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Each year, the Hayden Historical Museum and the Jennings County Farm Bureau select one member of the local agriculture community for a special honor: induction into the Jennings County Gallery of Agricultural Leaders.

This year’s honoree was Jennings County Farm Bureau board member Mark McClellan, who was recognized at an evening celebration at the museum. It came as a complete surprise to McClellan, who noted that mid-way through the award introduction his wife, Juanita, leaned over and said, “I think they’re talking about you.”

McClellan, pictured at center with Andy Maschino, president of the Jennings County Farm Bureau (left), and Rodger Ruddick, director of the Hayden Historical Museum, has devoted more than 40 years of his life to Indiana agriculture. He’s been a county Farm Bureau board member for approximately 30 years and he worked for 44 years for the Jackson-Jennings Farm Bureau Co-Op, now Premier Companies, a supplier of petroleum products.

McClellan also is a beekeeper and has been in the bee industry for 27 years.  His great uncle was a beekeeper and he decided to dive into beekeeping for a fun change, but it turned out to be a substantial part of his career. McClellan also uses his honey business to support agricultural youth programming.

“Through beekeeping, I have supported FFA,” he explained. “I supply my honey to the FFA for the kids to sell for fundraising.”

McClellan says that he was honored to be inducted into the gallery.

“I felt very humbled,” he said. “Some of the names on the list of previous winners are some of the giants in the ag industry in Jennings County. So, it was quite an honor. ”

The Gallery of Agricultural Leaders dates back to 1997, and it is on permanent display at the Hayden Historical Museum in North Vernon.