Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, four FFA members are honored with American Star Awards for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education.
The American Star Awards, including American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience, are presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows students to learn by doing, by owning or operating an agricultural business, working or serving an internship at an agriculture-based business, or conducting an agriculture-based scientific experiment and reporting results.
Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.
The American Star Farmer is awarded to the FFA member that demonstrates the top production agriculture SAE in the nation. Here are the 2025 finalists for American Star Farmer:
FINALIST: Nathan Clark, Kentucky
After his father passed away before he entered high school, Nathan Clark inherited his cattle and equipment, stepping into the responsibility of managing the family farm with the support of his grandparents. Over the years, he grew the herd through numbers and genetics, bought equipment, diversified with sheep, and implemented improvements such as rotational grazing and soil-based nutrient management. After both grandparents died, he became the sole owner of more than 276 acres of the over 500 acres he farms. He has transformed the family farm into a more efficient, sustainable, and profitable operation while honoring his family’s legacy.
“The lessons I’ve learned, the sacrifices I’ve made, and the progress I’ve achieved all reflect a deep commitment to agriculture and the values it instills,” said Clark. “As I continue this journey, I carry with me the wisdom of those who came before me and the vision to shape a future that honors my past while forging new paths forward.”
FINALIST: Brady Frascht, Iowa
Brady Frascht manages a diversified SAE that includes 310 acres of crop and forage production, a custom drone spraying and sales business, and both breeding and market beef operations. He oversees all crop management and marketing decisions, works closely with agronomists and nutritionists, and uses advanced tools for spraying fungicides. His breeding beef SAE focuses on selecting quality animals and supporting show calf buyers, while his market beef SAE involves feeding, bedding, and making strategic marketing decisions.
“There will always be hardships when farming, whether it is helping a cow calve in the freezing cold, fixing a fence on a 100-degree day, or repairing a broken piece of equipment as we are trying to finish harvest,” said Frascht. “Still, those hardships are nothing compared to the joy of being able to work for myself, while working alongside my family.”
FINALIST: Ryder Klaassen, Oklahoma
Ryder Klaassen’s SAE includes producing wheat, black-eyed peas, mungbeans, cotton, corn, and managing a beef cattle operation consisting of cow/calf, stocker, and show cattle programs. He farms 420 rented acres in a wheat-summer crop rotation, strategically choosing legumes like black-eyed peas and mungbeans to improve soil health, shorten the growing season, and provide winter pasture for his cattle. Klaassen has transitioned from relying on his parents’ advice to independently managing all production, marketing, and financial decisions, including securing specialty crop contracts with companies like Del Monte and international buyers.
“As I reflect on my career in agricultural education and FFA, I find myself being very appreciative of the character that I have developed, the skills I have learned, and the person that it has molded me to be,” said Klaassen. I will forever be in debt to this great program and all the people who have poured into me.”
FINALIST: Benjamin Joseph Scheresky, North Dakota
Benjamin Scheresky started his crossbred beef cattle entrepreneurship with a $5,000 Farm Service Agency loan to buy four cows and has since expanded into forage and crop production. His operation includes 36 head of cattle, extensive hay and straw production, and diverse crops such as canola, wheat, soybeans, pinto beans, field peas, and corn, supported by a fleet of owned equipment. Over time, he has transitioned from following his parents’ daily plans to independently managing finances, operating loans, and key management decisions while balancing college. One of his greatest achievements has been securing acreage from retiring farmers by building relationships, financing new equipment, and strategically expanding his farm for long-term growth.
“My biggest SAE achievement has been personal growth,” said Scheresky. “I learned how capable I am when I set my mind towards balancing school, work, fun, and family. I was also fortunate to mentor and encourage my younger brother as he developed his own SAE operations.”
The American Star Awards are sponsored by Bayer, Cargill, Case IH, John Deere, Rabobank and Syngenta. For more information on the awards, visit FFA.org.
