California FFA named state winner in Swine Facility Management Contest

CONTACT INFORMATION

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 17, 2024 – The California FFA Chapter won the Swine Facility Management Contest at the 96th Missouri FFA Convention. Team members are Ayden Howard, Ellye Messerli, Paige Morris and Derek Bolinger . The California FFA Chapter advisors are Adam Bieri, Dale Hodges, Gary Morris and Gary Reichel. 

The Swine Facility Management Contest tested participants in multiple areas of swine production including feeding principles, water quality, facility management, and record keeping. The event is based on the principles of We Care, Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus, and Transportation Quality Assurance (TQA) to ensure producers are raising pigs in a safe environment and train youth in all skills that translate to careers in the swine industry. 

Teams visited the University of Missouri-Columbia’s Swine Research Farm to evaluate an operational swine facility. Students completed a written exam, then moved through six stages in and around the facility to evaluate procedures.

The Missouri Pork Association sponsored the award.

The Missouri FFA has 26,830 members representing 362 chapters. The national organization has more than 945,000 members representing 9,163 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

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