very proud that Bulloch County still sees the importance of agriculture in our county and nation,” she said “Our committee strives each year to raise agriculture awareness and to honor our farmers and agribusinesses. It is amazing how agriculture touches so many lives in Bulloch County.”

Apparently, her fellow committee members feel Whitfield is a notable part of the partnership between farmers, businesses and the agricultural world, as they chose her for the 2020 honor.  She gives credit to the farmers with whom she works.

“I ultimately thank my customers for trusting me to help them with their operations,” she said. “I can honestly say that I love my job and I hope that I can continue to work in the industry for years to come.”

Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.