Montana FFA Members recently returned from participation at the National FFA Convention and Expo held in Indianapolis, IN. Approximately six hundred Montana students attended the convention where they engaged in competitions, leadership workshops, tours and educational seminars. This annual event attracted over 73,000 members from across the nation.
In the National Marketing Plan Competition, the fourth-place team in the nation comes from the Corvallis FFA Chapter. Team members were Morgan Bisel, Jackson Pliley, and Beauden Therrien. The marketing plan event equips students with practical marketing skills by guiding them to create and present a marketing plan for an agricultural product, supply, or service. This event fosters a client-consultant relationship, enhancing students’ connection to their community and preparing them for future careers in marketing. Participants will demonstrate their understanding of the marketing process, explore potential marketing careers, and develop partnerships between industry, local FFA chapters, and the public. The event includes a written marketing plan and a live presentation, with participants working collaboratively to research, analyze, and deliver marketing solutions tailored to a real-world agribusiness client. Through this experience, students gain valuable insights and employability skills essential for success in the marketing field. Other Montana teams placing in the top ten were the Big Timber Farm and Agribusinsess Career Development Event (CDE) team who placed 7th, Missoula’s Food Science team who placed 9th and Missoula’s Floriculture team who placed 10th.
Connely Hoagland from Glendive was named as a national proficiency finalist. Proficiency awards recognize students who excel in their work-based learning experiences. Another individual member that rose to the top in his competition was Missoula’s Collin Yoshimura who placed 10th in the National Floriculture competition. Additional individuals from Montana that were selected for national participation were Zoe Larson from Roberts who was a member of the National Chorus, Rowdy Mattison from Dillon who participated in the National Band and Cassidy Schelvan from Missoula who participated in the National Talent program.
The following are the results of how Montana chapters placed* during this year’s national convention: Floriculture – Missoula – Gold, Marketing Plan – Corvallis – Gold, Conduct of Meetings – Miles City – Bronze, Parliamentary Procedure – Kalispell – Silver, Creed Speaking – Chelise Stone – Geraldine – Silver, Extemporaneous Speaking – Johanna DeMars – Winifred – Silver, Employment Skills – Kennedy Lyson – Baker – Silver, Forestry – Fergus – Silver, Meats – Missoula – Silver, Ag Issues – Roundup – Silver Vet Science – Beaverhead – Gold, Ag Communication – Corvallis – Silver, Horse – Beaverhead – Silver, Ag Mechanics – Havre – Silver, Livestock – Kalispell – Silver, Poultry – Whitehall – Silver, ENR – Corvallis – Silver, Farm Business Management – Big Timber – Gold, Food Science – Missoula – Gold, and Ag Sales – Belgrade – Gold,
*Note – Gold, Silver and Bronze ratings represent roughly the top, the middle, and the lower third of teams participating.
In addition to the contest placings, 26 members received the American FFA Degree. They are as follows:
Madison Butori – Baker, Justiz Dericek-Johnson – Corvallis, Calla Donnelly – Three Forks, Patsea Farrow – Beaverhead, Bradley Fields – Kalispell, Carly Friedrich – Plentywood, Cadence Hess – Park City, Rom Hiner – Wheatland, Tel Holland – Beaverhead, Katie Jackson – Corvallis, Dillon Jewett – Kalispell, Reagan Long – Shields Valley, Sierra Mauland – Big Timber, Grace Mosher – Shepherd, Wyatt Murphy – Fairfield, Jon Peterson – Beaverhead, Lino Ponce-Juarez – Corvallis, Payne Reilly – Forsyth, Echo Saunders – Gardiner, Emelia Schairer – Corvallis, Emma Lou Slivka – Winifred, Weston Sondeno – Big Timber, Josi Ward – Beaverhead, Piper Ward – Wheatland, Joel Warneke – Winifred and Lawren Weidow – Corvallis.
*The American FFA Degree is the highest degree that can be bestowed upon a member and represents at least five years of dedicated participation in the FFA organization.
Three individuals received the Honorary American FFA Degree for their support of Montana FFA. They are:
-Kari Hanson who serves on the Montana FFA Association board of directors and is the Ag teacher in Park City
-Hugh Braaten from Townsend – longtime supporter
-Brian Bay who recently retired as the Ag teacher in Kalispell
The next event for Montana’s FFA Members will be the Montana FFA Ag Expo, a regional activity set for Nov. 13th – 15th in Bozeman.
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Jim Rose – Montana State FFA Advisor
