Missouri FFA News Releases

Laura Wilsdorf Receives Second-Place Missouri FFA Diversified Crop Production Proficiency Award

COLUMBIA , Mo., April 16, 2009 – Laura Wilsdorf, Madison, Mo., member of the Moberly FFA Chapter, received the second place Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award at the 81^stMissouri FFA Convention.

Wilsdorf, a senior at Moberly AVTS, is the daughter of Mark and Debbie Wilsdorf. Her advisors are Jerry McBee and Mark Belcher.

As an FFA member, Wilsdorf attended state and national FFA conventions. She has participated in leadership adventure, area FFA banquet and the Greenhand Motivational Conference. Outside of FFA, Wilsdorf has served as vice president of the local 4-H club and is a member of the cross country team.

Wilsdorf started her Supervised Agricultural Experience program by starting a you-pick strawberry patch. She learned a great deal about business, marketing and the time it takes to establish and care for a lot of plants. Wilsdorf’s short-term goals are to manage the business this summer and graduate from high school. Her long-term goals include attending the University of Missouri and continuing to operate her business during the summer.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship is one of 47 proficiency awards at the state level. The Missouri Crop Improvement Association sponsored this award.

The Missouri FFA has 24,410 members representing 317chapters. The national organization has more than 507,000 members representing 7,439 local chapters in 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the 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 agriculture education.