Parrigon wins Diversified Agricultural Production Proficiency Award

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 24, 2025 – Emma Parrigon of Stotts City, Missouri, won the Missouri FFA Diversified Agricultural Production Proficiency Award at the 97th Missouri FFA Convention.

Parrigon, a graduate from Sarcoxie High School, is the daughter of Leslie and Edwina Parrigon. She is a member of the Sarcoxie FFA Chapter. Her advisors are Benjamin Fizette and Jeffrey Rush.

Parrigon’s supervised agricultural experience program is a diversified agricultural production consisting of dairy production entrepreneurship, dairy placement, and forage production. She owns and manages a herd of registered Holsteins and Jerseys, currently totaling 12 Jerseys, 17 Holsteins, 2 Holstein steers, 3 Holstein bulls, and a Jersey bull. She raises and feeds her cattle using hay, corn silage, and grain rations. She also works daily on her family’s third-generation dairy farm, where they milk 156 cows, feed 32 bottle calves, and raise over 300 replacement heifers, dry cows, and bulls. Her responsibilities include feeding, milking, vaccinating, and treating cattle. During hay season, she helps manage the farm’s 200 acres of hay and 63 acres of corn silage by mowing, raking, baling, and wrapping haylage. She also works for Blue Roots Dairy, where she milks cows, cares for hogs and farm dogs, and assists with hay operations.

As an FFA member, Parrigon was a national qualifier for the Dairy Placement proficiency. She attended the Washington Leadership Conference, National FFA Convention, and Missouri State FFA Convention. Parrigon, additionally, participated in various leadership development events including: Employment Skills, Agricultural Issues, and Creed Speaking advancing to state in each event.

In addition to FFA, Parrigon is a member of the National Honor Society, Junior Missouri Holstein Association, Junior Missouri Jersey Association, and the Sarcoxie Chief 4-H Club.

Since graduating high school, Parrigon has been pursuing an Associate’s Degree in general agriculture. She plans to transfer to Missouri State University to major in animal science. Her goal is to return to the family farm and expand their dairy herd and operation.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Diversified agricultural production one of 45 proficiency award areas recognized at the state level. Missouri FFA Foundation 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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