Oaks wins Swine Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 24, 2025 – Grant Oaks of Harris won the Missouri FFA Swine Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency award at the 97th Missouri FFA Convention.

Oaks is a graduate of Newton-Harris R-III High School. He is the son of Justin and Stephanie Oaks. He is a member of the Newton-Harris FFA Chapter. His advisor is Stephanie Oaks.

Oaks supervised agricultural experience project focuses on his ownership and operation of a swine business whose goal is raising high quality market and show hogs. He starts with sows from different swine breeds and manages the breeding and genetics of his herd to produce feed efficient pigs that are competitive in the commercial market and in the show ring. He sells his swine to local FFA and 4-H students, markets others through a partnership with Niman Ranch, and also helps meet local demand for feeder and butcher pigs.

Oaks has exhibited at national livestock shows as well as the Missouri State Fair. Outside of Oaks’ FFA career, he is a member of Team Purebred and the Missouri Spot Breeders Association.

After graduating from Newton-Harris RIII School’s, Oaks went on to study agricultural systems technology at the University of Missouri where he is also involved in the Mizzou AST Club, Mizzou Agricultural Education Society, and the University of Missouri Alpha MU Honor Society.

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