02/05/2026
🤝💚🤩 2025 Legacy Award🤝💚🤩
Thank you to Workman Bins for presenting this award!
“And on the 8th day, God looked down at his planned paradise and said, ‘I need a
caretaker’....... So God Made a Farmer.”
We all know this is not a direct quote from the Bible, but rather from the ever-wise Paul
Harvey in a speech he delivered at the 1978 National FFA Convention. But those of us who
knew Benny Cooper, can all agree that this could have easily been written directly about
him.
Paul Harvey goes on to describe God needing a man with arms strong enough to rustle a
calf, yet gentle enough to hold his grandchild. A man willing to get up before dawn, check
the cows, work all day in the fields, and come home for supper, and still not be finished
with his day, So God Made a Farmer.
Harvey continues with God needing a man to sit up all night with a newborn calf or c**t,
watch it die, dry his eyes and say to himself, maybe next time. He needed a man willing to
ride the ruts at double-speed to get the hay in, ahead of the rain clouds.
Somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, and come home hungry at lunch,
only to have to wait on his wife and help-mate who is feeding her lady friends, all the while
keeping a gentle smile on his face wishing them a warm farewell, telling them to come
back any time and meaning it, So God Made a Farmer.
God needed somebody strong enough to clear trees, fence rows, and heave bails, yet
gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs, So God Made a Farmer. It HAD to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight, never cutting any corners; somebody to feed, seed, feed, w**d, breed, rake, disc, plow, plant, harvest, strain the
milk, replenish the self-feeder, finishing up a hard week’s work with a five mile drive to
church, So God Made Benny Cooper.
Benny F. Cooper was born to be a farmer; to tend to the land he loved. To be an over-seer,
a care-taker. Benny Cooper lived to farm; it was his passion, purpose and greatest pride
apart from his Grandbabies. Sharing his love of the Farm with the ones who lovingly called
him Dad, Tori and Kaycee, and the ones who called him Pop, Nick, Ella Jean, and Charlie
was who Benny was and what made him tick.
Benny was born a farmer, he was born INTO farming, he was born TO farm, he knew how to
do that very well, everyone would agree. Benny LEARNED how to be a Pop. He learned
through an unwavering love, prayer, and the guidance of his help-mate, life partner and
right hand “man” of 49 years, his wife, Terre. The old adage that goes something like this,
“Behind every good man, is an even better woman” couldn’t be more fitting for Benny and
Terre Cooper. His Legacy cannot be mentioned without acknowledging the role of the
Farmer’s Wife. For they too, worry, weep, pray, curse the weather, the poor market prices,
and love the men that have been chosen, set-apart and entrusted to tend the land
faithfully, and responsibly.
Anyone who knew Benny at all, knew that he was more than likely the hardest working man
in any circle that he was standing in. Yes, Benny Cooper was a hard worker. Benny was
also loyal. He was a loyal man to his core. He was a loyal son, brother, friend, husband,
father, grandfather, leader, and church member. He was loyal to where he hauled his grain,
bought his seed, chemicals and fertilizer; even loyal down to his beloved “Red” tractors!
Benny was generous. He shared his blessings with his family that he so dearly loved, along
with his friends alike. Benny wasn’t a flashy man, he was quite the opposite as I’m sure we
can all agree. You’d never guess how generous of a man that Benny Cooper was, unless
you yourself were the recipient of his love and generosity. Benny and Terre Cooper have
together, over the course of Benny’s 68 years on this earth, and their 49 year marriage and
partnership, shared their home and their table with dare I say hundreds of folks through the
years. The friends and family of Benny and Terre Cooper can all say that they’ve felt the
love and warmth of a plate of hot food, a glass of cold tea, the sweetness of a freshly baked
dessert, and left their table full of not only the food, but most importantly, the fellowship
and hospitality shown them; blood relative or not, you felt like family once you left their
table.
The words Farmer and Benny Cooper are one in the same. You cannot rightfully say one,
without the other coming to mind. Benny Cooper loved what he did, and left this world too
soon, as we all know, in a terrible accident on a cold day in January of this year, doing just
what he loved to do. It goes without saying that Benny was a humble man who is dearly
missed, who left behind a greater legacy than he could have ever dreamed that he was
building continuously through his life’s work; by the sweat of his brow, by the ache in his
back and the love in his heart.
Farm Safety and Accident Prevention is a focus of Benny’s legacy, which will keep his
memory and name alive, for the sake of safety for the future generations of farmers to
come, through the Benny Cooper Foundation for Farm Safety and Accident Prevention.
That is one way that we can honor Benny, his family and his legacy.
To wrap up, here are some of the many accomplishments, achievements and accolades
that Benny acquired throughout his dedicated life-long time as a Bandana, Kentucky
Farmer.
Benny began his agriculture career away from the field while first serving as a board
member with Ballard County Farm Bureau, during which time he was promoted by way of
election, to the seat of President. Benny served on both the Young Farmer’s Committee
and the Resolutions Committee during his time with Farm Bureau. Thus laying the groundwork for what came next for Benny, being chosen to serve the Kentucky Soybean
Board. While with the Kentucky Soybean Board, Benny served as President. Benny also
served on the United Soybean Board (USB). He later went on to be elected three-
consecutive times, becoming the highest ranked position ever held by a Kentucky Farmer-
Leader in the National Check-Off Program.
During Benny’s time with the USB, he held the title of Chairman for the Competitiveness
Task Force, Chairman of the International Marketing Committee of which he was most
proud, serving as a Marketer of U.S. Soybeans all over the world.
Benny served as Chairman of the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board (KSPB), represented
the Purchase Area District on the KY Soybean Association where he was awarded many
times in for his international work and volunteer leadership, two of which include the
Distinguished Service Award, and the Eddie Voils Leadership Award.
These are only a few of the most notable achievements that Benny Cooper received
because of the countless hours that he spent outside of the fields, devoted and dedicate
Congratulations, Mr. Benny! May you rest peacefully in The Lord’s loving arms! 🤍
