House Resolution 54

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING "BUGG" MILLS UPON BEING NAMED THE 2020 "FARM DOG OF THE YEAR" BY THE MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU FEDERATION.

WHEREAS, created by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, the Farm Dog of the Year contest recognizes the special bond between farmers and their farm dogs; and

WHEREAS, the inaugural winners of the 2020 Farm Dog of the Year Award, are "Bugg" Mills and her owner Kyle Mills, who work together every day on their cotton and cattle farm in Montgomery County; and

WHEREAS, farming can be a lonely occupation, which is why many farmers choose to share the cab of their tractor or truck with a farm dog, and Kyle Mills proves to be no exception to this standard practice by inviting "Bugg" into his cab as his compadre; and

WHEREAS, "Bugg" shoulders her fair share of farming responsibility by riding the tractor, herding cattle and protecting her family, remarkable attributes which make her an exceptional farm dog; and

WHEREAS, equipped with an intuition that is almost humanistic in observation, Kyle says, "She knows a little bit about everything. She's smart. She goes with me just about everywhere."; and

WHEREAS, "Bugg" showed up at Kyle's farm shop as a stray

more than 10 years ago, and initially she would not allow him to approach her, but Kyle remained undeterred in his effort to befriend her, having said, "I left food that first night and she came up and got it, then ran off. The next morning, I threw her some bologna. I left and when I came back, she was sitting there looking at me like, 'Hey, I want another piece of bologna.'"; and

WHEREAS, once the relationship was fostered, "Bugg" never left Kyle's side, and he continues to proclaim her greatness, not only as a dog, but as a friend whom he proudly boasts "has been with me through the birth of my kids and I know she will protect them as they grow up. Everybody that works for us knows in the morning, "Bugg" is going to be there to greet them. That's what makes her special to me."; and

WHEREAS, according to MFBF President Mike McCormick, "Farm dogs make life on the farm worth living. They are not just part of the farm; they are part of our family."; and

WHEREAS, as the first winners of the Farm Dog of the Year Award, "Bugg" and Kyle received $500.00, six bags of Red Flannel dog food by Exclusive Pet Nutrition and a plaque honoring "Bugg" for her remarkable display of hard work and companionship; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize the exceptional characteristics of true friendship on display, whether in the form of companionship between two humans or between humans and their pets:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and recognize "Bugg" Mills upon being named the 2020 "Farm Dog Of The Year" by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, and extend best wishes for "Bugg" and her owner Kyle Mills for a continued bond of companionship for many more years to come.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Kyle Mills and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.