Ogle wins Agricultural Processing Proficiency Award

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 24, 2025 – Sam Ogle of Monroe City was named the Missouri FFA Agricultural Processing Proficiency Award winner at the 97th Missouri FFA Convention.

Ogle, a junior at Monroe City R-1 High School, is the son of Greg and Mechele Ogle. He is a member of the Monroe City FFA Chapter. His advisors are Keriann Brandt and Chad Cook.

Ogle’s supervised agricultural experience program is centered on his work at White Barn Processing, a butcher shop where he prepares and packages high-quality retail meat products. His responsibilities include cutting wholesale cuts into precise retail portions, trimming fat to ensure premium quality, grinding hamburger, and packaging it for customers. He also maintains high standards of food safety by cleaning all equipment before and after use.

Throughout his time at White Barn Processing, Ogle has advanced from basic tasks like grinding and packaging to more complex roles at the cutting table, where he now cuts retail meats such as ribeyes, T-bones, and chuck roasts. His growth reflects both his work ethic and passion for learning, which he reinforced by participating in the Meats Evaluation CDE to sharpen his understanding of cuts and quality.

Ogle has overcome challenges, including mastering complex equipment and adjusting to new systems for processing customer orders. He credits these experiences with building his confidence, efficiency, and attention to detail.

Looking ahead, Ogle plans to attend a gunsmithing school and eventually open his own gun shop. Though his SAE is in agricultural processing, he believes the patience and precision he’s developed in the meat industry will translate well into his future career in gunsmithing.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Agricultural Processing is one of 45 proficiency award areas recognized at the state level. The Missouri Agribusiness Association sponsored the award.

The Missouri FFA has 26,900 members representing 365 chapters. The national organization has more than 1,027,273 members representing 9,235 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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