The Pasco Chamber of

Commerce and the Port of Pasco will induct seven longtime farmers and advocates

for agriculture into the 2020 Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame at the 20th annual

dinner and installation gala on Jan. 16 at the Pasco Red Lion Hotel and

Conference Center.

The Ag Hall of Fame

honors farmers, families and agribusiness leaders for their contributions to

the community.

Pioneer Award

Orvalla Hafer together

with Cindy and Jim Lancaster are being jointly honored for their influence on

the development of agriculture.

Hafer and her husband

Raymond established Hafer Farms in Adams County. She is noted for being a

tireless volunteer for 4-H, the Adams County Fair Board, the Othello Junior

Livestock Sale Association and other organizations.

The Lancasters are

Idaho natives who moved to the Columbia Basin in 1961. Jim, a Korean War

veteran, was eligible for a veterans’ land draw. The couple settled on Unit

234, Block 20, where they converted dryland wheat to irrigated ag land.

Cindy worked off the

farm as an educator and was named Washington State Teacher of the Year in 1990.

Together, the couple have been involved with the Franklin County Cattleman’s

Association since its inception. They have contributed time to Franklin County

Fire District 4, Wahluke Water Association, Basin City/Park Arena, the 20-3

Grazing Association, Connell FFA and 4-H.

Rising Star Award

Shae and Greg Frichette

of Frichette Winery are being honored in the category that recognizes young

professionals who demonstrate a commitment to the community.

The Frichettes started

their first wine venture in 2013 in a converted pole building on Red Mountain

near Benton City. Since then, they have fostered the industry by providing

jobs, tours and field trips to students in the Washington State University

Tri-Cities wine science program.

They are active in the

Red Mountain American Viticultural Area, Visit Tri-Cities, Tri-City Regional

Chamber of Commerce and Benton City Giving Garden.

Advisor Award

Dennis Munden is a

retired agriculture education teacher who worked in schools across the

Tri-Cities, including Kamiakin, Columbia-Burbank, Pasco, Warden and River View

high schools.

He was the 1994

Washington Association of Agriculture Educators Teacher of the Year and has

been recognized for his contributions to education with the Crystal Apple

award.

Stewardship Award

Pasco native Denny

Hayden spent five years in Portland working in banking before farming brought

him home to begin his own venture

He served on the board

of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and is a 30-year member of the

Cherry Institute board. He was named the Good Fruit Grower of the Year and is

active in Knights of Columbus.

Go to pascochamber.org

or call 509-547-9755 for information about the Mid-Columbia Ag Hall of Fame

gala, which will feature local produce and wines.