By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
WEST VALLEY — More than 360 people attended the 14th annual Cattaraugus County Farmer-Neighbor Dinner Wednesday at the West Valley Fire Hall.
The dinner is sponsored by the Cattaraugus County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, the Cattaraugus County Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism and the Cattaraugus County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Other sponsors include the Cattaraugus County Industrial Development Agency, the Pillittere Group, Farm Credit East, ACA and Milliman Firkel Land and Cattle.
The buffet, including beef and turkey, were locally grown and prepared by the West Valley Firemen’s Auxiliary.
Brendon O’Gorman, a South Dayton dairy farmer, who with his brother Connor O’Gorman, owns Eden Valley Farms, received the Farmer of the Year Award. Their operations include three organic facilities, while the original dairy remains a conventional operation.
One operation, Eden Valley Creamery, processes some of the milk from their Eden Valley Organics into a variety of cheeses and flavored milk.
Also recognized as a Friend of Agriculture was Katie Hill, who with her husband, Darin Hill, operates Hills Valley Farm in Cattaraugus. She has served in a variety of roles in Farm Bureau and 4-H since moving to Cattaraugus County in 2010.
Hill’s love for agriculture began in Missouri, where she grew up on her family’s dairy farm. She was an active member of 4-H and Future Farmers of American.
In 2014, she began reading in schools during Agriculture Week and the following year she led the team running the Ag Discovery Tent at the Cattaraugus County Fair. In 2020, she established the Variety Pack 4-H Club that has grown to 40 members. She took over the Dairy Ambassador Program (formerly Dairy Princess) in 2021, where youth ambassadors attend events to promote milk products.
Marcier Furl of East Otto, a 34-year employee of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Cattaraugus and Erie counties, was named Agriculture Legacy.
The best part of her FSA career was working with farmers. While she deeply valued her colleagues, “it was the daily interaction with the farming community that provided her with the most joy and a sense of purpose.”
Also recognized were members of the Hinsdale Central School Environthon Team which has notched back to back wins in 2024 and 2025 in the county’s high school Envirothion competition.
The team includes Brett Bergstrom, Kaleigh Buckles, Robert Childs, Amaya Russell and advisor Warren Schulze, the school’s science teacher. This year’s competition will be held April 29 in Allegany State Park.
Agricultural vendors and representatives had tables around the hall and the band Homemade Jam performed before the dinner.
