Young Livestock Breeders Appreciate Support

www.agrinews-pubs.com
Tom Doran
2010-01-08

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two state FFA officers, who have seen first-hand the benefits provided by the Land of Lincoln Purebred Livestock Breeders Association, noted their appreciation at the organization’s recent annual meeting.

Kiersten Kasey, FFA state secretary, and Adam Herwig, state treasurer, both purebred livestock breeders in their own right, were guests at the LLPLBA event.

“Ever since I can remember, my family has always been at the state fair showing our purebred Hampshires,” Kasey, a member of the Charleston FFA chapter, said.

Her ram garnered Land of Lincoln champion honors this past year at the state fair.

“So I’ve seen first-hand how you’ve benefited the exhibitors across the state,” said Kasey, whose Supervised Agricultural Experience in FFA is sheep production entrepreneurship.

“This year, our team was able to witness not only how this benefits the exhibitors, but also both the 4-H and the FFA organizations.

“We were able to receive some money from the Land of Lincoln Purebred Livestock Breeders Association and have totaled over $16,000 since 2006 from the sale of champions.”

Kasey added the membership also appreciates the $1,000 the LLPLBA contributes to the FFA Foundation.

“This goes to all of those teams that that have exhibited in livestock, including our third place team in nationals – the Newton FFA Chapter. They have qualified to go judge in Scotland next year,” she said.

“We’ve also been able to provide awards to all the various livestock record book students who have placed at the section, district and state levels.”

Herwig, a member of the Ashton Franklin Center FFA chapter with an SAE in beef and swine entrepreneurship, began showing cattle when he was nine.

“It was nothing my family had done. It was just something I decided to do,” he said.

The state FFA treasurer began raising purebreds two years ago.

“This past year was the first time I ever got to watch the sale of champions at the state fair, and I was very amazed by the amount of money that people are willing to spend on these animals,” Herwig said. “Parts of that are donated back to us and we benefit from that. I want to thank you for your support.”




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