OFI 1805: The Natural Transition Into The FFA From 4H | FFA SAE Edition – Featured Freshman | Teah Vennes | Shields Valley High School FFA

Teah Vennes is an incoming sophomore at Shields Valley High School in Clyde Park, Montana and the newest of a Montana Ranching legacy that goes back to 1863! Her ranch lies in a beautiful area to the east of the Bridger Mountains that I used to frequent when I was a student at Montana State University. Teah is very involved in ranching, horses and cattle, but so much more.

In today’s interview what really stood out is the relationship between the 4H and FFA. They are not the same, and you don’t need one to do the other. However, the 4H certainly acts as a gateway into the FFA with similar activities such as livestock exhibitions.

With Teah being a 9th Grader at the time that I interviewed her, she is right in the midst of this transition. She has been very active in the 4H, as well as the Girl Scouts, with some interesting projects that sparked ideas that she is carrying forward into the FFA. One of those is raising rabbits and taking them to more municipal areas of Montana to give 4H, and now FFA, students ideas about how they can raise livestock even if they live in town. The rabbits are also a great way to spark a conversation about agriculture, giving Teach the opportunity to dispel some myths about where our food comes from.

Teah has her eye on becoming a Montana State Officer in the future, and I think this is a great start. But, as we learned in the episode, for right now she is concentrating on getting her driver’s license as she was headed to driver’s training as we finished this episode.

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Diversified Livestock Production

HIGH SCHOOL: Shields Valley High School Clyde Park, Montana

MASCOT: Rebels

FFA ADVISOR: JR Pierce

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR TEAH VENNES:

Click on the picture below to be taken to the Shields Valley High School Website:

Teah’s FFA Advisor’s Email Address: jrpierce@shieldsvalleyschools.org

Lincolnwood High School Telephone Number: 406-578-2535

FFA LINKS:

National FFA Organization

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE’s)

Support FFA

Donate to FFA – FFA students can start small businesses through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start – pay it forward.

REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA:

Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% and the rest of the world. FFA provides the needed education, training, and resources to Americans to carry that torch forward and ensure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food.
Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth.
Farmers, ranchers, and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the food search is as simple as going to the grocery store:

“The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America’s youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America’s youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.”. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue