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Names in the News - Feb. 27, 2013
Mason named Ohio FFA Alumni Outstanding Member
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jack Mason of the Anthony Wayne FFA Alumni Affiliate was awarded a clock trophy for being named the Outstanding Member of the Ohio FFA Alumni Assoc., during the 41st Ohio FFA Alumni Convention in Columbus on Jan. 26.

Mason has been an active alumni member for 12 years. He has attended and chaperoned many state and national FFA conventions. He has worked many hours at the alumni shopping mall, golf outing and attended state alumni meetings and has served as a national delegate for four years.

He has coached numerous CDE areas and has served as a judge at local, district and state contests. Mason has been on state council, serving as vice president and president.

Other outstanding members were Ron Burkholder and Charlie Kennel. Burkholder is from Pettisville and became a lifetime member when his daughter joined FFA. He has chaired the Bake Sale at the annual Pumpkin Fest for seven years and has given more than 100 hours in driving and assisting in land, equipment and labor with multiple SAE projects.

He assists in equipment setup for the mechanics lab and has helped with their special benefit auctions. He has attended many state and national conventions and worked at the state shopping mall.

Kennel is from Talawanda, where he helped coordinate the food booth and has grilled for the consignment auction for 12 years. He has grilled for committee meals and the buyer’s supper. He also manages the pork producer’s booth at the fair and has chaperoned state and national conventions.

The Agricultural Education Promotional Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in promoting ag ed and the FFA. This year’s winner was the Pettisville Affiliate. It conducted a hog roast during the local science fair judging. The hog roast provided a lunch for students, judges and parents.

The activity is promoted through school newsletters and on the businessmen’s page. The hog was donated and roasted by alumni. Some also served as judges. Monies raised helped 10 students attend conferences and seven receive cash prizes for their research.
Runners-up were Bellevue and Anthony Wayne chapters. Bellevue conducted a pork chop stand at the fair, and a pork chop and chicken BBQ where members promoted the alumni and the FFA. They handed out membership materials and gained new members.
Anthony Wayne conducted an Ag Day at the elementary school. It had exhibits on farm equipment, grains and animals. The interactive exhibits for the children showed where their food came from and some of the processes of getting food to their table.
Anthony Wayne received the Coaching Affiliate Award for training career development teams. Points are earned by training FFA members and traveling to and assisting with contests.

Soybean grower from Indiana wins conservation award

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The American Soybean Assoc. (ASA) is pleased to announce the regional winners of the 2013 Conservation Legacy Awards program: Midwest Region Winner Gail Fuller from Emporia, Kan.; Northeast Region Winner Roger Wenning from Greensburg, Ind.; and South Region Winner Jeremy Jack from Belzoni, Miss.
The Conservation Legacy Awards, presented by ASA and sponsored by BASF, Monsanto, United Soybean Board and Corn & Soybean Digest, recognize U.S. soybean farmers who distinguish themselves through their outstanding environmental and conservation practices while continuing to farm profitably.

One of the regional winners will also receive the National Conservation Legacy Award, to be announced March 1 at the annual ASA Awards Banquet during Commodity Classic in Kissimmee, Fla.
Wenning’s conservation efforts on his Indiana farm include a commitment to soil health and no-till. He continually experiments with cover crops and evaluates for best results. He has addressed drainage issues and made conservation buffers an integral part of his operation.

To see videos highlighting the conservation practices of each regional winner, go to www.soygrowers.com/clap

FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative elects slate of officers
MADISON, Wis. — FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative announced the organization’s 2013 officers. The executive board of directors was selected during a board meeting in Fond du Lac on Jan. 3.
Elected to one-year terms, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative board members are responsible for securing producer recommendations, discussing dairy policy and industry direction and establishing programs to benefit all members through cooperative checkoff dollars.

The new officers are: President Peter Kleiman, Wilson, Mich.; Vice President Richard Meyer, Unity, Wis.; Secretary Bernard Vander Heiden, Kaukauna, Wis.; and Treasurer John Rettler, Neosho, Wis. Ken Wunderlin, Livingston, Wis., also was elected as a member-at-large for the cooperative’s Executive Committee.

Additional 2013 board members include, locally, Joe Schmitt of Holy Cross, Iowa.

GROWMARK employees recognized by NAMA
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Eight GROWMARK employees were recognized at the Region IV Best of NAMA awards ceremony, a communications contest sponsored by the National Agri-Marketing Assoc. (NAMA). Earning first-place honors were:

•Megan Bachman, seed marketing communications manager, Beverly Long, marketing communications manager, and Lance Ruppert, FS Seed sales and marketing manager, for the FS InVISION television campaign
•Cassie Becker, publications and media relations specialist, for the 2012 NAMA Fall Conference Opener video
•Julie Fontana, graphic designer, and Karen Jones, corporate relations and cooperative education specialist, for the GROWMARK Spirit magazine.
Merit awards were given to:
•Bachman, Long and Ruppert for the FS InVISION seed corn launch campaign and the FS InVISION website launch videos
•Jenny Haycraft, marketing communications specialist, Karen Higgins, graphic designer, and Sam Skemp, Frontier-Servco FS manager, for the Frontier FS company brochure
•Katie Gorham, graphic designer, Haycraft and Skemp for the 2012 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days energy exhibit
•Fontana and Jones for the GROWMARK Annual Report Value Driven
All entries will advance to national competition in April.
2/27/2013