The winner of the 2021 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year award was recently announced as being Bindi, a 5-year-old life-saving Australian shepherd from New York, according to a press release.

Recognizing that work on the family farm takes everyone pitching in and doing their part, including four-legged friends, Farm Bureau launched the Farm Dog of the Year contest three years ago.

Purina donated prizes for the contest again this year. This included $5,000 in prize money, a trophy plate, a year’s supply of dog food and other Purina products for Bindi.

The contest celebrates farm dogs that work alongside farmers and ranchers to produce nutritious food for families and their pets across America, and is popular with farmers and the general public alike, reaching nearly 400,000 users on social media through People’s Choice Pup.

The American Farm Bureau Federation, with support from Nestlé Purina PetCare, recognized Bindi, four regional runners-up and a People’s Choice Pup at the American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention.

You can check out Bindi, along with her striking, two different colored eyes, and her human, Sonja Galley in this video:

Bindi has been part of the family dairy farm since she was a puppy.

“Bindi is especially good at working in tight spaces to help move animals around the farm,” Galley said in the press release. “She stays calm even when the calves kick up their heels at her.”

The hard working dog is also very protective and once pushed back a young cow that had pinned Galley in the corner of a pen.

“We do a lot of things together, and she’s a big source of joy in my life,” Galley said.

A panel of judges with expertise in the pet care industry, veterinary medicine and communications reviewed 90 nominations to select the 2021 Farm Dog of the Year.

Judging criteria included the dog’s helpfulness to the farmer and his/her family, playfulness and their role in making life better on and off the farm. Farm Bureau members submitted written responses to questions, photos and video clips to nominate their dogs for Farm Dog of the Year.

Four regional runners-up in the contest will each also receive $1,000 in prize money, a trophy plate and Purina products. They are:

•Rayne, owned by Illinois Farm Bureau member Julie Willis, from the Midwest region;

•Sawyer, owned by Massachusetts Farm Bureau member Elizabeth Smith, from the Northeast region. Sawyer was also named People’s Choice Pup in a social media contest with online voting as part of the overall competition. Sawyer won bragging rights, a year’s supply of dog food and other Purina products.

Mike, owned by Montana Farm Bureau member Tim Feddes, from the Western region;

and Ajax, owned by Texas Farm Bureau member Alexis Ender, from the Southern region.

Five other dogs rounded out the top 10 in the overall Farm Dog of the Year contest and were contenders for People’s Choice Pup:

•Jade, owned by California Farm Bureau member Lindsey Swall;

•Cash, owned by Idaho Farm Bureau member Carol Gerken;

•Keeper, owned by Kansas Farm Bureau member Donna Ashcraft;

•Pepper, owned by Tennessee Farm Bureau members Tom and Stephanie Barnett;

•and Dasher, owned by Virginia Farm Bureau member Sandy Riepe.

Learn more about the contest at https://www.fb.org/land/fdoty.

Purina is a sponsor of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Night In at the American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention.

About American Farm Bureau Federation
The American Farm Bureau Federation is the Voice of Agriculture working together to build a sustainable future of safe and abundant food, fiber and renewable fuel for our nation and the world.

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