COOKEVILLE, TN—Sam Daniel of the Covington Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter is Tennessee FFA’s Star in Agribusiness. The Star in Agribusiness is awarded to the top student who best demonstrates knowledge and skill through a non-production entrepreneurial agribusiness project. His supervised agricultural experience (SAE) is fruit production.
Sam has significant responsibilities on his family’s pecan orchard in West Tennessee. He has helped transform his family’s operation from an old-fashioned production system to a full line of savage pecan harvesting equipment. Sam is an active FFA member receiving state-level honors in Land Judging two times during his FFA involvement. He also served as the Covington Chapter President and the West Tennessee Regional Reporter.
Sam is the son of Kirk and Glenn Daniel. Sam plans on attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in the fall majoring in Plant Science with the hopes of becoming a plant specialist in the agricultural industry.
For his achievement, Sam was honored last month during the weeklong Inaugural Tennessee FFA Star Tour presented by Farm Credit Mid-America. The trip was centered on Tennessee agriculture; students got a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit agribusinesses, meet key industry leaders and showcase their superior projects.
The tour began in Doyle at Camp Clements FFA Leadership Training Camp where Farm Credit Mid-America presented each of the Stars with $1,000 scholarships. The tour included a visit to the Cookeville office of Farm Credit Mid-America, dinner with the Commissioner of Agriculture and staff at Ellington Agricultural Center, and a breakfast program at First Farmers & Merchants Bank in Columbia. The Stars also visited Krone, Thompson Machinery and Tosh Farms in West Tennessee. The tour ended with a night of “Underwater Bowling” and celebration at the new Bass Pro Pyramid in Memphis.
Sam was named the Tennessee FFA Star in Agribusiness in March at the Tennessee FFA State Convention in Gatlinburg. Having received his State FFA Degree, Sam is now eligible to earn his American FFA Degree and represent Tennessee in the competition to become the American Star in Agribusiness. Likewise, Tennessee will have a Star Farmer, Star in Agricultural Placement and Star in Agriscience candidate.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Nationally, there are 610,240 FFA members, aged 12-21. The Tennessee FFA Association is comprised of more than 13,000 members from 214 high school chapters, seven middle school chapters, and eight collegiate chapters across the state of Tennessee.
Photo caption: As the Tennessee FFA Star in Agribusiness, Sam Daniel of the Covington FFA chapter shares with agricultural leaders about himself and his superior project during the Inaugural Tennessee FFA Star Tour presented by Farm Credit Mid-America.