Pollard wins Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 24, 2025 – Madeliene Pollard of Lathrop, Missouri, won the Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award at the 97th Missouri FFA Convention.

Pollard, a senior at Lathrop R-II High School, is a member of the Lathrop FFA Chapter. She is the daughter of Justin and Suellen Pollard. Her advisors are Maggie McClain and Emily Schoning.

Pollard’s supervised agricultural experience program consists of producing soybeans and corn. Her responsibilities include securing a loan to rent land and machinery, planting, managing the crops throughout the growing season, harvesting, and marketing her crop. She grows 135 acres of soybeans and 166 acres of corn, taking full responsibility for each step of the operation. After harvest, she repays the loan and interest, and uses any profit to reinvest in the next year’s crop or add to savings.

As an FFA member, Pollard has attended the Washington Leadership Conference and National FFA Convention. She has also participated in livestock judging and agronomy career development events.

In addition to FFA, Pollard is a member of National Honor Society, Clinton County 4-H, choir, and plays on the Lathrop varsity volleyball team.

Pollard plans to continue her education at the University of Missouri studying the fields of agricultural communications, agricultural business, and agricultural leadership.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Diversified crop production entrepreneurship is one of 45 proficiency award areas recognized at the state level. The Missouri Crop Improvement Association sponsored this 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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