Florida 4-H Hall of Fame

Fred W. Barber

Fred W. Barber and his wife Mabel have long been financial supporters of Florida 4-H. They established the Fred W. and Mabel Barber Award through the Florida 4-H Foundation, and he also established the Fred W. Barber 4-H College Scholarship offered in Okaloosa County. He has generously supported 4-H for over 50 years as an agent, and helped many 4-Hers achieve their goals with financial assistance. Barber helped organize extension services in Flagler and Washington counties, and he was an extension agent in Okaloosa County.  He helped establish the Okaloosa County Farm Bureau, where he served as Secretary/Treasurer for 11 years. Barber spent 14 years in Libya and Brazil with the Agency for International Development providing agricultural help for underprivileged nations. He began tree farming in 1954 and received the first American Forest Institute’s Tree Farmer of Year Award in 1976. Barber did not seek public recognition for his support of 4-H programs and believed in supporting 4-Hers who demonstrated high achievement during their involvement with 4-H, outstanding abilities in their fields of interest, and an interest in furthering their education.