Growing up in 4-H, Katie Haynes said, she got interested in showing rabbits, something she’s been doing now for 11 years now and still enjoys it.

“4-H really helped boost my public speaking skills and confidence levels,” Haynes said.  She’s likely going to continue using those skills and more as she travels to Alabama this summer for a pageant competition.

But this isn’t just any pageant – Haynes is the 2022 Miss U.S. Agriculture People’s Choice winner. And she’s not done yet. She and others will be vying for division titles and ambassadorships for the agriculture group, which means making appearances near and far to be speak up for agriculture.

In fact, Haynes is in California this week for the World Ag Expo. She was on her way to an orange farm when John C. Rose caught up with her by phone to talk about the road to Enterprise, AL and a pageant that she and other young women will be competing in this summer.

The contestants achieve different levels through attendance at events and through raising money. Haynes represented Granville County in the 2021 Miss U.S. Agriculture pageant and took home the people’s choice award in 2022.

And although she lives in southern Granville County, she seems to do a fair amount of traveling within the state and outside the state to lend support to causes like AgrAbility, a federal program that operates through N.C. Cooperative Extension.

AgrAbility helps provide support to veterans, the elderly and disabled persons that allow them to get back into agriculture, despite physical challenges or limitation – “get people back to what they love.”

Haynes herself uses a wheelchair, having been diagnosed with chronic illness when she was a teenager. She’s glad to be a role model for others, she said, offering them a true picture of inclusion.

“My platform is to educate people to make sure everybody has a place in agriculture,” Haynes explained.

Whether she’s exploring orange farms in California or photographing livestock (another favorite pastime), Haynes said it’s been wonderful to meet such a diverse group of people who share a love of agriculture.

“I’ve been able to connect with a lot of different types of people in agriculture,” she said. “And it feels like one big family.”

What else is in store for this dynamic young lady?

She said she’d love to become a motivational speaker.

Watch out, world. Here comes Katie Haynes.

Find Haynes’s nonprofit organization, “Smiling While Sending Hope” on Facebook and Instagram.

Sponsorships for Katie’s upcoming competition help defray costs for hotels, gas and for the dresses that are being created for the pageant.

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