Ft. Recovery FFA attends State Convention

Ft. Recovery, Ohio — Thirty-nine members of the Ft. Recovery FFA Chapter recently attended the 79th annual Ohio State FFA Convention in Columbus, Ohio from May 3-5.

In total, more than 7,200 members representing 320 FFA chapters across the state of Ohio were in attendance at the convention. The three-day event included an array of convention sessions, skills contests, and fun activities for members, listened to keynote addresses by Mark Sanborn and Mike Rayburn, as well as state and national officers.

Between convention sessions, members attended a career show that featured nearly 50 exhibitors from the agriculture, business and education sectors. Ft. Recovery FFA members participated in the following skills contests: Agricultural Engineering Contest, Cooperative Education Contest, Farm Business Management Contest, Grain Merchandising Contest and the Greenhand Quiz Contest.

Additionally, two students were named Stars over Ohio this year. Lee Stammen, son of Jim and Ann Stammen is a candidate for the top young farmer in the United States and is Ohio’s candidate for the American Star Farmer Award at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. Stammen’s outstanding Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects include a farrow-to-finish swine operation, grain production and work on his family’s grain and livestock farm, seed business and custom bailing and chopping business.

Also, Kyle Brockman, son of Gary and Janet Brockman, was named a District Star in Ag Placement award winner. Brockman finished as one of top five finalists in the state. His SAE project includes his work on C&S Dairy.

Eight members of the Fort Recovery chapter received the prestigious State FFA Degree this year: Joel Bey, Dan Brackman, Nick Grey, Tyler Huelskamp, Melanie Lennartz, Jeremy Siegrist, Adam Tobe and Ben Tobe. In the proficiency contests, Ft. Recovery FFA members competed in several contests. In the Aquaculture Proficiency contest, junior member Dan Brackman, placed first in the state and senior member David Fortkamp placed first in the Diversified Livestock Production Proficiency.

Additionally, senior member Kyle Nietfeld, placed first in the Diversified Ag Production Proficiency and junior member Jeremy Siegrist placed second in the Forage Production Proficiency.

Also, senior member Craig Sutter placed first in the Ag Mechanics Design and Fabrication Proficiency. Ft. Recovery also had four members in the State FFA Choir this year. These members included Jenna Jutte, Beverly Lennartz, Leah Scott and Kelly Thien.

For their outstanding work in the 2006-2007 school year, the Ft. Recovery FFA Chapter was named as a Top Ten Chapter in the state of Ohio.


Foremost Farms scholarships awarded to Purdue students

BARABOO, Wis. — Foremost Farms recently awarded eleven agricultural education scholarships to the children of member-owners, two of the winners included Purdue University ag students.

The first of the Indiana awardees is Lucas Powlen, son of J. Phillip and Darla Powlen, Kewanna, Ind., will be a sophomore at Purdue. Powlen is studying agricultural systems management. He graduated from Caston High School, Fulton, Ind., and enjoys playing basketball, football and working on the family farm. Lucas is also in the ASM Club at Purdue and plans to graduate in 2010.

Bradley Paulus, who will graduate in 2010, is the son of Dennis and Mary Paulus, Elkhart, Ind. will be sophomore at Purdue. Paulus is pursuing a degree in soil and crop management. He is active in Purdue’s Agronomy Club, Dairy and Quarter-Scale Clubs and is also a member of the Purdue All-American Marching Band and Collegiate Band. He graduated from Northwood High School in Nappanee, Ind. Altogether, five college students and six graduating high school seniors each received $2,000 to put toward their educations.



Alltech announces Young  Animal Scientist Award winners

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alltech recently named the four regional winners of the 2007 Young Animal Scientist Award (YAS). More than 300 students from 80-plus universities around the world entered this year’s contest.

Now in its second year, the program invites undergraduate university students to submit a paper on natural alternatives, which fits into Alltech’s mission statement of being a provider of natural, nutritional alternatives for the animal feed industry.

The first phase of the contest required each participant to submit a 3,000-3,500-word paper, while the second phase will require each of the four regional winners to submit a scientific poster and give a 15-minute presentation on his/her topic. Inge Russell, the 2006 chair of the YAS award review committee, is the 2007 contest advisor and scientific coordinator.

The four regional winners were each awarded $1,000, as well as an all-expenses paid trip to Alltech’s 23rd International Feed Industry Symposium, which will be in Lexington, Ky. on May 20-23.