The 2014 Great Allentown Fair's "Agriculture Recognition Night" yielded a fine crop of students and adults who have distinguished themselves in the world's oldest and most important industry.

The Aug. 27 ceremony took place in the Agri-Plex on the fair grounds in Allentown.

The Lehigh County Agricultural Society, the nonprofit operator of the 162 year-old fair, has made this ceremony an annual highlight of its agricultural mission.

The newly selected 2014 Great Allentown Fair Queen Rachel Bennicoff of New Tripoli was presented her scholarship award from the Lehigh-Northampton Pamona Grange 68. The presentation was made by the Grange President Leonard Heim.

Bennicoff, 19, is a sophomore nursing major at Messiah College. She was a member of the National Honor Society and dean's list at Belmont University in fall 2013.

She loves country line dancing, volunteering at church, knitting and working on her family's farm.

Her career ambition is to become a pediatric nurse. She is the daughter of Glenda and Martin Bennicoff.

The largest monetary scholarship of the evening, the $2,000 Frederick Jaindl Memorial Scholarship, donated by Anne L. Jaindl and the late Martin H. Ritter, the wife and friend of the late Fred Jaindl, was awarded to Phillip Stutzman of Kutztown.

A graduate of Kutztown Area High School, he is majoring in animal sciences at Penn State University.

Stutzman fulfilled scholarship qualifications as a demonstrated student leader in his field, and he has a dedication to continue his education in agriculture.

His years of involvement in the Berks County 4-H and Kutztown's chapter of FFA, high class ranking and community service activities gave him outstanding credentials.

As a special presentation, the Lehigh County Farm Bureau honored Naomi Grim from Grim's Orchards, Breinigsville, with the Outstanding Service to Lehigh County Agriculture Award.

Grim grew up a farm girl and has been a 4-H member, farm wife, and friend to all farmers her entire life.

She and her late husband Dale, along with her parents Floyd and Bertha Reichard, started a greenhouse operation on their family farm on Schantz Road, Breinigsville.

From a small greenhouse built on the side of a garage, the family expanded their love of flowers and vegetables into Grim's Greenhouse and Farm Market, and now an orchard operation.

For the past 39 years, Grim has been working with the Allentown Fair in the Agriculture Department.

For the past 11 years, she has been the livestock superintendent with the help of family and friends.

Their two children were also very actively involved with the 4-H and county fairs.

Four awards annually go to 4-H and FFA participants in the names of seven deceased members of the Ag Society: Reuben S. Geiger, Clydan Handwerk, Frank H. Krause, Richard E. Miller, Rewellien Mohr, Raymond O'Neill, and Charles J. Rutz, who were dedicated to the fair.

This year's 4-H winners include Adam Dietrich from New Tripoli, and Brandon Selig from Germansville.

Both 4-H recipients are accomplished young farmers and fair exhibitors.

The awards acknowledging FFA contributions went to Kutztown Chapter member, Kristy Heffner, and Oley Valley Chapter member, Callista Miller.

Both girls are very active and accomplished members. The family of Richard E. Miller, who served as secretary of the Ag Society for many years, contributed two $300 scholarships in his memory that recognize high academic records of a 4-H and FFA member.

The 4-H honor went to Sarah Rassler from Germansville. She is attending Penn State University.

The FFA recipient was Katherine Beekman from Oley Valley and a student at Delaware Valley College.

The $300 recurring Ben Lazarus Award, named in the memory of a former fair livestock exhibitor, was bestowed on Adam Dietrich from New Tripoli.

This monetary award recognizes an Allentown Fair animal exhibitor who is between 17 to 23 years old.

Dietrich has raised and shown dairy beef, swine and goats.

The Henry Newhard Award commemorative plaque went to Sydney Ochoco, the 4-H member who received the most blue ribbons for non-animal exhibits at this year's fair.

Ochoco had 23 blue ribbons for baked goods, flowers, vegetables and sewing projects.

She is a member of Danboro 4-H Club, Bucks County.

Each year, two special plaques are awarded by the families of deceased board members in honor of their devotion to the Ag Society.

Ann Lukas of Breinigsville won the Mae Rutz Award for her beautiful stand-alone planter in the Flowers/Plants category.

In recognition of her blue ribbon winning prom gown, Dakota Sarbaugh, also of Breinigsville, was the winner of the $250 award in the memory of Bill E. Serfass that honors an outstanding youth competing in the fair's competitive exhibits, which include needlework, crafts, woodwork, baked products, flowers, art and sewing.

A special thank you goes to Lisa-Jon Trinidad, Allentown Fair Ag Ed Superintendent, for organizing the presentation of colors and singing for the event.