Clifton McNeill Jr. was inducted into the Cumberland County Agricultural Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse Friday, Nov. 22. 

McNeill’s official portrait was unveiled during the ceremony and will hang on the wall with those of past inductees in the I.B. Julian Auditorium of the Cooperative Extension office at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center, located at 301 E. Mountain Dr., Fayetteville.

McNeill grew up on the family farm in the Gray’s Creek Community, where he developed a deep connection to agriculture and community. McNeill went on to North Carolina State University where he earned a degree in agricultural engineering, graduating in 1971. After graduating, McNeill began a 30-year career with the N.C. Department of Transportation.

McNeill continued to support the McNeill family farm, which has been in the family since the land was granted by the King of England. While the farm traditionally grew tobacco, McNeill and his father, Clifton McNeill Sr., shifted to growing potatoes, cabbage, strawberries and greenhouse tomatoes, pioneering a pick-your-own operation that became a popular local tradition. Clifton McNeill Sr. was inducted into the Cumberland County Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1997.

The McNeill Strawberry Farm, located off Chickenfoot Rd., has become an iconic fixture in Cumberland County. In the latter part of his career, McNeill scaled back his farming activities to focus on his father’s health. Despite stepping back from day-to-day operations, McNeill stayed involved in the agriculture community, serving on the Farm Advisory Board for Cumberland County.

McNeill has served on various boards and committees including the Cumberland County Board of Adjustment, Cumberland County Planning Board and the South River Electric Membership Board of Directors. He was a member of the Gray’s Creek Ruritan Club and helped establish the kids’ baseball league in Gray’s Creek.

McNeill served on the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors for 12 years before retiring in December 2023. McNeill played a key role in approving thousands of dollars in cost-share funding for local farmers.

“Clifton McNeill, Jr. has given exemplary service to our county’s agricultural community and his leadership has had a lasting positive impact both locally and statewide,” said Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Director Lisa Childers in a press release.

The event also recognized Kevin Riddle as the 2024 Cumberland County Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year. From a young age, Riddle learned from his father and developed an interest in equipment he could operate. Many of Riddle's preteen and teen years were spent working with James Autry on Autry Farms.

Riddle was a charter member of the FFA Chapter at Gray’s Creek High School, where he graduated in 2007. After high school, Riddle began to work with the family business and there-establishment of the family farm. Working with his father, the family grows various row crops and summer produce.

In 2016, Riddle began growing strawberries, and successfully reopened the McNeill Strawberry Patch, under the mentorship and support of Clifton McNeill Jr. Riddle currently serves on the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, supporting the farming community of Cumberland County.

Watch the 2024 Agricultural Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and a brief feature video on the Cumberland County YouTube channel at youtube.com/CumberlandCountyNC.