By DEBORAH BEHRENDS

Indiana Correspondent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A number of companies may say they support youth in agriculture, but Big Iron Auctions provides more than lip service. For the third year in a row, the online agricultural auction service is hosting the Blue & Gold Auction to benefit the Kentucky FFA Foundation.

Big Iron founders, brothers Mark and Ron Stock, grew up on farms and in FFA in their home state of Nebraska. They founded Big Iron Auctions in 1984 and added the online business in 2009.

"I think all agricultural business owners need to support FFA to get kids engaged," Mark said. "We want the kids here. They are the future – our future customers and the future of agriculture."

"We get excited when kids come by the booth," said Big Iron representative Melissa Pierce.

She said the first auction at the National Farm Machinery Show was a live event, but they determined the audience was too small. "Obviously, we can have a lot more bidders with an online auction," she explained.

Each of the 15 items up for bid for the auction – which closes on Feb. 20 – is donated by an exhibitor at the show.

In addition to Big Iron's support of the Kentucky foundation, the company supports the foundation in its home state of Nebraska and in neighboring Colorado. Pierce said the company also hosts a career expo at Nebraska's state FFA convention.

To check out the 15 items up for bid, visit bigiron.com and do a search for “Blue and Gold Auction” pieces that close on Feb. 20.