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For a 17- or 18-year-old, procrastination often comes easy. Yet digging in and getting the work done is what helped Trenton FFA member Teresa Yoder become a national finalist in the agricultural processing proficiency award area.

T.K.’s Processing is a 50/50 joint venture Yoder owns with her mom. The supervised agricultural experience project came about through Yoder’s on-going desire to own a butcher shop. Her mom had experience with that type of a business and agreed to be her partner. Once Yoder turns 18, she will become the sole proprietor.

As a processing facility for deer and chickens, Yoder serves customers in her community. She spends time after school and on weekends processing deer from the carcass down to burger, steaks, roasts and jerky. Snack sticks, summer sausage and trail bologna are also fabricated.

While the business initially only processed deer, this past summer chickens were added to the mix. In addition to handling the processing duties — including trimming, cleaning and packaging — Yoder also tackles pricing products, ordering supplies and calling customers once orders are ready for pick up.

“It really is a lot of work, but it is something I enjoy being a part of,” Yoder says.

Having enough capital to pay for supplies, equipment and the building set up was Yoder’s biggest challenge when she began the business.

Because her parents once owned a processing facility, Yoder was able to purchase some of that equipment.

“In 2017, I spent a lot of time and money working on the shop to get it ready to use,” Yoder explains. “The facility hadn’t been in operation for several years and needed a number of repairs and modifications.”

The experience her parents brought to the table was invaluable, Yoder says. “During the first year of operation, (my mom) was often looking over my shoulder, guiding me in what was right and wrong,” Yoder says. “In the fall of 2018, she began trusting me with more responsibilities and even had me handle a few days running the cleaning of the shop and managing the business on my own. This confirmed that I had gained enough experience to manage my own agribusiness.”

Gaining the trust of her customers has been the most important accomplishment for Yoder. “During my first year, I had a customer that arrived early and watched me package all of his order,” she explains. “He didn’t say much to me, but watched everything I did and went through his box to count how many rolls of summer sausage he had, bags of jerky, etc. This past year, that same customer came back and the first thing he did was compliment me on the quality of the summer sausage and jerky. It made me feel good to know I had done quality work and earned his trust and respect.”

—By Joann Pipkin

It’s all about engaging young people in agriculture. National FFA proficiency award finalist Elizabeth Brooks says that alone was the most challenging aspect of her agricultural education supervised agriculture experience project.

The Ashland FFA member says her ag education SAE focuses on educating people about the various sectors of the industry. For the past two years, she’s been an educator for the Agriculture Education on the Moveprogram through Missouri Farmers Care.

“I used this curriculum, in combination with my own lessons, to teach agriculture to 50 third grade students during a 10-week program,” Brooks explains. “I also organized an agriculture literacy program for first grade students for which I developed a four-week curriculum based on four different agriculture story books to education 25 students about agriculture commodities.”

In addition to teaching in the classroom, Brooks worked with the Ashland Learning Garden to educate students about vegetable production by helping develop lessons and activities. Brooks organized a middle school agriculture club for the Ashland FFA chapter and also led her local 4-H Clover Kids program. She also led a summer camp called Farmhouse for Fun for local day care children to learn about livestock and tour different farms in the area.

“My experience with Ag Education on the Moveinspired me to develop my own ag ed program,” Brooks says. “As the coordinator for the agriculture literacy program, I selected four ag-related story books and created lessons and activities for each one. By the third year of my SAE program, my experiences had made me a confident, passionate teacher and inspired me to take charge of several other ag ed programs in my chapter.”

Taking time to get to know her students is vital in ag education, Brooks says. She makes a point to learn about her students’ abilities, interests and behaviors. “This helps me develop techniques for keeping my students engaged and overcoming that challenge,” she says.

By working in her SAE, Brooks says she’s recognized that agricultural education must start at an earlier age. Although she hasn’t identified a specific age, she says teaching agriculture before high school will greatly improve agricultural involvement and success in the future.

“During my time as an educator, I have seen the desire that students of all ages have for learning, and that has inspired me to connect with them and create learning opportunities that will spark enthusiasm in the next generation,” she says. “Teaching about agriculture and inspiring youth to stay interested in it has been my biggest accomplishment through my SAE program because I have done my part in preparing the next generation of agriculturalists.”

—By Joann Pipkin

•  520 American Degree Recipients 

•  National Officer Candidate – Sydney Mason 

•  2 Teachers receiving Honorary American Degree – Jackie Carlson, Jefferson; Jon Wilson, Gainesville 

•  15 National Delegates 

• 4 National Talent Performers
Kaitlin Caldwell, South Shelby; Owen Kloeppel, Vienna; Zach Evans, Richland; Ashlee Martin, Green Ridge 

• National Nominating Committee Member – Chad Laxton, Miller 

• 7 National Chorus Members
Connor Pfaff, Monroe City; Logan Lucas, Monroe City; Ryan Altman, Winfield; Crace Williams, Winfield; Colin Wilburn, Van-Var; Macie McNeely, Gallatin; Sydney Stundebeck, Salisbury 

• 16 National Band Members
Jena Schwartze, Vienna; Yanci Aschwege, Galena; Gavin King, Pierce City; Olivai Sloan, Salisbury; Tara Schnelting, Owensville; Chloe Moss, Crocker; Christine Kussmann, Burnswick; Samantha McNealy, Warrenton; Cory Word, Saxony Lutheran; Kimberly Niemeyer, Bowling Green; David Welter, Stewartsville; Aubrey Bunge, Van-Far; Annabell Morris, Bronaugh; Christopher Ochoa, North Platte; Hayden Schapeler, Rich Hill; Layla Beyer, Slater

• 5 Individuals receiving Honorary American Degree
Scott Gardner, Chillicothe; David Higgins, Mountain Grove; Jill Nagel, Columbia; Diane Olson, Jefferson City; Alan Wessler, Columbia 

• Hall of States – Centralia FFA 

Animal Systems – Division 6 – Caroline Green/Rachael Love – Troy 

Environ Services/NRS – Division 4 – Katelyn Damron/Emma Skouby – Troy 

Food Products – Division 6 – Ashley Freiburger/Courtney Freiburger – Verona 

Plant Systems – Division 4 – Dylan Sparks/Jacob Raines — Troy 

Plant Systems – Division 5 – Alexis Wilkinson – Sikeston 

Plant Systems – Divison 6 –Abygale Higgins/Daman Morton – Troy 

Power, Structural, Technical Systems – Division 4 – Jay Hagemeier/Dane Culbertson – Troy

Power, Structural, Technical Systems – Division 5 – Allison Harris — Tuscumbia

Power, Structural, Technical Systems – Division 6 – Will Robbins/Clayton Winkler – California

Social Systems – Division 3 – Gabe Simmons – Tuscumbia

Agricultural Education – Elizabeth Brooks – Ashland 

Agriscience Research – Animal Systems – Jacob Toombs – Bolivar 

Agriscience Research – Integrated Systems – Addison Burns – Gallatin 

Ag Processing – Teresa Yoder – Trenton 

Diversified Livestock – Amelia Liebhart – Bucklin 

 Dairy Production Entrepreneurship – Jared Parrigon — Sarcoxie 

Equine Science – Entrepreneurship – Griffin Holliday – Centralia 

Grain Production – Placement – Brock Aylward — Memphis 

Nursery Operations – Kylynn Mallen – Cameron 

Vegetable Production – Ethan Hilgedick – Ashland 

30 Three Star Chapters – Highest award for a chapter 

Premier Chapter: Building Communities Finalist – Troy 

Premier Chapter: Strengthening Agriculture – Sweet Springs 

•  Ag Communications – Columbia 
• Ag Issues – Centralia 
• AG Sales – Columbia 
• AG Mechanics – North Shelby 
• Agronomy – Skyline 
• Conduct of Meetings – Eldon 
• Creed – John Miles — Marshall 
• Dairy Cattle – Billings 
• Employment Skills – Olivia Brune – Clopton 
• Environmental/Nat Res. – Pleasant Hope 
•  Extemp Speaking – Brenden Kleiboeker – Pierce City 
•  Farm Bus. Mgt – Hermann 

• Floriculture – Palmyra 
• Food Science — Cassville 
• Forestry – Forsyth 
• Horse – Ozark 
• Livestock – Pleasant Hope 
• Meats – Cassville 
• Milk Quality – Miller 
• Nursery/Landscape – Aurora 
• Parliamentary – Troy 
• Poultry – Paris 
• Public Speaking – Dakota Pemberton – Richland 
• Vet Science – Columbia 

 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019/National FFA Organization) – The National FFA Organization is answering the need for more highly skilled graduates to fill job openings in the field of agriculture, and nowhere is this more evident than in the organization’s growing membership. 

Today, the organization announced a record-high student membership of 700,170, up from 669,989 in 2018. The top six student membership states are Texas, California, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio and Missouri. Interest in FFA and agricultural education continues to grow as membership continues to increase. This year, the organization has more than 100,000 Latino members, 45 percent of the membership is female with 52 percent of the membership being male. Females hold more than 50 percent of the leadership positions. FFA chapters can be found in 24 of the 25 largest U.S. cities. 

“FFA is providing future leaders, and our membership growth reflects continued enthusiasm for agriculture as well as agricultural education,” National FFA Organization CEO Mark Poeschl said. “FFA prepares our student members for careers in agriculture while working to ensure the security of our country’s food, fiber and natural resources systems for years to come. Through real-world experiences, agriculture educators are helping students develop the technical knowledge, skills and problem-solving capabilities to be the industry’s leaders of tomorrow.” 

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to more than 700,000 student members who belong to one of the more than 8,600 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is also supported by more than 8 million alumni and supporters throughout the U.S. 

Six years ago, Kylynn Mallen’s mom made a career move, trading her job managing a local title company to owning a retail greenhouse. It was a move that planted the seeds for what would become Kylynn’s supervised agricultural experience project through FFA.

Before she entered high school, the Kylynn learned the tricks of the trade so that when she was old enough to join the Cameron FFA chapter as a freshman, she had a project that was ready to bloom.

“I lease 50% of the house space of my parent’s retail greenhouse operation and help manage the entire house year-round,” Kylynn explains.

Marketing her plants to landscape professionals as well as local do-it-your-selfers keeps Kylynn busy. In fact, the entrepreneur purchased, grew and sold 7,740 bedding and nursery plants in the spring and summer of 2018. A non-cash exchange of labor serves as a way for her to pay for some of the expenses associated with her percentage of the greenhouse and helps her mom with needed labor.

As one of four finalists in the nursery operations proficiency award program through FFA, Kylynn will be recognized on stage during the National FFA Convention next month in Indianapolis.

Change initially brought Kylynn to her SAE, and that only continues to evolve as her project grows.

“Greater responsibilities have come with increasing my ownership from 10% to 15% to 50%,” she explains. “With owning a larger percentage of the greenhouse each year, not only has the expenses and income increased, but so has the amount of work and number of hours I put in.”

Success in Kylynn’s SAE is driven by having the ability to reach a larger market share. Growing 1,100 cuttings and plugs for her plant broker was an accomplishment for the FFA member. Her handiwork was planted at the Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Iowa City, Iowa. The successfully grown varieties of lantana and impatiens are also being showcased in the plant catalog for McHuntchinson and Dummen Horticultural companies.

Mother Nature dominates as challenges for the young entrepreneur. With the greenhouse accounting for a portion of her family’s livelihood in addition to her own SAE, both are simultaneously affected by weather events which can make it difficult to make a profit.

“For instance, when my town of Cameron had a water shortage in the summer of 2018, residents were advised to not water their flowers,” Kylynn explains. “I knew my sales were going to be affected. However, after it was all said and done, early season sales over-compensated the money lost during the rest of the season, allowing for the return of a profitable amount of money.”

At the end of the day, Kylynn says she’s learned to take her SAE in stride, realizing that even though her plants are raised in a controlled environment, she also relies on the outside environment to help her project grow and provide income.

Because of her hands-on experiences in nursery operations, Kylynn says she’s gained a greater understanding of plants, including their identities and diseases.

“Being able to own such a large part of a business as a young adult has taught me many life skills,” she explains. “I learned how hard one has to work to earn an income and understand the true value of a dollar.”

Small but mighty. These three words can be used to describe the state’s Top Chapter, named at the 91st Missouri FFA Convention held earlier this year. Lead by 12chapterofficers and advisor Paige Brock, the Braymer FFA Chapter planned and hosted countless activities and events to grow leaders, build communities and strengthen agriculture. 

“Our chapter is one of the smaller chapters,” said Dustin Davies, 2018-2019 chapter president. “We don’t have a lot of members, but every one of our members works very hard at everything they do through the FFA.”

The smaller nature of their chapter allows each member to participate and remain on the same page.

“It’s a small chapter,” said Keaton O’Dell, 2018-2019 chapter vice president. “We have 45 members in our chapter, and we all know each other. We all know each other’s names. We talk to each other on a daily basis, and we get along great. We’re very cohesive, and we work well together.”

This hard work and cohesion paid off when Braymer was named Top Chapter in the state, a surprise to many of the chapter’s members.

“The student that was on stage accepting the award, he actually thought that there was a mistake and that he wasn’t actually supposed to be standing up there since they hadn’t called our name yet,” Davies said, laughing. “We were very shocked and very excited to win that award.”

This recognition is backed by a year of hard work, starting with the chapter’s Program of Activities (POA).

“At the beginning of the year, we decide what will be in the POA and what activities we are going to do,” Davies said. “A lot of the activities are annual, so we like to keep them the same, but we are also always looking for new things and activities to do.”

From there, the finer details are ironed out to ensure that the POA is organized and well-rounded. While all sections are addressed, members of the Braymer FFA Chapter like to focus a lot of their attention on building communities.

“I think we like to focus primarily on the building communities section,” Davies said. “In everything we do, even if it is in growing leaders or strengthening agriculture, we are still bringing it back to our community and using the events to build our community.”

O’Dell agreed and added, “We’re very involved in our community. I’d say we are a big-hearted chapter.”

From picking up trash to the Teal Pumpkin Project, members of the Braymer FFA Chapter are no strangers to serving others.

“During harvesting season, we will pack lunches and take them to our local co-op for farmers as they are unloading their grain,” Davies said, “so, they can have food without having to worry about stopping and getting something.”

O’Dell’s favorite event is also community-focused.

“We help with Smoke in the Valley,” he said. “It’s our tractor pull here in Braymer. It gets the FFA name out there and shows we are supporting the community.”

In addition to their full calendar and focus on service, the Braymer FFA Chapter’s family atmosphere makes it unique.

“We are like a family,” O’Dell said. “We’re everything a family should be. We work together, and we work hard together.”

Davies agreed and added that their chapter’s members are especially close.

“Everybody always says that FFA is a family,” he said. “But I feel like our chapter is a really, really close-knit family. If anyone needs any help with their SAE or a contest team, they just need to ask another member, and they are more than willing to help.”

—By Brandelyn Martin

Memphis FFA member Brock Aylward has his sights set on the future, yet he won’t be far from home.

A national finalist in the grain production placement proficiency award area, Brock says working on the family’s farm alongside his father and grandfathers has had the most impact on his future plans to return home and continue a legacy in production agriculture.

“This has enabled me to learn and appreciate the love of the land and the impact I can have by being a good steward of the soil, embracing technology and the value of every bushel produced,” Brock explains.

Four national finalists are selected in each of 45 proficiency award areas to compete for a national proficiency award. Proficiency award winners are announced on stage during the National FFA Convention & Expo, which will be held Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Proficiency awards are based on a member’s Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE).  They recognize individual skills and career-based competencies developed through multiple years of participation in Immersion type SAE projects.

Brock considers himself privileged to learn from two generations that have built a business from shear heard work and smart management decisions. “I’ve witnessed from my family that this job doesn’t mean managing from an office, but from putting in the physical labor and understanding all functions alongside all employees to be profitable,” he explains.

Through his placement experience on Aylward Farms, Brock operates tractors in addition to tillage equipment, planters and grain carts. Guidance systems assist with operating field cultivators, harrow, sprayer and planter — which he says is critical in helping the farm be as efficient as possible and reduce overlapping.

“The investment in planter monitors was a huge financial investment,” Brock says.

The monitors record the population, plant date, speed and hybrid/variety of the crop planted. Understanding how and what the monitors can do and then overlay that data with precipitation data from The Climate platform is then used to make additional informed management decisions, he says.

“With my employment on this row crop operation, I have witnessed the differences between owning land and cash renting ground,” Brock explains. “These differences include increased financial profitability and the ease of providing maintenance and improvements to the land.”

By investing his salary earnings and a previous purchased ground cash rental payment, Brock was able to purchase, with additional financial assistance, a 90-acre bottomland farm that he cash-rents to his family’s operation. Currently pursuing a precision agriculture certificate at the University of Missouri, he hopes to farm the land himself following college graduation.

While Brock’s role at Aylward Farms began in maintaining machinery and equipment, the young farmer now assists with machinery purchases as well.

“Working beside my dad engages me in all management decisions such as fuel purchases, seed, fertilizer and chemical pricing, commodity marketing, crop insurance and employee management,” Brock explains. “I have learned that fertilizer decisions are based off of yield results and soil testing.”

He’s also learned how to read soil tests and implement the best management practices to employ based off of the results.

Perhaps the greatest challenge Brock has been faced with in his role on the farm is understanding the different components that make up the farm. Juggling employees as well as machinery and other factors such as the weather that are out of ones’ control can prove difficult even for a well-seasoned farmer.

Still, through hands-on hard work and his involvement in soils and farm management FFA career development events have helped the aspiring farmer succeed.

“The knowledge, information and experiences that I received from being on these teams has given me immense comprehension into critical components of grain production,” Brock says. “The farm management team was the most challenging, but I think the most rewarding because the information I gained is very practical and critical to becoming a successful grain producer.”

— BY JOANN PIPKIN

What started as a search for firsthand experiences with livestock for students of the Mount Vernon agricultural education program ended in a 10-month building project, now known as the animal science lab. Built for students by students, the lab is designed to help members of the Mount Vernon FFA Chapter become more familiar with animal agriculture.

Agricultural educators and FFA advisors Jay Shepherd and Steven Prewitt started crafting in December 2017 their idea of a hands-on space where students could learn about livestock.

“We had posts driven by a local fence builder who is an alumnus,” Shepherd said. “My students built the rest of it.”

Using a mobile welding trailer made the year before, students Ryan Raucher, Lane Hale and Corby Allen used their welding skills to build the lab.

Between working during their agricultural education classes and coming in on their own time, these students completed the project in 10 months.

“We worked on the lab pretty much every day,” Rauchersaid. “Sometimes after school, sometimes on weekends. Just whenever we had time. We even came in during the summer.”

The students said they gained just as much as they gave while volunteering their time.

“We learned a lot from it,” Allen said. “We just saw what needed to be done, and we knew how to do it, so we just kind of took action and made it our priority during school.”

Now, their hard work is paying off as they enjoy the finished project and students start using the lab for hands-on learning experiences.

“My favorite part is finally seeing it done and knowing that it was basically three kids that put it together,” Raucher said.

Allen agreed and added that it is rewarding to know he played a part in building the structure.

The animal science lab is made up of sorting pens made for many different species. Rather than being a place to house student Supervised Agricultural Experiences, the space is dedicated to labs for learning more about livestock and animal agriculture. It will be used primarily by Animal Science and Ag Science 1 classes during livestock units.

“The main purpose is to get students’ hands on live animals,” Shepherd said. “To help them learn how to deal with live animals, whether it’s injections, deworming or castration. We’ve even had someone come in to teach artificial insemination in cattle.”

The point is to have a consistent place to bring livestock to the students instead of having to make trips to various farms.

“When our advisors get on a certain unit, they’ll bring in someanimals, like cattle,” Raucher said. “We’ve castrated cattle, vaccinated and ear tagged them. We checked a couple cows to see if they were pregnant. We’ve even brought in show cattle, clipped them and showed them in the lab.”

Raucher said the lab isn’t just for cattle, though. They have brought in other animals, like horses, as well.

“We’ve worked some cattle in the lab,” Shepherd added. “We had a lab for horses where students saddled a horse. We’ve had some dairy cattle in to judge and had judging practice in the lab with goats and other animals.”

This hands-on education is equally important for both students who come from a livestock background and those who do not.

“We have a lot of kids in our program that are close to the farm, but many times if they are doing something, like working cattle, they’re the ones in the back pushing the cattle up,” Shepherd said. “So, we’re trying to get them some more direct experience.”

In addition to those students familiar with the farm, Mount Vernon also has students who have never been around livestock. The lab serves as their opportunity to experience firsthand what they are learning about in class.

“The students really enjoy any sort of hands-on stuff in class,” Shepherd said. “Because of the lab, they’ve gottento see a lot of things they otherwise wouldn’t.”

Shepherd acknowledged the fact that the lab was made possible only by the gracious support of the surrounding community.

“We sent out some letters to some key people we thought might be interested in supporting the project,” Shepherd said. “We sent out about 16 letters, and we got enough responses to start building. We decided we would try to get the money as we went along.”

Seeing the benefit of having a space dedicated to hands-on learning for their students, the surrounding community was supportive throughout the entire process. Between monetary contributions and building materials, nearly $12,000 in donations were made, Shepherd said.

“The support of the community was awesome,” Raucher said. “We had organizations like Missouri Cattlemen’s donate. We also had a lot of individuals that donated. Many individuals came together to make it happen, and I really think it’s going to pay off in the long run.”

Looking toward the future, the Mount Vernon agricultural education program plans to continue its use of the animal science lab while continually growing its potential for student contact with livestock.

“The plan is to get a roof over it and have it powered by solar power,” Raucher said. “I think members of the community plan to help with that, too.”

— Brandelyn Martin

Whether you are new to FFA or a returning member, now is the time to get involved by participating in one of the many speaking contests held this fall. Here’s a list of organizations that offer opportunities for FFA members to brush up on their public speaking skills. Check with your chapter advisor for information regarding area and district contest times and places.

MISSOURI ASSOC. OF SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
www.maswcd.net
Contact: Peggy Lemons
peggyl@maswcd.net

MISSOURI CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION
www.mocattle.com
Contact: Sydney Thummel
sydney@mocattle.com

MISSOURI FARM BUREAU
www.mofb.org
Contact: Eric Volmer
evolmer@mofb.com

MISSOURI INSTITUTE OF COOPERATIVES
www.mic.coop/
Contact: Kristi Livingston
LivingstonK@missouri.edu

MISSOURI PET BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
www.mpbaonline.org
Contact: Kevin Beauchamp
4agfriends@gmail.com

MISSOURI PORK ASSOCIATION
www.mopork.com
Contact: Diane Slater
diane@mopork.com

MISSOURI QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION
www.MoQHA.com
Contact:Joe Eddy
joe.eddy2814@gmail.com

MISSOURI SHEEP PRODUCERS
www.missourisheep.com
Contact: Ed DeOrnellis
edornel@amfam.com

MISSOURI TEACH AG
www.moteachag.org
Contact: Pam Rowland
pprowland@windstream.net

MISSOURI YOUNG FARMERS/FARM WIVES ASSOCIATION
Contact: Lisa Evans
lisa.evans@dese.mo.gov