ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. — The National FFA Organization recently recognized Garrit Austin Sproull of the Harrison Central FFA Chapter in Ohio as its national winner of the 2012 Swine Production – Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award Program. Sproull, awarded for his hands-on experience and outstanding knowledge within the swine industry, accepted the honor at the 85th National FFA Convention & Expo, held in Indianapolis and sponsored by LA-CO Industries, Inc.’s All-Weather brand and Tyson Foods, Inc. 

Awarded to students of agribusiness who display superior industry skills, business savvy and hands-on experience within the industry, the Swine Production – Entrepreneurship award represents one of 47 proficiency program areas available to FFA members. Through these programs, students develop valuable industry experience and hone leadership skills at the local, state and national levels, preparing them for bright careers in agribusiness. A sponsor of the FFA Proficiency awards since 1999, LA-CO Industries and All-Weather remain committed to fostering students’ talents in agribusiness as the future industry leaders.

Selected as a finalist along with three other FFA members, Sproull qualified for the Swine Production – Entrepreneurship award after winning the Ohio State FFA competition earlier this year. While the other three finalists will receive a plaque and $500, Sproull took home the top honor with a plaque and grand prize of $1,000.

GREENFIELD, Ind. — Greenfield Central (G-C) FFA has been very busy during the months of November and December last year. Eleven of chapter members participated in the Area 6 Forestry CDE at Martinsville on Nov. 15. A.J. Sorrell did the best of the older members from the G-C chapter, while Discovery FFA member Emily Jones took home first place in the junior division. She participated in the state forestry contest on Dec. 8.

Corrine Hibbert, Hunter Helsley and Allison Abel attended FIRE Camp at the Indiana FFA Leadership Camp along with 250 of their other FFA friends on Nov. 17-21 of this year. The Greenfield-Central chapter held ceremonies for the Greenhand members by presenting them their first FFA membership pins. G-C celebrated this event with the third annual Harvest celebration by deep-frying turkeys and having a dinner for members, parents, grandparents and friends of the FFA chapter. We fed over 90 people and had a great celebration of food and American agriculture. Chapter members also attended the annual Central Indiana Farm Toy Show sponsored by the Hancock County Young Farmers on Dec. 1 and sold raffle tickets for a 1/64 scale model semi-tractor trailer featuring graphics from the latest National FFA Convention.

Members and especially parents have been busy delivering apples and citrus fruit from their major fundraiser this fall. 2012 marked Greenfield-Central’s best sales effort in the last 10 years. Our chapter donated $200 to help with the Santa’s Helper’s program by the Greenfield Sertoma and the chapter gathered clothes for a church’s program during the G-C  Christmas party on Dec. 17.

Additionally, G-C members started practicing for the state meats and dairy foods contests on Jan. 26, 2013 at Purdue University. Also, the chapter plans on attending the invitational practice contest for meat judging at Eastern Hancock High School on Jan. 12. Congratulations to Eastern Hancock FFA for winning the state FFA forestry contest held on Dec. 8 at Purdue. 

FORT LORAMIE, Ohio — The Fort Loramie FFA Chapter’s annual fruit, peanut, and barbeque sauce sale recently concluded. This sale serves as the organization’s major fundraiser and, luckily for the chapter, this year’s sales have been one of the most successful.

The Fort Loramie FFA chapter reached their goal of $20,000 by selling over $23,000 worth of fruit, peanuts, barbeque sauce and Jack Links Beef Jerky.

The proceeds from this fundraiser benefit local chapter activities, leadership conferences, conventions, donations and entry fees for Career Development Events. 2012’s top sellers were first place, Katelyn and Amanda Seger selling $1,896 worth of fruit, second place was Darrin Seger selling $1,582 worth of fruit, third place was Laura and Nathan Poeppelman selling $904 worth of fruit, fourth place was Trey Manger selling $875 and fifth place was Andy and Kevin Meyer selling $785. 

Members donated the extra fruit to the Holy Angels Soup Kitchen.