FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, October 29, 2007

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-4696

COMMISSIONER FARMER CONGRATULATES HARDESTY, SPENCER COUNTY ON WINNING NATIONAL FFA AWARDS

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer praised Nicholas Hardesty of Meade County for being named the 2007 American Star Farmer by the National FFA Organization at its 80th National Convention last weekend in Indianapolis.

Commissioner Farmer also hailed Spencer County High School’s FFA chapter, which was named the National Model of Innovation in Chapter Development.

“Nicholas is the first Kentucky FFA member ever to receive the American Star Farmer award in its 77-year history,” Commissioner Farmer said. “Spencer County was named one of the top three FFA chapters out of over 7,200 nationwide.

“On behalf of all Kentuckians, I want to congratulate these young people and their families for these accomplishments. With people like Nicholas Hardesty and the members of Spencer County FFA receiving national acclaim, I feel like the future of Kentucky agriculture is in good hands.”

The American Star Farmer award recognizes the student with the best production agriculture-based Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) Program in the nation. Hardesty began as a freshman with one show hog, invested his winnings into breeding and currently has nine sows and approximately 115 piglets. Since his family was not actively engaged in farming and did not own land or machinery, he had to rent land, borrow machinery and exchange labor for supplies in order to raise his first one-acre crop of tobacco. Today, his diversified operation includes hogs, 57 head of beef cattle, 29 acres of tobacco, 25 acres of hay and two acres of vegetables. He plans to invest some of the $4,000 in prize money back into his farm and use the rest to help pay for college.

“Nicholas Hardesty is truly remarkable in the sense that he built his SAE Program from the ground up,” said State FFA Advisor Curt Lucas. “We often hear that to be successful in farming, you must have family support in terms of land and equipment, but here is a student who began with nothing but a dream and built a highly successful farming operation.”

Hardesty competed with three other finalists in interviews conducted by industry leaders. In addition to his parents, Eugene and Debra Hardesty of Guston, he credits much of his success to the experiences he had in FFA and advisors Darryl Matherly, Jeremy Hall and Marc Adams. 

Spencer County’s FFA chapter was recognized for strengthening community ties by hosting a local commodity breakfast and working with community leaders on a fund-raiser for a local charity. The chapter also hosted a recruitment program that led to more than 140 eighth-graders signing up for an Introduction To Agriculture class.

Spencer County beat out nine other chapters across the nation for its award. Members of each chapter were interviewed by a panel of judges during the convention. Spencer County’s FFA advisors are Bland Baird and Matherly.

 “Spencer County has long been among the top chapters in Kentucky and has a rich tradition of excellence,” Lucas said. “All of Kentucky FFA should be proud of this accomplishment.”

In addition to the award, Spencer County had 11 National Proficiency finalists, three National Career Development Event teams and one of 10 national winners, Brennan Nethery, in the Agri-Entrepreneurship Contest.

The National FFA Organization is a national organization for students enrolled in agricultural education and has more than 500,000 members nationwide.  The organization’s 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.  The Kentucky Association FFA has nearly 15,000 members in 145 local FFA chapters.

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To read the Kentucky FFA news release, click here.