FFA

Tragic Turn: Trailer of Show Pigs Bursts Into Flames on I-80

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:58:52 GMT

With the windows rolled down and the sun on his face, Chad Rieck admits he was having a pretty good day driving down Interstate 80. He was pulling a trailer with four gilts, and one of those gilts was bringing home the title of Third Overall Purebred Breeding Gilt from the Aksarben Stock Show.

For Chad and his wife, Amy, spending precious time with their 17-year-old daughter Hollynn at a stock show is something they don’t take for granted. Their busy daughter, now a senior, was juggling the show weekend with homecoming, volleyball and dance team. Because of this, she drove separately to the show with her mom to squeeze in more of her school activities.

Separated by a couple minutes on the interstate, they were chatting on the phone keeping each other awake on the drive from Grand Island, Neb., back to their farm in Creston, Iowa. Suddenly, the traffic slowed down and their day took a tragic turn.

A car burning alongside I-80 held up traffic for miles.

(NDOT)

Igniting the Fire

“I remember my wife saying, ‘Traffic is starting to get bad,’” Rieck recalls. “I told her there was an accident up ahead and we’d get through it eventually.”

When he came upon the scene, he discovered a car burning alongside the road. By this time, he had rolled up his windows and slowly drove by the car. No emergency vehicles were on the scene, so Chad estimates the fire had probably started within three to five minutes of when he passed it.

“The front of the car was fully engulfed in flames,” Rieck describes. “The driver’s portion to the back of the car was starting to get hot – hot, hot flames. My fear of driving by was, ‘What if there’s a gas tank there, and that gas tank blows? That’s going to be bad.’”

When he drove by, something burst.

“It wasn’t the gas tank that blew, but something, whether it was a fuel line, a tire or whatever, blew a ‘poof’ of flames,” he says.

About a mile after he passed the car on fire – maybe one or two minutes at most – Rieck noticed smoke rolling out of the trailer. At first, he thought maybe some smoke from the fire got in through the open trailer windows. Then, he wondered if he blew a tire.

“I’m looking in the mirrors checking for that and continually rolling,” he says. “I see a semi behind me begin to flash his lights at me. That’s when I thought, ‘Okay, I’ve got problems.’”

Fortunately, he was coming upon an exit ramp. He jumped off the interstate and threw the truck in park as soon as he could.

“My wife’s still on the phone with me at this point,” he says. “I jump out of the truck and see the trucker running up with a couple of fire extinguishers. Because of him, I was able to get the back doors opened on the trailer. We got most of the flames down but didn’t have enough to get the fire completely out.”

When he opened the door, he saw that their banner-winning Poland China gilt was already dead, but the three other pigs were hanging on to life.

“The Poland gilt was on the back of the trailer and had somehow broken out of her pen trying to get away,” he says.

The burning trailer was caught on camera by the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT).

(NDOT)

Roadside Rescue

The fire picked up again as he tried to figure out how to get the pigs off the trailer.

“When I parked the trailer at the show, we left some tack in the trailer. So, I locked the ramp and the driver side walk-through door,” he explains. “I ran to get the key that I thought was in the truck, but there was no key there. Now, I’m just frantic.”

With no way to get to the three pigs still on the trailer, he grabbed for the big cart they hauled tack with that was standing upright in the back pen.

“Not a smart deal,” Rieck recalls. “I grabbed it with my hand, and now I’ve got some nice blisters. But even if I could have moved that cart, it wouldn’t have mattered. I had to get the pigs out the side ramp.”

The trucker ran back with a crowbar and Rieck broke the latches off the ramp door to get the ramp down. Flames greeted him. He was running out of options. He ran around to the other side’s ramp, broke that latch off and ended up getting two pigs out.

“The third pig was scared and wouldn’t come out, so I had to reach in through one of the sides to push her out,” he says. “I ended up with some burns on my arm from that, but I finally got her out.”

At this point, the trailer is still on fire. The trucker told Rieck to unhook his truck and pull it away from the trailer now that the pigs were out.

“I would have never thought of doing that,” he adds. “We had a gas can and small generator in the tack room of the trailer, so I went to work to get that out of there before we had an even bigger problem. Fortunately, the tack room was in decent shape, likely because there was a door between it and the main part of the trailer.”

Once the fire truck arrived, they focused on the trailer first. Megan Hobbs says she was able to gather buckets from the tack room to start filling to get to water all three pigs who were alive at the time. Unfortunately, they lost the Duroc, so they had to turn their focus to the remaining two.

(Megan Hobbs)

Meanwhile, people began showing up and helping with the pigs that were now scattered.

“I had one pig walking down the exit ramp,” Rieck says. “Meanwhile, one gilt was hunkered down under a tree in the ditch and the third was dying alongside the exit ramp. I’m in shock at this point – walking around and asking myself why.”

Stock show people he had never met before like Joe and Megan Hobbs of Newton, Kan., turned around and came back to help.

“As soon as we arrived at the scene, there was another young lady who worked for Legacy Livestock Imaging that had also stopped to help,” explains Megan Hobbs. “We immediately just jumped into action getting any and all water available to help cool the pigs down. At the beginning all we had was cooler water and water bottles. In those situations you don’t ask for permission, you just go with what your gut tells you to do.”

(Chad Rieck)

A Little Bit Ironic

When the York Fire Department showed up, they quickly went to work extinguishing the fire in the trailer. Hobbs says she kept running water back and forth from the firetruck to the people caring for the gilts alongside the road.

“God put us in the right place at the right time,” Hobbs says. “We trusted our gut turning around to go help as we just knew it was probably one of our own from the livestock industry that needed help.”

The firefighters on the scene also reached out to a firefighter in a nearby department, David May, who had show pigs.

“I received a call from dispatch when I was about 5 miles from my farm heading home with pigs from the show,” May says. “They said there was a vehicle fire involving a trailer with larger pigs and asked if I could help wrangle and haul the surviving pigs. Of course, I didn’t hesitate and was already on the move.”

May devised a plan to get his pigs off his trailer quickly and navigate through the piled-up interstate traffic.

“I had my 16-year-old daughter Braxtyn with me, so we began talking through things on the drive there,” May says. “I even joked with her, ‘It’s probably someone who kicked our butt today.’ But that didn’t cause either of us to hesitate to help however possible.”

When May got to the scene, he immediately recognized the pickup. It had been parked directly beside his truck during loadout about 45 minutes ago.

“I recognized the people and confirmed I didn’t know them,” May says. “I parked and walked up to assess and gather information. Within a minute, another Iowa trailer showed up to get the live hogs. We discussed what to do with the now two deceased pigs. I offered to put them on my trailer and dispose.”

After all the pigs were on trailers and the firefighters had inspected Rieck’s trailer to confirm it was safe to haul home, Rieck went over to talk to Braxtyn and thank her for coming to help.

Hollynn Rieck’s Champion Poland and Third Overall Purebred Breeding Gilt at Aksarben.

(Legacy Livestock Imaging)

“For some reason, I wanted to try to cheer this kid up who had just seen this devastation,” Rieck says. “I tried to distract her by asking if she showed a pig that day, and she said, ‘Yes, I was third place with my Poland gilt.’”

It was definitely a little ironic, both dads admit. Their kids had been competing against each other just a few hours earlier. They loaded their pigs up beside each other and took off about the same time. As they got back into their trucks and trailers for the second time that day, they both spent some time reflecting on their drive home.

A Case of Bad Luck

Hollynn drove her dad back in the truck and trailer because he was still in shock. All Rieck could think about was what he could have done differently.

“I saw a number of trailers roll right on by as we stood there with the trailer smoldering,” Rieck says. “I know the next time I see a car fire, I’m going to feel like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights. I’m going to be like, ‘Don’t drive through it.’ Maybe I could have gotten in the ditch more, but that’s not safe either.”

It was the kind of incident that you could never predict, May says. Typically, a trailer fire starts with a bad wheel bearing, then the wheel gets hot or locks up. Eventually, the tire catches on fire and results in heavy black smoke that’s easily visible.

(Chad Rieck)

“Most livestock trailer fires start on the outside of the trailer,” May says. “But this fire started inside the trailer. This was a completely freak accident.”

The odds of something hot coming off the car at the precise moment Rieck drove by while also entering the trailer is one in trillions, he adds.

“It’s a bad-luck lottery. It could never have been predicted,” May says. “But, just like so many instances in life, you just have to react and adapt as plans change.”

Still, Rieck says he learned some valuable lessons going through this experience. He will make sure his next trailer has fire extinguishers. He won’t travel with his doors locked on his trailer. He’s also going to invest in some wireless cameras to put into his trailer.

Stock Show Support

When they returned home, a veterinarian confirmed the gilts who survived the trailer fire needed to be euthanized, as their injuries were too severe. Rieck says it was hard on Hollynn to walk through an empty pig barn the next day. Although it’s not an uncommon thing, as every show season comes to an end, this was not the ending she expected. She had high hopes of taking the Poland gilt to the American Royal in a few weeks.

Hollynn won Champion Poland China Gilt and Third Overall Purebred Breeding Gilt at Aksarben.

(Amy Rieck)

For Rieck, the hardest part was calling the breeders who leased them the gilts and telling them what happened.

“The personal financial portion of this isn’t much compared to having to contact those breeders and let them know about the fire,” Rieck says. “We work with Hunter Langholff to get some of our pigs. I can only imagine what the conversation was like with me screaming and yelling about the pigs right after it happened. I’ll never forget Hunter calmly saying, ‘Do not worry about that. These breeders will only care that you, Hollynn and Amy are fine. Pigs can be replaced.’”

With a few tears in his eyes, Rieck says he never wants to take his stock show friends for granted.

“Stock show people are pretty special,” he adds. “Because guess what? We all wanted to win that day. We raise our kids in the show ring and in the show barn for a reason. It’s so we can be around these people. My daughter is going to be a much stronger person because of the experiences that she’s had winning and losing in the show ring and yes, even going through this trailer fire.”

Hollynn says she’s already learned a lot from the fire.

“I am so thankful for all of the people who stopped to help us during our emergency,” she says. “This is living proof that the stock show industry is the best thing to be a part of. The amount of love, thoughts and prayers I have received from people has been astronomical. At the end of the day, I am just grateful my family is ok and that I will forever be a part of such an amazing industry.”

As May reflects on what happened, he says he’s not surprised by the overwhelming support people provided to the Rieck family.

“It’s what we do for each other in all aspects of agriculture, not just livestock,” May says. “I’m glad I was able to assist as needed here and glad my daughter was able to see value in helping others even when it’s not always pretty fairy dust and rainbows.”

Why Keystone Cooperative is Investing in the Stock Show Industry

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:56:11 GMT

When it comes to hiring employees, Keystone Cooperative, Inc., looks for three core competencies: customer focus, drive for results and teamwork. The company says it is finding its next generation of employees within organizations like the National Junior Swine Association (NJSA).

“We talk a lot at Keystone about these core competencies, and you definitely must have all three if you’re going to be successful in the show ring,” says Nathan Hedden, vice president of swine and animal nutrition at Keystone. “You have to work hard at home and that will end up bringing the other three competencies along.”

Keystone is a farmer-owned cooperative with roots that go back to 1927, Hedden explains. Based in Indianapolis, Ind., the company operates in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

“We have 2,000 employees at Keystone across four different divisions: agronomy, energy, grain, swine and animal nutrition,” Hedden says. “It really made sense for us to partner with NJSA. When we think about talent, we want to be the employer of choice in the Midwest, not just in agriculture, but across all different industries. We see this as the next talent pool to continue to grow Keystone.”

(Legacy Livestock Imaging)

During the National Junior Summer Spectacular in Louisville, Ky., Keystone representatives were on site watching the show and meeting young people from all over the country.

More than 600 exhibitors from 28 states brought 1,324 pigs to the event, says Clay Zwilling, CEO of the National Swine Registry.

“One of the things that was the most exciting for me was asking how many of new families were in the crowd at our opening ceremonies,” Zwilling says. “Probably a third of the crowd raised their hands. It really heeds to the passion people have for this industry and the excitement of the long-term engagement and sustainability of our side of the business for young families that are coming in and getting engaged.”

(Jennifer Shike)

Molding Leaders
NJSA is focused on developing the next generation of leaders for the pork industry, Zwilling says.

“It’s been really exciting to watch this grow and blossom and be able to connect really talented young people back into the pork industry,” Zwilling says. “The number of new employees and tenured employees at Keystone that have come through the junior livestock project, and specifically NJSA, is incredible.”

The core competencies that Hedden looks for align with NJSA’s focus, he adds.

“It’s incredible to watch little kids that we’ve got to encourage to break out of their shell go on to have success in the show ring and ultimately come back to the industry as talented leaders,” Zwilling says. “I think this alignment makes a ton of sense. I’m very excited about the future and appreciate the support of people willing to help invest in these kids.”

It’s A Big Industry
The stockmanship skills youth learn raising and showing pigs is another reason Keystone was drawn to support this youth swine program.

“We have 282 sites across the Midwest where we raise pigs today, working with an independent farmer who is actually taking care of those pigs,” Hedden explains. “Well, as those farms have grown, we’ve seen a lot of those operations that haven’t had pigs or maybe haven’t had pigs for a while and haven’t kept up with the technology that’s available today, want to raise pigs again. If you can find employees with stockmanship skills that can stand in the gap and help them learn and develop that, that creates a huge competitive advantage for us.”

The pork industry is full of opportunities, Hedden adds. He’s committed to helping youth see that there is more waiting for them after they finish showing pigs.

“It doesn’t end at the end of your show career,” he says. “Find people that you can talk to, maybe even ride along with, to better understand what they do. That may help you find your passion for what you want to do next.”

Grit, Grease, and Gears: Meet the Colorado Teen Breathing New Life into Old Tractors

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 20:43:14 GMT

Colorado teenager Tyson Hansen is a shining example of that old saying “If you start them young…”

That’s because Hansen, 17, has cultivated a rare passion for buying and restoring classic tractors. It is a passion passed down from his great grandfather, who started the Hansen family farm and pieced together a massive tractor fleet over the years.

“He had over 200-some tractors, mostly two-cylinder, and when he passed, they had the big auction and my dad bought one to remember him by, and well now it’s our family tractor,” Hansen remembers. “My dad still talks about the first day he let me drive it, and he always says since that first ride, I was just hooked.”

The tractor that launched his lifelong love for tractors - the 1934 John Deere GP in all its glory.

(Photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions)

That first taste of classic tractor heaven was on the hardened steel green seat of a 1934 John Deere GP, a popular two-plow row crop setup John Deere built and sold from 1928 to 1935.

The high school junior says he’s wrenched on about 16 to 17 classic tractors at this point, all while participating in his high school FFA program and wrestling for the varsity team. And it’s not a hobby he tackles alone in a dusty, dark barn – his dad, stepmom, and brother all pitch in and help out. Because everyone knows nothing brings a family closer than bonding over busted knuckles and stripped chassis bolts.

Tyson says his family is “pretty much a John Deere family” but that he has started to feel the pull from other legacy brands.

“I started out as a John Deere guy, but I don’t even actually own any John Deeres,” he says, adding that right now his personal collection consists of two classic Case IH tractors and two Farmalls.

That doesn’t mean a young man can’t dream big, though, and Tyson’s big dream restoration project is to someday fix up a John Deere Model R.

He purchased his latest tractor, a Case 400 Super Diesel Western Special Edition with a hand clutch – one of only eight ever built, he says – with the goal of fixing it up and flipping it to raise enough cash to make that dream a reality.

“Once I got that tractor I went online and looked up some Facebook groups where the guys are all about Case, and I didn’t know anything about them at the time, so I just started asking guys for help and next thing I know within an hour I had about seven or eight texts from guys asking to buy that thing off me,” he says. “That’s when I realized that 400 is a little rarer than I figured it would have been.”

His Case 400 is also going to end up helping his fellow students in the FFA program. Tyson’s FFA teacher has asked him to bring the 400 in and is going to let the young man lead his classmates through a lesson on how diesel engines work.

Work is a key word in any farming family, and the Hansen family is no different.

“I don’t know why, my dad always tells me I won’t like it when I am out of high school, but I like to work,” Hansen says. “I guess I’ve just got a working mindset – I’m not the biggest fan of sitting in the house.”

Check out Tyson Hansen’s latest Tractor Tales spotlight below, where the teen shows off his rebuilt Case 400 tractor. And subscribe to the Farm Journal YouTube channel to get all of the latest Tractor Tale videos.

Also keep an eye on U.S. Farm Report every Saturday morning for the debut of the newest Tractor Tales feature.

Your Next Read: 2001 John Deere Smashes Record With $132,500 Price Tag

Texas Teen Charged with Deadly Conduct After Letting Steers Loose at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:56:47 GMT

A Texas teenager was arrested and charged with deadly conduct for his behavior at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 19.

Alonso Apodaca, a 17-year-old fairgoer, was worried the steers were tied up too tightly, ABC 13 News reports. He went up to a steer, took off its halter and let it loose. Then, he continued to do this for another steer, the article says.

He went up to a third steer and was petting it when someone asked him not to do that, ABC 13 reports. He was tackled to the ground and handcuffed soon after this.

Apodaca was charged with deadly conduct, a misdemeanor. He was taken to jail where he remained overnight as his mother told local reporters that she wanted to teach him to control his actions and emotions better. The teenager took responsibility for his decisions and later told ABC 13 News that he learned an important lesson to think before taking action next time.

Although none of the steers got out and nobody was injured, stock show officials expressed their concern about the unpredictability and danger of loose 1,200+ lb. animals in a crowd of people.

A record-breaking 2.7 million people attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo this year.

(Brianna Knowlton/Next Level Images)

Show Livestock Require Proper Animal Handling Skills
While show cattle might appear calm and friendly, they still require experienced handling and restraint, says Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Calf Scramble Judge Jon DeClerck.

“For the safety of both the public and our exhibitors, it is critical no one interacts with livestock without the owner’s permission and assistance,” says DeClerck, incoming executive vice president of the American Simmental Association. “A loose steer in a busy environment can pose serious risks, from injuring pedestrians and junior exhibitors to causing accidents. As a judge we greatly appreciate everyone’s respect for these animals and the hard work exhibitors put into their care and safety.”

Signs clearly ask people not to touch the animals. This is not only for the safety of animals and fairgoers, but also for the health of both animals and people.

A record-breaking 2.7 million people attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo this year. A crew of 35,000 volunteers give their time to help make the 20-day event that brings in more than 12,000 head of livestock a success.

Know the ‘Why’ Behind Proper Show Conduct
Jeff Langemeier, one of the event’s volunteers with decades of experience in the stock show industry, says the majority of the volunteers come from cities and there is a need for more rural volunteers who have livestock experience. That’s one of the reasons why he volunteers to help at the show – to help share his practical knowledge of the livestock industry in this volunteer role.

“This instance brings to the forefront the safety of all attending and these valuable projects are of the utmost priority,” Langemeier says. “Safety protocols are in place for all committees and instilled in the behaviors of all involved.”

Beyond the component of human and animal safety, it is important for exhibitors to be diligent and engaging in the ‘why’ behind their conduct at livestock shows, particularly with large public crowds, says Clay Zwilling, CEO of the National Swine Registry.

“We often take for granted our daily and routine tasks,” Zwilling says. “This is an example of stepping back and thinking about why we may have common practices, or more importantly, how we remain diligent to protect fairgoers and fellow exhibitors.”

Emily Ellis, director of communications and content for Animal Agriculture Alliance, agrees that this story emphasizes the continued need for members of the animal agriculture community to proactively communicate what they’re doing on the farm and why certain practices are important for animal welfare, animal health, environmental stewardship and other valued issues.

“This highlights the unintended consequences of members of the public taking matters into their own hands when they don’t understand or agree with a practice being used in agriculture,” Ellis says. “In some instances, as it appears in this case, it’s due to a misunderstanding. In other instances, it’s connected to more extreme ideologies like animal rights activism.”

Zwilling adds that everyone is very lucky that no people or animals were hurt or caused themselves or others damage.

Your Next Read: Viral Videos Fuel Interest in Pig Shows

10 Ways FFA Made Us Better

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 01:21:59 GMT

High school registration is a nightmare if you have a teenager who wants to do everything. One of our challenges when signing up our oldest for classes was trying to fit in an agriculture class so she could be a part of FFA. She made some adjustments to her schedule, put in extra effort to make it work and realized she would have to stop some things. But she would tell you it was worth the extra effort.

I suspect if other young people knew what FFA really is and what it isn’t – they’d go to extra lengths, too.

You can’t fit FFA in a box.

It’s not just farming or welding or raising livestock or public speaking or growing vegetables. It’s a nearly limitless opportunity for young people to figure out who they are and what they want to do in life. It’s cutting-edge, innovative, empowering and most importantly, fun.

In a world where more and more young people are glued to electronic devices and missing out on community, FFA offers connection, hands-on learning and adult mentors to invest in their lives.

Need more convincing? Here are 10 lessons Farm Journal employees learned through FFA that they use every day.

10. Everything always works out how it’s supposed to.

9. There’s value in a good handshake and eye contact.

8. Be confident in your own abilities, and also those around you, to achieve your goals.

7. Find someone to look up to and listen to what they have to say.

6. Read the instructions and don’t forget to sign your name.

5. It’s ok to shake in your boots a bit.

4. Influence isn’t about position, it’s about heart.

3. Keep trying new things until you find your “sweet spot.”

2. Failure stings, but it makes us better in the end.

1. To be the best, it takes top-tier effort. A little bit of preparation will yield good results, but a lot of preparation and study will always yield better results.

Editor’s Note: The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 850,000 student members as part of 8,995 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook and Twitter.

Read More of our Favorite FFA Stories:

4 Ways FFA Shaped My Life for the Better

Texas Tornado Destroys Ag Shop, But Doesn’t Stop FFA Members From Helping Community

FFA Has-Been? No, Your Role Just Changes

Teenager Who Survives Brain Cancer Raises Over $30,000 for St. Jude Showing Pigs

Ag Teachers: When Someone Believes in You

Growing Deep Roots

Lucky Penny Sells for $17,000 in OYE Night of Stars Gilt Sale

National FFA Convention: Farm Journal’s Inside Perspective

New Bill Excuses Illinois Youth from School Absence to Attend 4-H and FFA Events

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 19:03:09 GMT

Just in time for school to start, in the midst of the Illinois State Fair, students across the state will no longer be penalized for participating in a 4-H or FFA event. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 3814 into law at the Illinois State Fair on Aug. 14, allowing students attending work-based learning events like 4-H and FFA programs to count their participation towards school attendance.

“ House Bill 3814 will allow students attending agricultural learning events to count that towards their school attendance. These learning opportunities cultivate professional development and responsibility in our youth, and their hands-on experiences ought to count towards their education. This new law is a major win not just for our students—but for the future of our agriculture industry,” Gov. Pritzker says.

FFA and 4-H programs encourage both urban and rural Illinois students to participate in hands-on projects across agricultural, STEM and business development sectors. Students who participate in work-based programs have been shown to make healthier and safer choices and give back to their communities long-term, fostering a culture of collaboration and hard work at a young age.

“Agriculture is our number one industry, and it’s the pride of Illinois. But in order to ensure its prosperous future, we must invest in the next generation of agricultural leaders,” Gov. Pritzker adds.

This bill amends the Illinois School Code to allow students who miss traditional classroom days for events in work-based learning programs to have those events counted towards overall school attendance. The student’s parent or legal guardian are to be responsible for obtaining assignments missed while the student was participating in an eligible program.

Livestock Industry Responds

The barns at the Illinois State Fair were buzzing with the good news on Tuesday.

“Participation in livestock projects through 4-H and FFA, takes lessons learned in the school classroom and applies them into real life. Livestock kids learn at a very young age how to manage their time; apply math, reading and science skills to feed and care for their projects; as well as how to compete no matter the outcome,” says Sarah Reedy, livestock breeder, show mom and field sales representative for DEKALB/Asgrow Seed.

This piece of legislation is exciting because it impacts so many young people, Reedy adds.

For Maci Brooks, a 13-year-old cattle showman from Abingdon-Avon Middle School in Avon, Ill., this new legislation provides support and validation for the 4-H and FFA events she attends.

“We just started a new ag program in our middle school,” Brooks says. “I’m excited this will mean we can be excused to attend livestock judging contests and other educational events.”

For show families across the country, the opportunities gained through 4-H and FFA and showing livestock in particular, have been life-changing experiences.

“In the past, the unexcused absence limited our children’s participation at national livestock shows,” says Dale Hummel, livestock breeder, show dad and co-host of Beyond the Ring, a podcast centering around the youth livestock show industry. “The experience gained is invaluable on many levels. This new legislation was desperately needed and greatly appreciated.”

Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) agrees.

“As a strong supporter of ag education, I advocated for FFA and 4-H students whose attendance standing has been jeopardized for missing class to participate in competitions,” Turner says. “Learning through hands-on experiences, especially in the agriculture industry, is a great way for students to expand their wealth of knowledge.”

Read More:

How Illinois Legislators are Removing Obstacles for 4-H and FFA Youth

Compassion In Control: Kentucky Teen Jets Off on First Solo Flight Delivering Supplies to Town Ravaged By Tornado

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:43:17 GMT

Mary Schalk isn’t your typical teenager. At 16-years-old, her maturity is propelling her into the spotlight.

Growing up in a family full of pilots, her dream was always to fly.

“I’ve been around it my whole life,” says Schalk, a junior in high school in Glasgow, Ky., as well as an active member of Barren County FFA. “Since the beginning, I’ve always wanted to fly, and I’ve always wanted to do it by myself.”

A Calling to Help

In December, the day after a destructive tornado struck Kentucky, Mary Schalk had a calling to help.

“Seeing what I saw on the news that night, because we stayed up all night watching, I knew I had to serve somehow, to help these people because I was available, and I had the resources to make this happen,” she says.

With a burning desire to help, an idea came to life.

“My aunt kind of texted me and said she had an idea,” says Schalk. “I was like, ‘That is perfect.’ So we took it and started running. And I kind of thought, ‘Well, maybe I should ask Mom and Dad.’”

So, she did what any 16 year-old should do. She asked her parents for permission, already knowing what the answer would be.

“They enjoy me helping. And they always tell me to lead by example,” says Schalk.

Leading by Example

Her dad was an agricultural teacher and FFA advisor for years, so leading by example has been a pillar of her upbringing. And in December, leading by example, is exactly what she did.

“The night before we left one of our pilot buddies’ wives actually put out on Facebook that she was going to leave the church doors open, as well as leave the airport open and unlocked. And she just put a call out for people to bring stuff. We were just trusting everybody to be honest and bring it,” explains Schalk.

With a simple call for help on social media, the ask was answered within hours.

“It was just overfilling with all the stuff that people donated,” Schalk says. “She put it out on Facebook at about 7:30 that night, and by 7:30 that next morning, in a 12-hour period, there was so much donated at the airport and at that local church.”

First Solo Flight

Loading up her four-seater plane with the donations that came flooding in left room for only one person in the plane. And so with that, Schalk took off on her first solo flight, all at the age of 16.

“We’ve taken toiletries, water, clothes, blankets, and we even did Christmas presents for our last trip,” she says.

The 200-mile trip to Mayfield, Ky., an area considered ground-zero for devastation, didn’t happen just once. With the approval of her instructor, she’s completed the 1-hour flight three times by herself, each trip with a plane loaded full of supplies to help.

Watch: Kentucky Farmers Endure Epic Ruin And Worst Storm Damage In State History As Agriculture Rushes To Rebuild

“Natural disasters don’t define poor or rich or anything in between. It’s just people. And at the end of the day, those people had nothing. It didn’t matter if they lived in a small trailer home or if they lived in huge mansion, it was gone,” says Schalk.

Mission Takes Flight

And with the resources to provide relief, Schalk did what not man teenagers are able do. She took to the skies to get the relief to those in need.

“I just wanted to help those people, because I was the middle ground. I wanted to help them when they had absolutely nothing left,” she adds.

Comfort in the Pilot’s Seat

Her mission isn’t over yet. Schalk says she has another trip planned, with more supplies to help with recovery and relief. As it seems in the pilot seat is exactly where the 16-year-old is meant to be.

“Well, my dad jokes all the time. I’ll be driving like we did in the snow the other day, and he was holding on for dear life. He’s scared to drive with me. But he said he absolutely loves flying with me,” says Schalk with a smile on her face.

The FFA member is a living example of what it means to embody the virtues of FFA. Schalk is learning to do, while also living to serve. She is proof the sky’s the limit when compassion takes control.

How the Farm and FFA Shaped Nashville Star Easton Corbin’s Career

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:41:17 GMT

Nashville singer Easton Corbin is no stranger to agriculture. Growing up in Florida, raising and showing cattle was engrained from the start, as was FFA.

“FFA is such a great organization — it shapes so many young people’s life for the better,” Corbin says. “You can always tell when you’re around those kids. FFA really teaches kids about hard work and responsibility.”

After high school, Corbin didn’t go straight to Nashville. Instead, he attended the University of Florida and majored in agriculture business. He says that decision was heavily weighted by his grandparents’ desire for him to put education first.

“I was in FFA from middle school to high school, and my grandparents had a big, big hand in raising me,” Corbin says. “My grandpa was a cattle farmer, and he really got me into showing cattle, which was kind of mine and his project. That whole experience, through my grandparents, taught me about hard work, honesty and follow through.”

The #FarmON Benefit Concert airs on MONDAY!

Will you be watching?

Tune in on RFD-TV or https://t.co/FM7uZZu2pp at 7PM to help support the @NationalFFA Foundation pic.twitter.com/S1mmbJxlfF
— AgDay TV (@AgDayTV) September 16, 2021

With a passion for singing and performing, Corbin moved to Nashville after college in 2006. His hard work paid off in 2010 when he released his debut single “A Little More Country Than That.” The hit peaked at No. 1 on the country chart in April 2010, making Corbin the first solo male artist to send a debut single to the top of the charts since Dierks Bentley in 2003.

Corbin performed some of his hits in Colby, Kan., in August during a live #FarmON concert. While the outdoor concert met obstacles with rain and lightning, the event managed to #FarmOn and move indoors for an electric night of entertainment. A portion of those live songs will be featured during the #FarmON Benefit concert Monday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. CST. The concern benefits the National FFA Foundation.

Corbin will be joined by fellow FFA alum Alex Miller , who credits his success as an American Idol contestant to the leadership skills he gained through FFA.

Mark your calendars for the second annual @FarmJournal #FarmON Benefit Concert on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, at 7 p.m. CDT headlined by Easton Corbin with special guest Alex Miller, FFA member.
Learn more here: https://t.co/oWK1N5fi95
Donate here: https://t.co/fUzr8WfcSW pic.twitter.com/cI3PkRqhB7
— National FFA (@NationalFFA) September 15, 2021

Corbin says he’s excited to help give back to an organization that continues to impact the lives of so many students, providing them with perspective and a passion to continue to follow their dreams.

“I really think you can take those lessons you learn on a farm and apply those to life,” Corbin says. “The farm is kind of a small part of a bigger world and all those things really apply, especially about hard work and follow through, and I can’t stress enough just being a good person. It has really helped me in what I do because sometimes it gets hard out on the road and it takes a lot of hard work, and all those things tie together.”

🎶@eastoncorbin can sure put on a concert in a hangar on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

big thanks to @FarmJournal for the #FarmON concert and their support for @NationalFFA 🥳 pic.twitter.com/45An3eoWOv
— Madison Mackley (@madsfarms) August 27, 2021

Join Easton Corbin along with other FFA alum as they bring the energy and entertainment on Monday, Sept. 20. The #FarmON Benefit concert kicks off at 7 p.m. CST. Throughout the event, Farm Journal will raise money for the National FFA Foundation and pay tribute to an organization that continues to support the future of agriculture.

You can register now to join the fun onlin e or watch the concert on RFD-TV.

Ultimate Gift: FFA Members Restore Their Adviser's Family's Farmall As A Surprise Retirement Gift

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:37:08 GMT

Meet Larry Plapp just once, and you’ll quickly see the retired ag teacher and FFA adviser has a gift.

“I taught agriculture for 37 years and had a wonderfully enjoyable career doing that,” Plapp says.

Plapp was honored with many awards during his 37-year teaching career. His gift was the ability to connect with students, especially their freshman year.

“We touched upon a lot of different things in the freshman class, and it was kind of a launching point for the kids as to what they might take as their sophomore, junior or senior year. I just enjoyed their curiosity is for the most part,” he says.

Maybe that’s why many out of the close to 5,000 students Plapp taught will forever remember him.

“He was the greatest teacher ever,” says Carter Volck, current president of Badger FFA in Lake Geneva, Wis. “He was the teacher who came into school every day and he wanted to do his job. There wasn’t a question about that. He would do anything for anyone.”

The Decision to Retire From Teaching

The classroom was his calling, which is why the decision to retire this year wasn’t easy.

“I had toyed with this for a while,” Plapp says. “ I’ll be honest with you, COVID was a difficult time in the teaching business. We were teaching virtual at school and everything in between. It did take a toll.”

It was a tough decision, but Plapp says he simply knew it was time.

“I had a wonderful officer team lined up for my what I was thinking would be my last year, as I kept going on with this team, I thought, ‘This is this is a good way to end,’” he says.

The Gift Idea

What Plapp didn’t know was he would receive a very special retirement gift.

“We were at some leadership conference, and he was talking about how another ag teacher from a different school got a tractor for his retirement,” remember Volck. “And joking to us, he’s like, ‘Oh, I bet I won’t get a tractor for my retirement.’”

While it was a joke at the time, it quickly turned into the students’ new goal. With the help of Candice Franks, Plapp’s teaching partner and Badger FFA adviser, the students got to work.

Franks contacted Plapp’s brother, who lives in Indiana. He knew just the tractor the kids should restore.

An FFA member and his dad picked up the tractor and bought it back to the Lake Geneva area so the FFA members could restore it.

Close Call

With a separate group chat, Franks and the students worked behind the scenes, all while working to hide it from Plapp.

“One of our local tractor implements had donated us a check towards the project, and they just sent it to Badger FFA Agriscience,” says Franks. “Convenient enough, Larry actually went down to go through the mail that day, and had brought the check back in his hand. “

At that point, Franks was sure the secret was out.

“I came back to these guys, and said, “We are so busted; he saw one of the donations,’” says Franks.

“It was a close call,” adds Volck.

That wasn’t the only challenge to restoring Plapp’s family tractor. Everything was donated -- all the work and parts.

“None of us have really restored a tractor. My dad works in diesel truck shop, but before that, he worked in another like auto mechanic shop, where they like redid trucks and stuff like that. So my dad was the one who painted the tractor,” says Volck.

The Ultimate Gift

But with a mission in mind, those challenges were always overcome, and last spring during the FFA awards night, still unbeknownst to Plapp, he was in for the surprise of a lifetime. They first called him up and gave him a couple personal gifts.

“Then they said, ‘Well, we’ve got to go outside to see the next one,’” says Plapp.

“We had to walk outside, and all of a sudden they fire up the tractor, and I knew this sound, and I thought, ‘That can’t be,’” Plapp says. “It just flabbergasted me.”

It wasn’t just any tractor, it was a very special tractor.

“This is 1954 Super M-TA,” says Plapp. “This was my dad’s first farming tractor.”

It’s also the tractor Plapp and his brother first learned to drive.

“It wasn’t like some where it sits outside and rusted to death, you know, it was in a shed, but it just wasn’t runnable,” he says. “Basically the carburetor had boiled up and had some pretty significant oil leaks that they repaired.”

When most people get a plaque or other gifts for retirement, Plapp received a tractor. The ultimate gift for a man who instilled lessons beyond the classroom on three decades of students he taught.

“It really touched me to the core and it was incredible gesture of love by these people. It was just something I’ll never forget,” he adds.

His Retirement Plan

Plapp’s retirement plan is already in the works, as he plans to showcase his newly restored tractor off every chance he gets.

“I bought a trailer and a bigger truck so I can haul my tractor, because this coming spring and summer, I want to take it to some shows.”

Plapp was able to take it to the National FFA Convention this year, as well as lead the Badger FFA student in their homecoming parade this fall, showing off a gift that didn’t come from a store. No, this gift means much, much more.

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Texas Tornado Destroys Ag Shop, But Doesn’t Stop FFA Members From Helping Community

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:31:02 GMT

A line of storms snaked through north and central Texas on Monday, resulting in several tornadoes along the Interstate 35 corridor. About 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth, an F3 tornado touched down outside of Jacksboro at 3:45 p.m., ripping buildings to shreds, including the local high school, elementary school and ag shop.

“I felt so helpless,” says Kevin Thomas, ag teacher at Jacksboro Independent School District.

Thomas had left school to pick up his truck and trailer at his farm about 12 miles away when the tornado hit.

“I knew it hit my ag shop and there was nothing I could do,” he says. “Two co-teachers and 20 students were in the ag shop practicing for judging contests. All I could do was pray that nothing happened to them. Yes, they were capable, but my nature is to take care of things and when I couldn’t ...”

The Jacksboro High School’s ag shop was torn apart in the tornado that produced 150-mph winds, says ag teacher Kevin Thomas. Video by Kevin Thomas.

Braced for Impact

The tornado ripped off the roof the ag shop and the high school gym. The elementary school also took a major hit with 200 kids inside waiting for buses to arrive.
It’s a miracle no one was seriously injured or killed, Thomas says. Survey teams have confirmed 10 tornadoes hit the area, which might increase as the National Weather Service continues to investigate damage.

“We just didn’t have much warning,” Thomas says. “It developed quickly and was on us so fast.”

Despite the devastation this town of 4,000 experienced, Thomas says he’s grateful. All of his students that stayed after school to practice for FFA contests were safe and none of the elementary school kids or their families were hurt.

A look inside the high school gym at Jacksboro after the tornado struck. Video provided by Kevin Thomas.

The school district has relatively new buildings specially designed and geared for tornadoes, he says.

“Every building has tornado hallways built along concrete structures with emergency gates that slide in place like a bunker. We do drills to prepare us for moments like this,” Thomas adds.

Unfortunately, the ag shop wasn’t quite as equipped, and his co-teachers had to hunker down in the bathrooms with all their students. Once the storm passed and Thomas made it back to the school around 4:15 p.m., his FFA students jumped in his truck, and they headed out into their community to help people one house at a time. They passed out waters and Gatorades and comforted elderly members of their community standing outside their homes in shock.

“There were no emergency workers in sight. We had to drag trees out of roadways and there were power lines down everywhere,” he says. “I brought in my skid steer and helped move trees off houses, living rooms, etc. I just wanted to help give people a little peace of mind. We just talked and worked alongside each other and our FFA kids helped every step of the way.”

FFA members pitch in and help with clean-up after the tornado. Photo by Kevin Thomas.

A Desire to Help

To his knowledge, this is the first tornado to hit their community, or at least since he moved there in the mid-1980s.

“We’ve been through some really rough times as a community, but never a storm like this. With all the turmoil in the world, food and fuel prices, politics, I just looked up yesterday and saw good in people,” Thomas says. “No judgment. Nothing but a desire to help. When things get tough, we lay our differences aside and focus on one mission, one goal. It was about being a good human and helping your neighbor.”

A drone’s view of the damage at Jacksboro Independent School District. Video provided by Kevin Thomas.

The cost of the damage is still unknown. The school farm is wiped out. A week ago, Jacksboro FFA would have lost all the kids’ show pigs for Houston.

“We are starting a new season this week focusing on career development events,” he says. “I can’t imagine what it would have been like if this would have happened last week.

You can’t help but think there’s a man upstairs after driving through the community and seeing all the damage. How did we all make it out of this with hardly a scratch?”

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Is ‘Tornado Alley’ Expanding East?

The Day Derecho Hit Our Farm

Derecho Forces Evacuation of 25,000 Pigs After Winds Rip Barns Apart

Champion Steer Sells For $1 Million in Houston

The Night the Fire Took the Farm

Speechless: The Call That Saved One Hog Producer’s Farm

Our Derecho Story: The Trees Saved Our Pigs