Swindler wins Diversified Livestock Production Proficiency Award

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 24, 2025 – Gage Swindler of Braymer won the Missouri FFA Diversified Livestock Production Proficiency Award at the 97th Missouri FFA Convention.

Swindler, a senior at Braymer C-4 High School, is the son of Justin and Erika Swindler. He is a member of the Braymer FFA Chapter. His FFA advisor is Kelly Lee.

Swindler’s supervised agricultural experience consists of diversified livestock production, including beef cattle, swine, and poultry. He operates a registered Gelbvieh and Angus cow-calf herd, selling bulls, heifers, and feeder calves directly off the farm. Swindles also exhibits his cattle at local, state, and national shows. His swine operation is a farrow-to-finish program using purebred Chester White and Berkshire sows bred through artificial insemination. He markets butcher and feeder pigs to local customers and retains select gilts for future breeding. Swindler’s poultry operation includes a diverse flock of laying hens and the seasonal production of butcher chickens one to two times a year. He markets fresh eggs to local customers and hatches chicks to either expand his flock or sell to others. He raises and processes his meat chickens on-site, then sells the finished product directly to the community.

As an FFA member, Swindler has attended the National FFA Convention, Missouri FFA Convention, Area Officer Institute, and Missouri FFA Camp. He has participated in multiple leadership development events including Advanced Public Speaking, Agricultural Issues, and Missouri Cooperative Fall Speech advancing to state in each of those categories. Swindler has also participated in the Grasslands and Meats Evaluation career development events.

In addition to FFA, Swindler is a member of Heart of America Gelbvieh Junior Association, National Honor Society, 4-H, and he participates in his school’s baseball and football teams.

After high school, Swindler plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia to study agriculture business management.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Diversified livestock production is one of 45 proficiency award areas recognized at the state level. The Area 2 Agriculture Teachers 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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