Stars By Peg Zenk These college students illustrate why the future of agriculture is in good hands. experiences and skills through FFA. I want to help others have those kinds of learning experiences.” industry was growing and about all of the breeding research underway there. It got me excited about that kind of work.” Better animal genetics will play a role in meeting the increasing global demand for meat, he says. “I want to study genetics and get my Ph.D. so I can do research. For me, improving poultry genetics is like working through a big math equation, and I’m going to solve it.” After completing his second year at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala., in May 2015, Lee plans to transfer to Auburn University. “I hope to get an internship with a geneticist there and work on developing the perfect bird for meat production.” U nited States agriculture will always face challenges, but attracting bright young people isn’t one of them. Conversations with four recipients of 2014 CHS Foundation scholarships provide ample proof that clever, ambitious students are setting their sights on careers in ag. Three of the four scholarship winners profi led here didn’t grow up on farms. That ratio fairly accurately represents the backgrounds of young people entering the industry today. What they lack in fi rsthand farm experience, they make up for in determination and enthusiasm. Judging by the focus and drive they’ve shown so far, the futures of these young agriculturists, and that of the industry, look bright. Teaching What She Loves The best thing about growing up on a Minnesota dairy farm was spending time with her family, says Mariah Daninger. The youngest of four children, she began working in the barn at an early age. One night last summer, she realized how valuable all that togetherness has been. “It was 2 a.m. when Mom woke us up because the cows had gotten out of the barn. We all sprang out of bed and ran outside. Nobody had to say much or give much direction. We all just knew what to do from having worked together all those years.” Six years ago, when her family started processing and bottling milk from their Forest Lake, Minn., farm, north of Minneapolis, she began to see another side of the dairy business. Working in their on-farm store and promoting their products in local grocery stores, restaurants and coff ee shops, Daninger learned a lot about consumers. “So many people know very little about modern agriculture. We need to do a better job of educating them.” The University of Minnesota freshman says too many people rely on what they hear in the news and fi nd online, much of which has little to do with what actually happens on the farm. “Everyone who works in agriculture needs to do a better job of communicating all the positives about the industry. In the end, it’s better to have knowledgeable consumers.” Daninger says she wants to educate future consumers in the classroom. “I’m majoring in agricultural education largely because I’ve gained so many amazing Breeding a Better Chicken Intuition helped Trevor Lee win his fi rst poultry judging contest. “My FFA advisor convinced several freshmen to try poultry judging, which none of us knew much about. I soon found I had a talent for it, winning fi rst place in the district contest my fi rst year.” That early success encouraged Lee to start a business near his Moulton, Ala., home, raising Rhode Island Red and Dominique chickens, and selling eggs, chicks and hens. With encouragement from his family, Lee parlayed his enterprise into Alabama’s top poultry profi ciency award. A real turning point for him was a visit to Auburn University, where Lee realized the potential for a career in poultry breeding. “I learned how much the poultry Preserving Plants in Paradise Judy Butay Cacal’s interest in agriculture developed from a love of science. When she entered high school, she was considering a health care profession, but quickly realized > Trevor Lee MOULTON, ALA. Sophomore, Wallace State Community College Major: Poultry science “Improving poultry genetics is like working through a big math equation, and I’m going to solve it.” Your CHS Connection 21