Area FFA chapters excel at state contest

Julie Buntjer, The Daily Globe, Worthington, Minn.
·4 min read

May 2—MINNEAPOLIS — Rachel Tusa, a senior at Jackson County Central, was named Minnesota FFA's Star Farmer during the state's annual FFA convention earlier this week on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis.

Tusa's Supervised Agricultural Experience is in beef production. In addition to her selection as Star Farmer, she won first place proficiency in beef production entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, Joseph Mohr, another Jackson County Central FFA member, was named a finalist for the Minnesota FFA's Star in Agribusiness. Mohr garnered third place proficiency for his Supervised Agricultural Experience in agricultural repair and maintenance placement.

Other FFA members who were finalists in their proficiency area were:

* Thomas Bartosh, Heron Lake-Okabena, agricultural mechanics design and fabrication.

* Kalen McNab, Heron Lake-Okabena, placement in agricultural sales.

* Lydia Rylaarsdam, Edgerton, placement in agricultural sales.

* Madelyn Schumacher, Heron Lake-Okabena, fruit production.

Adrian FFA chartered: The Adrian FFA Chapter was among 11 newly chartered chapters since the 2022 Minnesota FFA Convention. The state now has 195 FFA chapters with more than 10,000 FFA members enrolled in food, agriculture and natural resource classes.

National Chapter: Jackson County Central, Superior; Heron Lake-Okabena, Silver; and Mountain Lake, Silver.

Agricultural Literacy Award: Jackson County Central

Land of Service Award: Jackson County Central

State FFA Degree recipients: Lydia Rylaarsdam and Aaron Veldhuizen, Edgerton; Anna Fest, Faith Freking, Kalen McNab, and Madelyn Schumacher, Heron Lake-Okabena; Olivia Bork and Amallia Ternus, Hills-Beaver Creek; Andria Benson, Megan Benson, Ashlyn Bohl, Josh Clymer, Aubree Eller, Brixton Hillmer, Taryn Lessman, Joseph Mohr, Noah Thompson, Brittany Tufvesson and Rachel Tusa, Jackson County Central; Paige Green, Meesha Hoek, Brody Kleven, Brooke Naas, Evan Oltmans and Aiden Penner, Mountain Lake; Wyatt Biren, Lauren Stoel, Seanna Swenson, Dylan Doeden, Danika Jackels and Jackie Vos, Murray County Central; Mason Deruyter and Cameron Paulsen, Pipestone Area; Colton Carter, Luke DeSmith, Daniel Kleven and Elijah Merrick, Westbrook-Walnut Grove; Rylie Raverty and Peyton Winters, Windom; Karissa Bickett, Bryn Donkersloot, Ivy Jenson, Lilly Mahlberg, Lauren Nelson and Kaden Teerink, Worthington.

Honorary FFA Degree recipients: Jessica Daberkow, Heron Lake; and Paul Haberman, Slayton.

State FFA Band participants: Aaron Veldhuizen, Edgerton; Tyrae Goodface, Hills-Beaver Creek; Kaylie Baerg, Khya Boldt, Madison Schultz and Paige Wilson, Mountain Lake.

State FFA Chorus participants: Annika Brinkman, Johnna Gardiner and Theresa Nwaiga, Mountain Lake.

Agricultural Communications: Mountain Lake, fourth place (Mason Fast, sixth individual; Aiden Penner, ninth; Grant Oakland and Landon Strom). Worthington, sixth place (Madison Sieve, 13th; Liv VanderKooi, 16th; Kennedy Woodbury, 18th; Myranda Widboom, 23rd).

Agricultural Mechanics: Jackson County Central, 26th (Wyatt Wenzel, Ryan Burgoyne, Micah Worthington, Rece Johnson and alternate Jacob Cihak).

Agricultural Sales: Jackson County Central, fourth (Renae Vancura, Payten Benda, Alexis O'Reilly and Dylan Withers), Windom, sixth (Ashlyn Altman, Gabby Symens, Claire Veenker and Saydie Raverty). Claire Veenker, fourth.

Best Informed Greenhand: Jackson County Central, 12th (Rylee Benda, Asheton Hock, Caledon Lessman and Kallee Nelson). Worthington, Gold (Madison Sieve, Myranda Widboom, Angela Dailey, Miness Mazariegos and Liv Vander Kooi).

Companion Animals: Jackson County Central, 33rd (Kayleigh Nosbusch, Aubree Tidyman, Mia Ruiz and Kallee Nelson). Westbrook Walnut-Grove, 38th.

Conduct of Chapter Meetings: Jackson County Central, Bronze (Caledon Lessman, Lizzy Rasmussen, Lilly Marshall, Hailly Russell, Addie Thurmer, Renae Vancura and Milliani Insichienmay.

Creed Speaking: Lizzy Rasmussen, Jackson County Central, Bronze.

Crops: Jackson County Central, third (Rachel Tusa, second; Kyler Hall, and Rachel Mohr). Worthington, Bronze (Lauryn Ahlers, Autumn Luinenberg, Grace Baber and Claire Mahlberg). Westbrook-Walnut Grove, eighth.

Dairy Cattle Evaluation: Worthington, Gold (Marin Pederson, Stephanie Dykstra, Vincent Vander Kooi and Caleb Barber).

Dairy Cattle Handler: Noah Thompson, Jackson County Central, Silver. Liv VanderKooi, Worthington. Cassidy Madison, Worthington.

Employment Skills: Payten Benda, Jackson County Central, fourth.

Farm Business Management: Jackson County Central, fifth (Kylie Zishka, Carter Johnson, Sam Henning and Joseph Mohr). Worthington, Bronze (Evan Hansberger, Ethan Mahlberg, Garner Dickman and Tristan Henderson).

Fish and Wildlife: Worthington, Silver (Nick Griffith, Mathias Noble, Ryan Dorcey and Jacob Meyer). Jackson County Central, 53rd (Ian Titterington, Weston Rowe and Michael Hock).

Floriculture: Jackson County Central, 11th (Taryn Lessman, Ashlyn Bohl, Lily Johnson and Milliani Insichienmay).

Forestry: Jackson County Central, 14th (Lily Mohning, Paige Duncan and Caledon Lessman).

Horse Evaluation: Windom, 15th (Fiona Robillard, Lizzie Bramstedt, Addisyn Powers, Porscha Myrvold). Westbrook-Walnut Grove, 30th.

Livestock Evaluation: Jackson County Central, third (Tanner Nelson, fifth; Kade Tewes, Sylvia Chapman-Nesseth, Reese Anderson and Willow Thiner, alternate). Windom, 17th (Peyton Winters, Ella Smith, Brooklyn Roll). Wesley Widboom, Worthington, Gold individual; Lance Gordon, Worthington, Silver individual.

Meats: Edgerton, second (Chloe Kracht, fourth, Crystal Sanchez, Chelsy Reyes and Miguel Carrera). Westbrook-Walnut Grove, third. Jackson County Central, 26th (Alexander Mohning, Caleb Vancura, Kash Gilbert, Trey Rossow and alternate Braeden Tufvesson).

Milk Quality: Westbrook-Walnut Grove, eighth. Jackson County Central, 11th (Brittany Tufvesson, Andria Benson, Aubree Eller and Megan Benson). Worthington, Gold (Karissa Bickett, Lauren Nelson, Bryn Donkersloot and Ivy Jenson).

Parliamentary Procedure: Jackson County Central, fourth (Dylan Withers, Kade Tewes, Mason Eicholz, Brixton Hillmer, Alexander Mohning and Nolan Ambrose).

Poultry: Westbrook-Walnut Grove, first (Elijah Merrick, Isabella Rentschler, Luke DeSmith and Dan Kleven). Jackson County Central, 15th (Aliza Liepold, Clara Brinks, Katelyn Hendricks, Bailey Finck and alternate Hilary Stai).

Soils: Westbrook-Walnut Grove, fifth; Jackson County Central, 28th (Nicholas Peterson, Brett Rossow and Bryson Powers). Leah Carter, second.