Missouri FFA News Releases

COLUMBIA , Mo. , April 16, 2009 - The Missouri FFA Association recognized Clayton Hawkins of the North Shelby FFA Chapter as Area 3 Star Farmer at the 81^st Missouri FFA Convention. He is the son of Tandy and Sharla Hawkins of Bethel, Mo. His advisors are Shawn McEwen and Phillip Martin.

Area Star Farmers are chosen based upon outstanding production agriculture for the student’s Supervised Agriculture Experience Program and active participation in FFA. Area 3 covers 22 chapters in the Northeast District.

MFA Inc., Columbia, sponsors the 16 Area Star Farmer awards.

Hawkins’ Supervised Agricultural Experience Program began with two crossbred sows, four cows and a purchase of three purebred Chester White gilts. Hawkins sells natural pork through the Niman Ranch Pork Company and continues to build his purebred Chester White breeding stock business, which specializes in the production of breeding stock with high-quality meat. Along with the addition of some diversified crop production acres to his enterprise, Hawkins has expanded his swine operation to 54 sows.

Hawkins’ FFA activities include serving as chapter president, chapter vice president and Area 3 FFA president. Hawkins won the district creed speaking contest in 2006 and competed on the first-place regional Envirothon team in 2007. He has competed in the State FFA Livestock and Soils Career Development events. Hawkins also has competed in the State FFA Parliamentary Procedure and State FFA Knowledge contests. Hawkins was a top ten winner of the National Risk Management Essay Contest in 2008.

Hawkins has served as the president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the past two years. He also has served as the president of his freshman, sophomore and junior class. He serves as the National Honor Society treasurer. Hawkins was the president of his 4-H club and continues to serve as a youth representative for the Shelby County Extension Council. He is a very active member of the Bethel Christian Church and participates in the youth group at Bethel .

Hawkins plans to attend the University of Missouri where he plans to study agricultural systems management. After graduation from college, Hawkins hopes to return to the family farm to continue his diversified livestock and crop production enterprises and become an owner of the family farm.

The Missouri FFA has 24,410 members representing 317 chapters. 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 agricultural education.

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