Youth News
Meet the National Proficiency Winner in Emerging Agriculture Techonology-Entrepreneurship/Placement-Carson Vinyard of Altus
Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:03:44 CDT
The Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through their Supervised Agricultural Experiences have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Students can compete for awards in 49 areas covering everything from Agricultural Communications to Wildlife Management. Each award area has two categories, placement and entrepreneurship- although in some award area- those two categories are combined.
Placement proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to employment, apprenticeships, or internships at an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Entrepreneurship proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to ownership of an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Proficiency awards are given out at the local, state and national levels. .
Here in 2012, Oklahoma has advanced and brought to Indianapolis 20 National Profiency Finalists out of the 49, which was the third most Finalists behind Georgia and California. By the end of the afternoon on Friday, Oklahoma had claimed 8 National Profiency Titles, matching the number the state claimed two years ago at the national convention. Georgia claimed ten national titles, with Oklahoma and Georgia well ahead of other states with multiple titles in the Profiency Award categories.
The 2012 National Proficiency Award in Emerging Agriculture Technology-Entrepreneurship/Placement was awarded to Carson Vinyard of the Altus FFA Chapter.
Vinyard is the fourth generation of his family to farm and raise cotton in southwest Oklahoma. He has found that he is interested in technology that can make his farming operation more efficient and cost effective. He has installed drip irrigation lines on 3,100 acres of cotton, utilizing a type of irrigation that all but eliminates evaporation, requiring less water. Vinyard is supported by his parents Cindy and Sam and his FFA advisors Bruce Farquhar and J.C. Stafford.
Vinyard says water conservation in Southwest Oklahoma is vital. Even though their drip irrigation system is designed to use as little water as possible, lake levels this year prevented them from irrigating at all. He says producers all across Oklahoma need to redouble their efforts at water conservation and drip irrigation is one method that is extremely efficient.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to learn more about this National Proficiency Award winner from Oklahoma.
Our exclusive coverage from the 2012 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis is a service of the Oklahoma FFA Association and the Oklahoma FFA Alumni Association. Click here for more information about this youth organization. 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.
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