INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The 93rd National FFA Convention & Expo wrapped up its festivities last week, and when it came to recognizing the accomplishments of the top students from this 700,000-member organization, the Farm World readership area was well represented.

The climax to this three-day event each year is the National Agricultural Proficiency Awards.

The awards honor FFA members who, through Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Students compete in areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. Proficiency awards are also recognized at local and state levels and provide recognition to members exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways.

The Agricultural Proficiency Awards include entrepreneurship, placement or combined (award area for SAE that is not split between entrepreneurship or placement). The fourth area is agriscience research.

Ohio’s Bailey Lowe and Michael Bair were tops in entrepreneurship/placement. Lowe’s concentration was veterinary science while Bair’s concentration was poultry production.

Lowe, of the Felicity-Franklin FFA Chapter, has always had an interest in animals, but her experience was limited to mainly feeding and bathing dogs and cats. In her sophomore year in high school she was hired as a kennel attendant at a local veterinary clinic. Her duties required her to feed, water and walk domestic animals in addition to giving them medications and vaccinations.

She was also responsible for bathing the animals upon departure, trimming their nails and cleaning their ears. Lowe even completed a daily clinic census to assess the state of the facility.

She’s the daughter of Laura and Terry Lowe. Her advisors are Holly Jennings and Joe Broadwell.

Bair, of the Miami East MVCTC FFA Chapter, raises and markets pasture-raised, certified organic broilers at virtual markets through on-farm cash sales and local farmers markets. He was motivated to start this business after helping his family expand a segment of their organic dairy.

Bair also has a job placement at the family’s organic 120-laying hen farm. Bair is supported by his parents, Annette and David, and his FFA advisor, Marie Carity.

Ohio’s Austin Timmerman focused on agricultural sales in the placement area. Timmerman, of the Versailles FFA Chapter in Ohio, has a job placement at Superior Implement and Supply Co., a wholesale distributor of farm, lawn and garden equipment through Ohio, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania.

His responsibilities have grown from shipping, filling orders, mowing/landscaping and stocking inventory to utilizing software to inventory stock, testing new equipment and customer service.  Timmerman is supported by his parents, Barb and Gary, and his FFA advisors, Dena Wuebker and Taylor Bergman.

Swine production is Samuel Lee Trout’s specialty. Trout, of the Whiteland FFA Chapter in Indiana, has always wanted to be like his older brother. When his brother started working for a local pig breeder, Trout knew that he would have to follow suit. When his brother graduated, he stepped into his position at Sugar Creek Genetics. The operation focuses on the sales of boar semen and spring show pigs.

They maintain approximately 10 to 15 boars and 15 gilts and sows at once, farrowing around eight sows each year and averaging about 75 piglets. His parents are, Anna and Jay, and his FFA advisor is Hannah Goeb.

Logan Nodine, of the  Cambridge FFA Chapter in Illinois, found turf grass management to be his specialty in the area of entrepreneurship/placement. Nodine says some of his earliest memories in his younger days are of being on the lawnmower with his dad. Today, he owns his business, Nodine Lawn Care.

Nodine focuses on all aspects of turf grass management to beautify the lawns of his clients. His day-to-day tasks include maintaining grass species with riding and push mowers, string trimmers and leaf blowers. Nodine has learned about soil, water, and nutrient availability and how to manage a stable business financially. He is supported by his parents, Sarah and Robert, and his FFA advisor, Trenton Taber.