FFA Member Profile

Tell us about your farm and family. My family runs an 80-cow dairy. We have Holsteins and Jerseys, and we crop 385 acres. My two younger brothers, Bo and Jack, help at home on the farm, and my two older brothers, Sam and Christian, graduated from high school and moved off the farm and are working. Mostly my younger brothers and I help our parents, Steve and Amanda, on the farm. Jack and I show at the fair every year.

Why did you join FFA? I joined FFA when I moved to Whitehall school my freshman year because I look up to my advisor. She runs a strong FFA program with great involvement. There are great opportunities within FFA to meet people and take advantage of other opportunities. Our FFA chapter is involved in our community. Our chapter does a good job of that.  

What is your role in the chapter? We have made a goal for this year to apply for the Star Chapter award. Qualifications for this involve a certain amount of community service and fundraisers, etc. All of the officers have different events they are in charge of. I am running our Chicken Q and our Ag on the Lawn event. This is where members bring animals and educate the elementary kids from school. This is a new event we started this past year. 

What FFA contests do you compete in? I am a part of parliamentary procedure, which is a Leadership Development Event. I also compete in the Career Development Event which was a veterinary science event this year. Last year, our chapter got a bronze medal for the Star Chapter award at the Wisconsin State FFA Conference. 

What do you look forward to most in the upcoming FFA year? We have new events and a young officer team, and I’m excited to help them grow and supply our community with fun things to do. This year, we have brought back donkey basketball, and my mom is riding a donkey. 

How has FFA shaped you as a person? Being in FFA and especially an officer has helped me in my senior year with all the priorities I have to keep track of. Life is busy, and I have always had to balance farm life, being a tri-sport athlete and managing school work. My FFA advisor has helped me learn how to prioritize all of that, and it will help me in my future.

What are your duties on the farm? I am in between sports right now and it’s hunting season, so I am expected to milk more often. I also help with regular chores when I’m home, such as getting the barn ready for cows, feeding calves, getting cows in, feeding colts, feeding heifers and helping with fieldwork. I also have an apprenticeship through our farm and International Ingredients in Whitehall, which is a cheese processing plant that also makes milk replacer. 

What are your future plans? I am looking at going to a four-year school for environmental engineering. I have a few schools in mind, but the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is my top pick right now. Anything scientific, engineering or having to do with biological science is my interest. I’d love to get a job within the state after graduation.