Blog – Missouri FFA and Agriculture Education

Jun 28 2024

86,400 Seconds

2024-2025, Kennedy Heil

Kennedy Heil

As the Convention doors came to a close for the final time this year, I was faced with an overwhelming bout of emotion. Knowing that my time in the blue corduroy was not yet over, these emotions came as a surprise to me. What was expected to be a joyful celebration of the year ahead of me turned into the most gut-wrenching feelings I couldn’t find the means to shake.

At the time, I passed it off for feelings that were so significant due to a lack of sleep and high levels of adrenaline throughout the previous week. However, it wasn’t until the following Monday when I returned back to school that I realized why these feelings were so prominent.

The emotions I was feeling – worry, doubt and hesitation – were all part of a bigger factor – time. Early on in my Missouri FFA State Officer journey, Ms. Briscoe, Missouri FFA Executive Secretary, offered me a stand out statement. She said, “You only get 86,400 seconds of every day. Are you going to choose to waste them?”

Missouri FFA members, we are living a life that offers us the opportunity to be faced with the battle of time. Emotions of worry, doubt and hesitation are only sustainable if you choose to waste your seconds. In the upcoming year, I encourage each of you to use your seconds to form new connections, learn a new skill and make a move so daring you can confidently say you didn’t waste a single second.

Jun 25 2024

The Lessons I Learned in Leaving

2024-2025, Mikaela Rojas

Mikaela Rojas

I have never been one for change. When I was little, a substitute teacher at school would throw off my day and a change in lunch plans frustrated me to no end. As a terribly indecisive person, change can be a tough pill to swallow once I have my heart set on something. This month I graduated high school, which is easily one of the biggest changes I have ever undergone.

At the beginning of the year, I was terrified of leaving the people I loved, the places I was familiar with, and the routine I had developed. It reminded me of my grandfather and his journey in agriculture. At 19, Grandpa left his home in Costa Rica knowing no English to attend Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. There, he learned English while completing his degree in animal science. Through his stories, grandpa taught me there is power in embracing change.

Graduation has come and gone, and I am no longer afraid of the constant change that continues to occur throughout my life. If you take a step out of your comfort zone, you may realize that the process of changing is not scary at all. It is a beautiful time of growth and development, whether that be learning from mistakes or adjusting to an unfamiliar situation. I will have strength in knowing that the lessons I learned in leaving will live on in my heart.

FFA members, you are only limiting yourself by being afraid of change. You can manage the last-minute script revision before a chapter banquet. You can present that speech your advisor has been pushing you to try. You most definitely can use change to practice acceptance and adaptability and become the best version of yourself possible.

Jun 25 2024

Experiences are What You Make of Your Opportunities

2024-2025, Annabelle Carlisle

Annabelle Carlisle

We have all heard at some point from a mentor that your experiences are what you make of your opportunities. While I have heard this saying so many times, I never really understood its meaning. Everyone gains different experiences just based on their perspective. I found this so true when I joined this amazing organization.

Where I grew up in Hornersville, Missouri, it’s a small rural farming community. I grew up looking at soybeans, cotton, rice, watermelons and cantaloupes. While I may have lived in a farming community, I didn’t grow up on a farm. As I joined FFA my freshman year, I didn’t think that this was an organization where I would fit in. Everyone around me had some kind of experience farming. Little did I know that this is where I would find my place. I had to work hard to gain the knowledge needed to be successful within this organization. I went to many different leadership opportunities, camps and competitions. All of these aspects played a role in my experience within the organization.

You see, so many times I get caught up in trying to have the same experiences as others. You can never have the exact same experience because you are going to have a different perspective. Your experiences are what you make of them. If you go out of your comfort zone to experience new opportunities, you will gain an experience of a lifetime. Continue to look for chances to change your experience through your own perspective.

Jun 25 2024

Do Something Different

2024-2025, Alexis Mullins

“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” Over the past few months, I have found so much truth in these 15 words by Henry Ford. All too often, we find ourselves walking the same path day by day, completing the same routine week by week. I found myself living by the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” While sometimes this saying is great, in other scenarios it holds us back from reaching new heights.

I have a routine I walk through every day during the summer. It pretty much consists of me feeding animals, cleaning up after my animals and working animals. I had done this routine every summer for as long as I could remember, and I never thought I could or should try something different. When I was offered the opportunity to make a trip to Nebraska to shadow a horse trainer of a different discipline, my first thought was that there was no way I could leave my routine for two weeks. I had convinced myself that my routine is all I could do with my summer freedom. It took some convincing, but after discussing all of the doors this opportunity would open, I took a two-week break from my routine to expand my skills and grow my knowledge. During those two weeks I learned new things and had a great time. Looking back, I’m so glad I took the chance and did something different.

This year, I have the opportunity to attend my first ever summer camp! I am so very excited to experience the camp life and make memories with members from across the state. As someone who has found myself stuck walking the same path day by day, I challenge you to find something new and incorporate it into your life this summer!

Apr 05 2024

Showers Bring Flowers

2023-2024, Lily Weber

Lily Weber

We have all heard the old saying, “April showers bring May flowers.”

While I’m writing this I am currently listening to rain pour down outside my house. I know rain will help the many acres that farmers have planted, the pastures on our farms and ranches, and my favorite wild flowers grow. My father has always told me that everything needs rain to grow. While this is true for all vegetation, the same can be accurate about our lives. Sometimes we struggle with a decision, a situation or the outcome of an event. It is that struggle that allows us to grow and helps us turn into the person we were meant to be.

I’m not always a fan of the rain. When I’m having a bad day, I can not wait for it to be over. I will go to bed early just so I can have a fresh start sooner the next day. Still, sometimes bad days turn into a bad week. When this happens, we must learn to embrace the rain by dancing in it. We might not always understand the rain and the storms that can come with it, but we need to remember that everything happens for a reason and that there are better days to come.

We are like plants and need the rain to help us grow. The April shower can bring beautiful May flowers. After struggles and hard times, we get to take in the beauty of what we have been through and the strength that we have. I have learned that rain will provide the necessary supplies to grow a bountiful harvest. I encourage you to embrace the showers so you can embrace the beauty in every flower you see.

Mar 25 2024

2023 Speaking Contest Results

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MO YOUNG FARMS/YOUNG FARM WIVES SPEAKING CONTEST

1st – Crista Perry, Liberal
2nd – Avery Ridgley, Montgomery Co
3rd – Harlee Beck, Chillicothe

MO QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION

1st – Ruby Hinds, West Plains
2nd – Glenna Barnett, Chillicothe

MO PET BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

1st – Carissa Simagna, Aurora
2nd – Gracie Small, Linn Co.
3rd – Lyndsey King, Gallatin

MO FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION

1st – Madilynn Cook, Forsyth
2nd – Bethany Slovensky, Wellsville
3rd – Brooklyn Fleming, Leeton

MO CATTLE INDUSTRY SPEAKING CONTEST

1st – Mikaela Rojas, Linn Co.
2nd – Natalie Neil, Nevada
3rd – Sara Tuschhoff, Cuba

MO PORK ASSOCIATION SPEAKING CONTEST

1st – Sadie Brunch, Chillicothe
2nd – Sophia Geppert, North Callaway
3rd – Ashtyn O’Malley, Buffalo

MO ASSOC OF SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

1st – Micah Winslow, Republic
2nd – Kate Strackeljahn, St. James
3rd – Abigail Burns, Gallatin

TEACH AG SPEAKING EVENT

1st – Dylan Hoyt, Community R-6
2nd – Gabrielle Thompson, Forsyth
3rd – Jerrica Hess, Northwest Tech

MO SHEEP PRODUCERS SPEAKING CONTEST

1st – Isabella Collins, Aurora
2nd – Marah Greiman, Monroe City
3rd – Hallie Rider, Belle

See Full Results >>

FARM BUREAU SPEAKING CONTEST

1st – Matthew Lakey, Ava
2nd – Karsyn Gleeman, Braymer
3rd – Lydea Britt, Salisbury

MO INSTITUTE OF COOPERATIVES SPEAKING CONTEST

1st – Ellie Samek, Bolivar
2nd – Haley Sunfield, Hermann
3rd – Samual Setzer, Appleton City

Mar 15 2024

Find Your Courage

2023-2024, Kiley Mattson

Kiley Mattson

Looking back at the person I was before my year of service to Missouri FFA, I’ve seen a number of major changes in myself. I’ve grown more confident, I’m better at conversation, I’ve learned resilience, but perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is how to be courageous. Without courage, I wouldn’t have achieved any of the progress I’ve seen within myself. Throughout the past year, I’ve been asked to conquer challenges that scared me, embracing situations that made me uncomfortable in my abilities. Many times when asked to participate, I wanted to say no. Instead of staying where I was comfortable, I dug down deep and found the courage I needed to march through the fear, get the job done, and grow in the process.

The word courage comes from the Latin root cor meaning heart. You see, courage is more than not being afraid or being uncomfortable. Courage is acknowledging that you have fear and feel uncomfortable, and then having the heart to face those fears and push through the discomfort in order to grow. It comes from a deeper desire to grow and succeed and prosper as a person. It comes from your heart, your core.

Life is scary and uncomfortable. Changes will come to disrupt your life, whether good or bad. What’s important to remember is that you have it in you to make it through any and all obstacles. Deep in your heart, you have the courage to stretch your comfort zone, try new things, and grow into the person you’ve always wanted to be. Some days you have to dig deeper than others to find that courage, but it will always be there. So don’t give up! Find courage, and let it fuel your fire to progress and grow throughout your life.

Feb 29 2024

Embrace The Struggle

2023-2024, Maggie Starke

Maggie Starke

Oprah Winfrey once said, “Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.” As you go through life, you will encounter challenges. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid the times of struggle. Your time in the blue jacket will include both victories and challenges. In high school, you will face both victories and challenges. Even in college and later in your career, you will face both victories and challenges.

It’s human nature to struggle. All of us will have moments in life where life just feels hard. How we overcome those challenges is what matters. Do we let a setback define the steps that we take forward? Or, do we overcome and persevere, emerging stronger on the other side? When we face a struggle, we have the power to determine what the outcome will look like.

If I take a moment to look back and think of the struggles I have faced while wearing my blue jacket, the list is long. Still, I can think of how each experience made me stronger in some way, shape, or form. I think of how I learned to put the time in to memorize a speech before a contest, that sometimes you have to ask others for guidance and actually accept their help, and that no matter what you can’t give up.

As you go through life, remember that you are not alone in your struggles. Others can help you overcome challenges. Ultimately, you get to make the decision on how those struggles affect your future. Finally, remember that you are stronger than you think. You’ve got this, no matter what.

Feb 29 2024

Governor Mike Parson Proclaims 2024 National FFA Week in Missouri

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Release courtesy of the Missouri Department of Agriculture

For more information, contact the department’s Public Information Office at (573) 751-2613 or Christi.Miller@mda.mo.gov.

February 22, 2024

JEFFERSON CITY —Today, on behalf of nearly 27,000 members of Missouri FFA, Governor Mike Parson proclaimed Feb. 17-24, 2024, to be National FFA Week in Missouri.

“FFA members are the future of Missouri agriculture,” Governor Mike Parson said. “The First Lady and I live an agricultural lifestyle, and we’re encouraged by the leadership we see displayed in Missouri FFA members who will uphold valuable traditions and introduce new ones. Each time we interact with this group, we’re reminded that both the industry and state we love is in great hands.”

For the sixth year in a row, Gov. Parson drove a John Deere tractor to the Capitol in honor of the FFA tradition of students driving their tractor to school during National FFA Week. Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe joined in on the tradition again this year, demonstrating his ties to agriculture and commitment to FFA students. FFA members drove restored tractors alongside the Governor and Lieutenant Governor this year, and a display of tractors from local implement dealers was showcased in front of the Capitol. Missouri FFA President Sam Tummons from the Columbia FFA Chapter received the FFA Week proclamation on behalf of the 2023-2024 Missouri FFA State Officer team.

“As a first-generation farmer, I am proud to celebrate Missouri agriculture alongside the passionate and ambitious members of Missouri FFA,” Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe said. “Events like the FFA Week tractor drive are a great way to honor the role these students play in the future of our state’s leading industry.”

In 1928, 33 young men met at the Baltimore Hotel in Kansas City, Mo., and began the National Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA). Today, the organization’s official name is the National FFA Organization, which 96 years later is represented by 9,163 FFA chapters and 945,988 members nationwide.

“This event is always fun for my team and I,” Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said. “The excitement on the FFA members faces when they see the Governor and Lieutenant Governor pull up to the Capitol in tractors is priceless. It reminds me why I do what I do. Missouri FFA members are sure to advance the future of agriculture and I’m proud to watch them do it.”

Missouri FFA continues to help the next generation rise to meet the challenges of feeding a growing population. FFA allows members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways. Missouri is home to 362 chapters and more than 26,830 members, ranking eighth nationally for membership.

“The Missouri FFA Association is a great example of how education meets opportunity,” Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Margie Vandeven said. “Having an in-class agriculture education experience, coupled with participation in an FFA chapter, can help students find their path to success. We are proud of the Missouri FFA members and advisors who are building a brighter tomorrow.”

FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

To learn more about the Missouri FFA Association, visit MissouriFFA.org.

For more information on the department and its programs, visit agriculture.mo.gov.

Feb 01 2024

Stand Out From the Crowd

2023-2024, Colin McIntyre

Throughout my time in FFA, I participated in several Career Development Events (CDE). During my junior year, I found myself doing a contest that I had never imagined doing. Although I didn’t know what it was and the level of difficulty the Forestry CDE encompassed, I discovered one tree was quite unique during my involvement. The Chinkapin oak might sound like the average oak tree with its typical tree bark, average height and normal stems, however when looking at its leaf structure one can see how unique it really is. Typical oak leaves are round or pointy lobed, whereas the Chinkapin sets itself apart with sharply pointed leaves.

From time to time we might seem to be like everyone else. However, remember that the Chinkapin oak looks identical to others until you look at its leaves. We might not know exactly what makes us different. I found that I enjoy talking in a British accent, and I love the color pink. As we reflect on ourselves we will discover all that makes us unique. Look at the small things that make you different. It could be the structure of your leaves or your favorite color. It’s okay for you to be different.

Jan 16 2024

MO Forest Products Assoc Names 2023 Speaking Contest Winners

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Three Missouri FFA Student Members Receive a Total of $600 in the Missouri Forest Products Association FFA Public Speaking Contest Finalists Presented on January 9 at the MFPA Winter Meeting in Jefferson City

From L-R: Brooklyn Fleming, Carmella Pendergrass, Marlee Jones, Bethany Slovensky, Madilynn Cook, Brian Brookshire, Executive Director of MFPA

Missouri Forest Products Association, in conjunction with the Missouri FFA chapter offers congratulations to all students who entered their second annual FFA Public Speaking Contest and announced that Madilynn Cook from Forsyth High School located in Forsyth, MO was selected as the statewide winner.

The speaking contest was open to all Missouri FFA student members enrolled in vocational agriculture courses during the fall semester of the 2023/24 school year. Of the 12 students competing at the district level, the top six finalists (one from each FFA district in Missouri) each presented their 6-8 minute speech and answered follow-up questions on the topic of “What are the carbon benefits of the forest and wood products industry?” Three finalists were then selected during the MFPA’s winter meeting in Jefferson City at Courtyard Marriott on January 9, 2024. First place and $200 was awarded to Madilynn Cook, second place and $150 went to Bethany Slovensky, and Brooklyn Fleming received $100 for third place.

District	School	Student	Teacher(s)
Northwest	Braymer High School	Emily Ramsey	Peyton Niemeier
Northeast	Wellsville-Middletown High School	Bethany Slovensky (2nd)	Emily Holbert, Audrey McDowell
Central	Leeton High School	Brooklyn Fleming (3rd)	Hayden Dillon
Southwest	Forsyth High School	Madilynn Cook (1st)	Clint Gailey
South Central	Cuba High School	Marlee Jones	Katelynn Davalos, Rick Borgman
Southeast	Doniphan High School	Carmella Pendergrass	Matthew Pendergrass, Liz Schroeder

Missouri is home to more than 26,000 FFA members.

“A large component of Missouri Forest Products Association is education, so partnering with Missouri FFA is a perfect fit for us,” said Brian Brookshire, executive director of MFPA. “It is a great opportunity for MFPA to reach young leaders across the state and allow them to learn about and present a speech on a topic that pertains to not only our industry but a topic that is important to everyone’s future. We were quite impressed with the finalists for this year’s contest. We’d like to officially thank the students who participated and congratulate the winners.”

Jan 02 2024

Go On A Quest

2023-2024, Lynn Dyer

The recent release of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians show on Disney Plus makes me want to listen to Riptide on repeat, start eating exclusively blue foods, and maybe go on an epic quest to save the world. While we definitely won’t be running into minotaurs or furies at any FFA events, our journey in FFA is not so different from Percy’s adventures. FFA is our Camp Half-Blood, and we as members are the demigods of agriculture and leadership.

Whether it be a spring contest, an office you want to run for, or an SAE you want to start, think of your next project or event in FFA as a quest. There will undoubtedly be roadblocks— metaphorical monsters to face, riddles to solve, and mazes to navigate. Percy wouldn’t have been half the hero he is without the challenges he faced. Likewise, our FFA quests shape us into stronger problem-solvers and leaders.

Being a demigod is far from easy, and for Percy, it comes with high expectations from the Olympian gods, his fellow demigods, his closest friends, and even the monsters he faces. Those expectations cause him to struggle with self-doubt, fear of failure, and the constant pressure to live up to the heroic image others have of him. While this experience looks different for us, our lives are not free from expectations either.

One of my favorite quotes from the Percy Jackson books is, “If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.” It will never be possible to please everyone. At the end of the day, it is up to us as individuals to push ourselves, know our limits, and make the choices that are right for us. We are the authors of our own story. There is no prophecy telling us what to do or who to be. Our story is waiting to be written, and it is up to us to make it a tale worthy of Camp Half-Blood.

Dec 22 2023

Me As An SAE

2023-2024, Caleb Simpson

Why does every FFA member already know the secrets to personal growth?

How could it be that every FFA member already has, somewhere inside of them, all the knowledge needed for personal growth? While there are certainly a nearly infinite number of self-help books, podcasts, or TikToks fighting desperately for what last scraps of cash and/or attention we have left, creating a better world for ourselves—both inside and out—lies within the hands and minds of every FFA member.

Why is that?

As FFA members, we subscribe to the trifecta philosophy of the “Three Circle Model” that makes up agricultural education. For most, the idea of having classroom instruction, FFA involvement, and an ever-improving SAE is familiar territory that has been experienced firsthand. In my mind, the core tenets of any self-improvement that students wish to make can be seen in how they improve their SAE.

As we create an SAE and watch it grow a life of its own, many of us ask ourselves: how can I make this thing better? Oftentimes this seemingly innocent question quickly becomes difficult to answer. A lack of funding, time, or space can all be major roadblocks to improving our project—just as they can be to improving ourselves.

While both are incredibly frustrating, many FFA members over the years have discovered three questions that have led them to overcoming these obstacles—in projects and in life:

What do I need to keep doing?
What can I do better at?
What do I need to stop doing?

For the first of these, it is essential that no matter what growth we want to see as people—such as learning to become a better speaker, building better relationships, or reducing day-to-day anxieties—we should first pat ourselves on the back for what we are doing well. Using our example of speaking, don’t let yourself get down over a speech that runs too long while overlooking the positive tone of your voice during that time.

You have to start somewhere. Start by acknowledging the things that are working so far.

Second, we can build off of what we do well by identifying the things that we could do better at. This is the time when we can start to be gently critical of ourselves. Someone looking to create a more meaningful relationship with a person or group might find him or herself noticing that they aren’t the quickest to reply to texts or emails, which could be leading to their weakened relationship. By identifying the essential things that they are already doing that could be done better, this person can commit to a solution—easily bettering themselves in the process.

Our final question for ourselves is often the hardest: what do I need to stop doing?

Whenever we go to better ourselves, most of our actions are done with the best intentions; however, at a certain point, it is only rational to acknowledge that some of these aren’t working. As much as we wish and pray otherwise, we are limited to only 24 hours in a day. Our time, our mental and physical resources are all finite, and we need to be able to allocate them in the best way possible. Just as someone who invests money into an unprofitable part of an entrepreneurship SAE is most likely wasting their efforts, so too can our self-improvement efforts be better targeted. If you are someone who is trying to gain muscle in the gym and doing the same exercise day after day without results, the rational thing to do is to stop doing that exercise. By finding what efforts may be less effective, we free up our valuable time to work on ourselves in another way.

Altogether, these three questions can serve as guides to us, not only to produce premier projects, but to catapult ourselves forward into the best teammates, friends, and bright-minded individuals that we were born to be.

Dec 22 2023

Keep Air In Your Tires

2023-2024, Lily Weber

Lily Weber

As Joyce Meyer once said, “A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.” Flat tires are not the way to start any day. It delays you and ruins your plans for the day. It also affects other people, too, because it could make you late for a meeting or even just the start to your day.

It takes only seconds for a tire to go flat, but to change out the tire and repair it takes several minutes. The same can be said about a bad attitude. It only takes one little thing going wrong to put you in a bad mood. Which might take just seconds like the tire going flat.Also like a tire, a bad attitude delays you and even in some cases ruins your day. Just like a tire makes you late, a bad attitude affects the people around you. By having a bad attitude you are bringing down the people around you. When you are part of a team such as in sports, it helps to get the win when you have confidence and a positive attitude. When you are working on a project, if it is not going the way you want, sit back and try looking at it from another angle. Do not let it get you down, frustrated, or give up. These are all ways to bring your group’s attitude down. With these things in the way, the project does not get finished. We all know that one time we might be excited to do something or go somewhere, but someone else was not, and it changed our mood. Bad attitudes are contagious. How do we fix this bad attitude? We fix it the same way we fix a flat tire. We change it out for a new one. While it might take a few minutes to change our attitude, once we do we are back up and ready to go! So remember, if you have a flat tire or a bad attitude, change it for you and those around you. It will only take a few seconds to put a smile on your face, and share it with others.

86,400 Seconds

The Lessons I Learned in Leaving

Experiences are What You Make of Your Opportunities

Do Something Different

Showers Bring Flowers

Find Your Courage

Embrace The Struggle

Stand Out From the Crowd

Three Missouri FFA Student Members Receive a Total of $600 in the Missouri Forest Products Association FFA Public Speaking Contest Finalists Presented on January 9 at the MFPA Winter Meeting in Jefferson City

Go On A Quest

Me As An SAE

Keep Air In Your Tires

86,400 Seconds

The Lessons I Learned in Leaving

Experiences are What You Make of Your Opportunities

Do Something Different

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