2008 Agri­Entrepreneurship Awards The judging for the Agri­Entrepreneurship awards was held on Wednesday, August 6 th . Ten National Winners were chosen and each winner will receive a $1,000 cash award and will be recognized at the National FFA Convention – 5 th session on Friday, October 24 th . The chapter of each national winner will also receive $500 to promote entrepreneurship. Arizona Jaime Buchholz Gilbert HS FFA Silver Brienna Conner Highland HS FFA Silver Ty McBride Monument Valley HS­FFA Bronze Bridger Skaarer Willcox FFA Bronze California Brianna Adamic Elk Grove­Franklin Gold Chris Lewis North HS FFA National Winner Juan Manzano Woodlake HS FFA Gold Brielle Rodriquez Highland HS FFA National Winner Colorado Josiah James Liberty HS FFA Silver Connecticut Eva Banlaki Suffield Senior HS FFA Gold Florida Kaitlyn Gill Durant HS J F St Martin FFA Gold Illinois Rodney Bingel Marissa Jr/sr HS­FFA Bronze Bethany Cailteux Central HS ­ Central Of Clifton Bronze FFA Tyler Loschen Tri­Point HS­FFA Bronze Thomas Marten Lincolnwood HS FFA Bronze Kelly Meyer Nokomis HS FFA Silver Hannah Pieper Dakota Comm HS­FFA Bronze Ross Recker Okawville FFA Bronze Eric Schmidt Waterloo HS FFA Bronze Justin Thomas Charleston HS­FFA Bronze Indiana Clayton Goodnight Clinton Prairie HS FFA Silver Lindsey Gunter Batesville HS FFA National Winner Kenny Schilling Mount Vernon HS FFA Gold Kansas Justin Allen Holton HS FFA National Winner Kentucky 1 Jackie Alexander Rockcastle County HS ­ FFA Bronze Kristen Arvin Eastside Technical Center Silver Andrew Austin Apollo HS­FFA Silver Jessica Cline Montgomery Co HS FFA Bronze Jarred Cordle Lawrence Co HS­FFA Bronze Claire Crocker Franklin Simpson HS FFA Gold Joshua Gilpin Oldham Co HS FFA Silver Drew Gott Warren East HS­FFA Bronze Brittany Hager Meade Co HS­FFA Bronze Justin Jackson Hickman Co HS­FFA Bronze Amanda Jewell Spencer Co HS FFA National Winner Rachel Jobe Lawrence Co HS­FFA Bronze Stacy Keith Mc Creary Central HS FFA Bronze Emily Keller Mercer HS­FFA Bronze Edward Lee LaRue Co HS­FFA Silver Colby Myers Boyle Co HS ­ FFA Bronze Sarah Prewitt Whitley Co HS­FFA Silver Mitchell Richmond West Carter HS­FFA Bronze Derek Slucher Shelby Co HS­FFA Silver Josh Stephens Hancock Co HS­FFA Bronze William Taylor Henry Co HS­FFA Bronze Louisiana Joey Bell Ebarb HS FFA Bronze Massachusetts Keith Boyle Norfolk Co Ag Sch FFA Bronze Elizabeth Messier Norfolk Co Ag Sch FFA Silver Michigan Jasper Cunningham Ravenna HS FFA Gold Tim Wilke Sanilac Career Center FFA Gold Minnesota Kathy Hansen Paynesville HS FFA Silver Katie Larson Medford HS FFA Bronze Misti Nelson Canby HS FFA Silver Missouri Lydia Buck Glasgow FFA Silver Clayton Hawkins North Shelby FFA Gold Nathan Hillard South Shelby FFA Bronze Paige Jenkins Pleasant Hope R­6 ­ FFA Silver Kaleb Nordwald Mexico AVTS­FFA Bronze Kerri Rose Mound City FFA Bronze Troy Sloan Cameron HS­FFA Silver Aubrey Utley Trenton R­9 HS­ FFA Silver Montana Samuel Cornthwaite Shields Valley HS FFA Silver Sarah Redman Columbus HS FFA Bronze 2 Jennae Welker Ronan HS Mission Valley FFA Bronze Derek Whitedirt Lame Deer HS FFA Morning Bronze Star Nebraska Rachael Arkfeld Lourdes Central Catholic Gold Emily Gubbels Plainview HS FFA Bronze Eric Kamler Geneva­Fillmore Central National Winner FFA Shannon King Conestoga HS FFA Bronze Derrick Rocker Franklin Public HS FFA National Winner Nicole Sorensen Plainview HS FFA Bronze Sarah Wheeldon Schuyler Central HS FFA Silver Nevada Rachel Wagner Smith Valley HS FFA Silver New Jersey Mark Boyko Piscataway Vtc FFA Bronze New York Allyson Jones­Brimmer S Jefferson Central School FFA Silver Elizabeth Peavey Vernon Verona Sherrill FFA Silver North Carolina Bethany Barnes Southern Nash HS FFA Silver Karen Coleman Hunt HS FFA Bronze Garrett Owen West Rowan HS FFA Gold North Dakota Preston Gilderhus Maddock A.S. Gibbens FFA Gold Torie Krull Richland 44 FFA Silver Kristin Ripplinger Mc Clusky HS FFA Bronze Isaac Sondrol Turtle Lake Mercer HS FFA Silver Kelsey Tibke Grant County HS Bronze Ohio Andrew Bennett Benjamin Logan HS FFA Silver Laura Colebaugh Miami East HS­FFA Silver Travis Elwer Delphos HS FFA Silver Mark Jolly Whiteoak HS FFA National Winner Sara King Parkway HS­FFA Silver Adam Kroeger Delphos HS FFA Silver Clint McCoy Hillsboro HS FFA Gold Eric Percel Miami East HS­FFA Silver Brittany Rich River View HS­FFA Silver Amber Schaffer Miami East HS­FFA Silver Matthew VanScoy Ridgemont HS­FFA National Winner Clay Winland West Muskingham HS­FFA Silver Hannah Worthington Ridgewood HS FFA Silver Oklahoma Chase Kokojan Drummond HS FFA National Winner 3 Pennsylvania Mandy Clark J Buchannan HS FFA Bronze Seth Hixson Mifflinburg Area HS FFA Bronze Kaitlyn Sterner Kutztown Area HS FFA Bronze South Dakota Ryan Frerichs Wilmot HS FFA Silver Alex VanOverschelde Mitchell HS FFA Bronze Tennessee Jake Brasher Scotts Hill HS FFA Bronze Patrick Howard Mcnairy Central FFA Gold Texas Rachel Glascock Pilot Point HS FFA Gold Utah Dallin Buttars Sky View HS FFA Silver Jordan Catron Manila HS FFA Silver Blake Haddock Morgan HS FFA Bronze Brittney Selman Bear River HS FFA Silver Washington Anna Chlebowski Snohomish HS FFA Bronze Wisconsin Chris Compean Randolph HS FFA Gold Kim Krueger Markesan HS FFA Gold Dana McNulty Black River Falls HS FFA Silver Kurtis Rollin Bay Port HS FFA Silver Kolby Walker L A Farge HS FFA Bronze Samuel Wiersma Randolph HS FFA Gold 4 NEWS RELEASE October 24, 2008 Media Contact: Julie Adams 317-802-4225 For Immediate Release For more information, contact: Jeri Mattics Omernik, 970-249-4226 Jason Larison or Alex Bartel, 785-364-2181 Allen Supplies Bucking Stock, Fills Niche Holton High School Student Named National FFA Agri-Entrepreneur INDIANAPOLIS–Justin Allen, 18, of Holton, Kan., is one of 10 students from across the country who will receive a National Agri-Entrepreneurship Award and $1,000 during a ceremony at the 81st National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 24. The award program recognizes young people who start or are planning to start businesses. Justin, who is the son of Steve and Aleta Allen, owns and operates Rockin’ Lazy A Ranch Bucking Bulls, an enterprise that produces registered bucking stock bulls. Allen started his business in 2004 with two registered Brahma cows. “I took my interest in Brahma cattle and combined it with my passion for rodeos and bullriding,” Allen said. “I applied for and received a $5,000 loan from the USDA Farm Services Agency through the Young Farmer program. I used those funds to purchase two more bred cows, and started raising bucking stock.” As a way to draw interest and diversify his product offering, Allen designed and produced hats, t-shirts, coasters, coffee mugs and other items. These items, along with Allen’s bucking stock and straws of semen from his herd sires, are marketed on his website, www.rockinlazya.com. —MORE— Allen, Page 2 “Justin is a hard-working student who has set high goals for himself, and is working diligently to achieve them,” said his FFA advisors Jason Larison and Alex Bartel. “He researched what it would take to be successful in the bucking stock business, and developed a plan. He is implementing that plan and making his dreams become reality. Justin has done an outstanding job of applying what he has learned in the classroom to his business.” Allen is a 2008 graduate of Holton High School. While in high school, Allen was active in FFA, was a member of National Honor Society, 4-H, the football team, track team and he participated in winter weights. Allen is currently attending Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan., on a football scholarship, and is studying farm and ranch management as well as graphic design. USDA Rural Development sponsors the National Agri-Entrepreneurship Award Program as a special project of the National FFA Foundation, Inc. The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 507,763 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,439 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.ffa.org for more information. —###— Editor’s Note: News release text and photographs available via e-mail upon request. Please contact Jeri Mattics Omernik at [email protected]. NEWS RELEASE October 24, 2008 Media Contact: Julie Adams 317-802-4225 For Immediate Release For more information, contact: Jeri Mattics Omernik, 970-249-4226 Julie Wenning, 812-934-4384, X 12511 Gunter Produces Organic Eggs, Fills Niche Batesville Student Named National FFA Agri-Entrepreneur INDIANAPOLIS–Lindsey Gunter, 18, of Batesville, Ind, is one of 10 students from across the country who will receive a National Agri-Entrepreneurship Award and $1,000 during a ceremony at the 81st National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind., Friday, Oct. 24. The award program recognizes young people who start or are planning to start businesses. Lindsey, who is the daughter of Eugene and Elene Gunter, owns and operates Gunter’s Farm Fresh Eggs, a business that produces and markets organic eggs locally. She began this business venture in 2006 by selling farm fresh eggs to family and friends. Since then, Gunter’s business has converted to organic production and is marketing to a wider scope of customers, including Ertel Cellars, a local restaurant, vineyard and winery.