FFA News

Over 55 students in Southeastern’s high school agriculture classes recently attended the 50^th annual Farm Science Review. Most students completed an assignment that allowed them to research many resources and exhibitors at the event, while others gathered information from company representatives on possible job and internship opportunities in the agriculture industry. A handful of other students volunteered their time to assist the Ohio Cattlewomen’s Association with their food tent, practicing customer service and organization skills while gaining valuable service and volunteer experience. Many students witnessed the new grain rescue training module and sharpened their land evaluation skills at the practice soil pit. Students also gathered many resources and brochures that can be utilized in their classes throughout the year.… Continue reading

Members of the Southeastern FFA recently competed in the Clark County FFA soils competition, which was held near Greenon High School. Fifteen students represented the Southeastern FFA in rural soils competition, which involves evaluating land for crop and agricultural use. The team placed a fourth in the competition, with Alex L. placing fourth individually out of all competitors. Nine students competed in the urban soils competition, which involves evaluating soils for construction and landscaping uses. The team placed third with Cory K. leading the way by placing second overall individually. The teams will next compete at the district level in Logan County at the end of September.

In soils competitions, students must inspect and evaluate four soils sites, which include a soil pit where properties such as soil depth, drainage, soil texture and erosion are evaluated. Students must also measure the slope of the land. Upon gathering information on soil properties, students must identify appropriate land uses and make recommendations on overcoming soil weaknesses or limitations due to properties that pose a challenge.… Continue reading

Liberty-Benton FFA members Lauren Burner, Jordan Wright, and Amber Dick enjoyed the honor of becoming Hancock County Fair royalty for the fair that ran from August 29th – September 3rd.  Lauren Burner was selected as Beef Queen, Jordan Wright Poultry King, and Amber Dick Goat Princess.

Chapter members also submitted a variety of projects in the fair. Fair projects for the 2012 Hancock County Fair submitted by L-B FFA members included nail boxes, birdhouses, electric panels, welding panels, electric cord carriers, mechanics creepers, ladder golf games, sawhorses, concrete patio blocks, and posters among other entries such as animals that were entered in the fair by other FFA members. Some of the featured animals in this year’s fair by L-B FFA members were rabbits, horses, and chickens. Members also exhibited other animals in open class and 4-H.

Chapter members also participated in volunteer work at the fair. On Saturday, September 1st L-B FFA members worked at the Hancock County Sheep Improvement Association Lamb Stand.… Continue reading

Michala Challen, a 2012 graduate of Findlay High School and Agricultural Education student at Liberty-Benton High School was presented the school’s highest agricultural honor, the DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award, sponsored by Monsanto Company.  Michala is the daughter of Mike and Staci Challen, and received the award for excellence in academics, leadership and agricultural work experience.  Challen’s significant experiences and accomplishments include receiving the Ag Credit 110% Award, and she was involved in such career development events as soil judging and equine management.  Her Supervised Agricultural Experience projects have included horse production, pasture management, and fence improvements.  Michala plans to study animal science in college and pursue a related career in either animal science or equine science.  Mark Badertscher was Michala’s agricultural education instructor at Liberty-Benton High School.

The DEKALB Agricultural Accomplishment Award celebrates its 65^th anniversary in 2012.  Over these 65 years more than 168,000 high school seniors from across the country have received the award, which has become a symbol for excellence and the school’s highest agricultural honor. … Continue reading

One of the most hazardous industries in the United States is agriculture. As a result, many injuries and illnesses occur to farmers and ranchers almost everyday across the nation.

Farmers and ranchers, and the general public are often injured when agricultural machinery is involved in roadway incidents. To increase the awareness of the limitations of agricultural machinery in traveling speed and maneuverability the National Safety Council will observe the National Farm Safety and Health Week focusing on this issue from September 17 to 21.

Planned events include daily activities such as a seat belt awareness challenge for all students and staff, a drive-your-tractor-to-school day, a Farm Safety Day for all Miami East second graders, and a Hunter Safety Awareness night before a home football game.

As you travel the rural roads of Miami County please drive slowly and cautiously. Farmers can’t maneuver or slow as quickly as a passenger vehicle. Farmers also drive their equipment on the road during all hours of the day and night.… Continue reading

A local FFA chapter has developed a plan to tackle an environmental issue in the community, and now its FFA members have received a national grant to bring their ideas to life.
The Jackson Center FFA received a $1960.00 grant from the National FFA Organization’s Living to Serve: Environmental Grant program and will begin their yearlong environmental project when the school year resumes. The Living to Serve: Environmental Grants are provided through funding from CSX, as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.
The National FFA Organization makes grant funds available for FFA chapters to develop service-learning projects that impact environmental issues in their community. Chapters may apply for up to $2,000 to support yearlong service-learning projects focused on developing and implementing projects that address local environmental needs. The service-learning method challenged members to identify, research, develop and implement solutions to needs within their school or community.
These projects illustrate the final line of the FFA motto (“Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve”) by encouraging FFA members to unite in service within their communities.… Continue reading

On September 21st, the Colonel Crawford  FFA chapter will be holding the annual Fall Chicken & Pork Chop BBQ dinner that is open to the public.  The meal will consist of your choice of a half a chicken or boneless pork chop, corn, applesauce, roll, and your choice of desert and drink. The BBQ will be located in the Ag shop, directly behind the school, at the big garage door, from 4-7:00.

There will be a limited number of extra chicken and pork at the door. The tickets for this event are $8, so give us a call at (419)-562-6755 to reserve your tickets, and an FFA member will be willing to help you with any questions.  The BBQ is being held on a Friday night during football season; the Colonel Crawford Eagles will be playing the Lucas Cubs.  The profits will benefit a senior in the form of a scholarship, and also will help to send some of our members to the National FFA Convention in late October.… Continue reading

By Jessica Davis, Hiland FFA Chapter Reporter

On July 27-28, Hiland FFA Officers had their annual Officer Retreat. Officer Retreat was held at Raber’s 40 Acres. The purpose of Officer Retreat is to bond with each other and to plan out the schedule for the upcoming school year, as well as to review officer duties, set goals for the chapter, learn leadership skills and to encourage teamwork among the officer team. Officers attending were President: Mac Cordle, Vice President: Megan Hippert, Secretary: Rachelle Yoder, Treasurer: Taylor Raber, Reporter: Jessica Davis, Student Advisor: Grant Mast, and Historian: Brandon Kozak.

The officer team participated in several activities, including the slip-n-slide, leadership sessions, playing bocce ball, planning meals, and grocery shopping for items to make for their meals. Ms. Albright allowed 5-10 minute breaks between different activities. They had several leadership sessions and team building activities that focused on relationships, characteristics of leadership, and strengths.The… Continue reading

INDIANAPOLIS—The National FFA Organization recently selected the Fort Loramie FFA Chapter as a 3-star winner in the National FFA Chapter Award program from a pool of more than 660 candidates nationwide. The chapter members have been invited to attend the 85^th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 24-27, where they will be recognized for this honor.

The award program is sponsored by John Deere as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. The National FFA Chapter Award program recognizes FFA chapters for developing and conducting a detailed Program of Activities (POA). Each activity provides opportunities for members to excel in one of three areas: student, chapter, or community development.

The application highlighted several activities in which the Fort Loramie FFA participated. Activities include promoting scholarship among FFA members, encouraging students to enter agriculturally-related fields, providing opportunities for financial literacy, participating in leadership development activities, showing appreciation for school employees, growing and selling flowers in the chapter’s greenhouse, having a food stand at local festivals, and helping to make consumers aware of current agricultural industry issues.… Continue reading

NDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012/National FFA Organization) — The National FFA Organization, Rural TV, iHigh.com and Alltech have joined together to enable FFA to deliver educational materials and programs to middle- and high-school students across the U.S. through TV and Internet broadcasts.

FFA programming can now be accessed 24 hours a day by visiting iHigh.com/FFA. Programming includes state FFA convention sessions, National FFA Convention & Expo sessions, coverage of the 2012 FFA Alumni Development Conference and local FFA events.

“The new digital distribution options will allow more students, FFA members, teachers and FFA alumni to participate in major activities, such as state and national FFA conventions. FFA members who can’t attend those events will be able to share and benefit from educational and motivational presentations at the events,” said Dwight Armstrong, chief executive officer of the National FFA Organization. “Rural TV, Alltech and iHigh understand the value of helping FFA build an educational pipeline for future workers and innovators in agriculture while also building leaders that strengthen local communities.”… Continue reading

By Jessica Millenbaugh, Colonel Crawford FFA Chapter Reporter

By Amanda Seger and Thomas Meyer, FFA Reporters

Over the summer Fort Loramie FFA members have been busy working on their SAE projects. SAE stands for Supervised Agricultural Experience.  An agricultural education program is made up of three integrated parts: Classroom Instruction, FFA and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). All Agriculture students have an SAE that allows them to learn by doing through an outside-of class experiential learning project. With help from their agricultural teachers, students develop an SAE project based on their interests in agriculture.

This summer four Fort Loramie FFA members took on the task of raising mums for their SAEs.   They are Alyssa Campbell- daughter of John and Toni Campbell, Janell Hoying- daughter of Bill and Sue Hoying, Lindsey Pleiman- daughter of Tina and Tony Pleiman, and Amanda Seger- daughter of Ken and Janice Seger.  They received the mum starters in mid- June and have spent the summer watering and pruning the mums to have them ready to sell this fall.… Continue reading

LG Seeds will be donating $1,000 to an FFA Chapter or 4-H Club on behalf of a grand prize winner to be selected at the 50^TH Ohio Farm Science Review in, London, Ohio next week.

LG Seeds will be at Lot 489 at the Ohio Farm Science Review this year.  People who visit LG Seeds’ tent will be offered a scratch and win ticket to see if they are an instant winner for a prize offered in the tent.  Whether or not the person is an instant winner or not, he or she can fill out the back card and will be entered into a drawing to win the $1,000 grand prize to be donated to his/her local FFA or 4-H Club.  The winner will be contacted after the show.

LG Seeds Brand Supply Manager and Illinois 4-H Foundation Board Member, Eric Yoder, is very excited that LG Seeds is giving back to the community, particularly ag-related organizations. … Continue reading

By Jessica Millenbaugh, Colonel Crawford FFA Chapter Reporter

In the market beef division Jessica Millenbaugh had grand champion overall market steer and won senior beef showmanship. She aslo won outstanding market exhibtor.  Jessica Lohr placed well with her beef feeders and market steers and was reserve champion beef feeder showman in the senior division.  Jesse Sellman competed in the Holstein class.

By Hannah Thompson, Staff Writer

The junior livestock sale is a highlight of the week at any fair. Young showmen excitedly show off their year of hard work as they parade their animals through the ring, hoping to capture a high bid from a member of the crowd of local businesses and community members who are eager to contribute to the youth of their area.

For one Noble County youth, this year’s Noble County Junior Fair Sale held special significance. This year, Samantha Goodhart, a senior at Shenandoah High School, wasn’t hoping to garner a high price for her market steer just to invest further in her projects or save for college. Instead, Samantha decided to contribute half of her proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that provides programs and services to injured service members as they transition from active duty to civilian life.

Samantha chose the Wounded Warrior Project to honor her uncle, Dean Pearson, a Vietnam veteran.… Continue reading

By:  Emily Daniel, Mohawk FFA Reporter

The Mohawk FFA is holding its annual Fall BBQ on Friday, September 28.  The event will take place at Mohawk High School with serving from 4:30-6:30pm. There is a dine-in option or a carry-out option with curbside service.  The meal includes half of a chicken or two pork chops, cheesy potatoes, roll, applesauce, dessert and drink.  There is also a combo meal that includes a ¼ of a chicken and one pork chop.  The meal $8 and must be preordered.  You can purchase tickets from any Mohawk FFA member or by calling (419) 927- 6222 ext-2128.… Continue reading

By Audrey Ivers, West Holmes FFA Chapter Reporter

The West Holmes FFA participated in the 2012 Holmes County Junior Fair. This was held August 6^th-11^th. During the fair the chapter was involved in many aspects of the fair. During the pre-fair preparations the chapter set up a booth. The booth was themed Olympic Games that represented the chapter activities. The booth highlighted events the chapter participated in throughout the year. Also displayed was the hard work the freshman did creating cornhole boards.

Monday of the fair Clay Armstrong represented the FFA chapter, and he was rewarded a King Attendant. Other chapter members that ran for the Holmes County Royal Contest were Mandy Taylor, Courtney Kozak, Dustin Niehaus who was also a King Attendant, and members Elizabeth and Marshall Overholt were awarded Fair King and Queen. Also Mandy Taylor was awarded with the 2012 Senior Leadership award and Elizabeth Overholt was awarded with the 2012 Senior Citizenship award.… Continue reading

By Audrey Ivers, West Holmes FFA Chapter Reporter

Aaron Clark- National Proficiency Finalist

Aaron is the son of Chris and Julie Clark and has worked at Loder Farms in Millersburg for four years. Aaron was named the winner of the Diversified Agriculture Production Placement for Ohio back in May. Throughout this summer, Aaron has been competing and made it to the finals at the National level. With this title Aaron is in the top four of the Diversified Agriculture Production across the United States. Aaron’s hard work and dedication for working at Loder Farms and Kick Farms has finally paid off. Aaron did work such as milking cows, working in the fields, scraping barns and feeding calves. Aaron will be on stage in Indianapolis in October. There will be 196 members recognized in 47 different proficiency areas out of over 500,000 members Nationwide. Aaron is currently a sophomore at the OSU ATI where he is studying Agronomy for two years, and plans on transferring to the OSU Main Campus for Crop Science.… Continue reading