Youth News
Tyler Schnaithman of Garber Named 2016 Star Farmer of America
Fri, 21 Oct 2016 04:56:33 CDT
Production agriculture has been part of Tyler Schnaithman's life from the beginning. He remembers starting with the simple tasks of sweeping out the barn and filling up water tanks and the excitement that followed when he was soon able to do larger jobs. He also remembers hearing from his grandpa about FFA and how he couldn't wait for him to join. So, when he entered the eighth grade, the Garber, Okla., resident was more than ready to join the organization and explore all the opportunities that FFA and agriculture had to offer.
Today, that excitement regarding agriculture has earned him the honor of being named 2016 American Star Farmer, one of the most prestigious honors awarded to a student by the National FFA Organization. He is the tenth Star Farmer of America to come from Oklahoma- and follows in the footsteps of his brother Travis, who won the Star Farmer award in 2008. Click here for our story in the Blue Green Gazette of that 2008 award. The younger brother was in the eighth grade in 2008- that was his first national convention to attend and gave him an early goal to achieve- to be a Star Farmer one day himself.
Schnaithman began his FFA career with Suffolk and Hampshire ewes and acres of wheat. He had partial ownership in a swather that he used to put up hay. Passionate about his sheep enterprise, he did everything he could to make it as successful as possible. This allowed him to learn the importance of management, record keeping and establishing connections when it comes to marketing. These same attributes helped him with his cattle enterprise, which allowed him to diversify. Soon, he started acres of his own cropland on a cash rent basis.
He has had the opportunity to sell many of his bushels of wheat as certified seed. In addition, producing alfalfa, running heifers on wheat pastures, breeding them and selling them as bred replacements has allowed Schnaithman to establish his own prices.
Studying agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University, Schnaithman said he wants to make sure he is doing his part in helping to feed the world as a family farmer.
Schnaithman is no stranger to the national stage. In 2013, he was the National Champion in Prepared Public Speaking- click here for our conversation after that achievement in Louisville.
Right after the announcement, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays got the first comments from Tyler as they walked to the on site studio setup for RFD- TV where Schnaithman and the other three Stars talked with Orien Samuelson after the Thursday evening session. Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear that Thursday evening conversation with the 2016 Star Farmer of America- Tyler Schnaithman.
We are taking pictures throughout the 2016 Convention in Indianapolis- and you can go and see them all in our Flickr Album by clicking here.
Our exclusive coverage of the 89th annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis is a service of ITC, Your Energy Superhighway. Learn more about ITC Great Plains, LLC by clicking here. We also appreciate the support of the Oklahoma FFA Association and the Oklahoma FFA Alumni Association. Click here for more information about one of the top states in the US in the FFA- the Oklahoma FFA Association. Oklahoma FFA impacts the lives of 27,154 members in 357 chapters across the state.
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