INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 19, 2023/National FFA Organization) – The National FFA Organization has announced the 16 finalists for its 2023 top achievement awards: American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience.

The American Star Awards represent the best of the best among thousands of American FFA Degree recipients. The award recognizes FFA members who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies by completing a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows members to learn by doing. Members can own and operate an agricultural business, intern at an agricultural business, or conduct an agriculture-based scientific experiment and report the 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.

A panel of judges will interview the finalists and select one winner from each award category for the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis this fall. The four winners will be announced during the convention.

Cargill, Case IH, Elanco Animal Health and Syngenta sponsor the American FFA Degree recognition program.

The finalists include: 

American Star Farmer
Tanner Mickey from the Taylorville FFA Chapter in Illinois
Daniel Jossund from the Ada-Borup-West FFA Chapter in Minnesota
Luke Jennings from Felicity-Franklin FFA Chapter in Ohio
Callie Welty from the Grandview FFA Chapter in Texas

American Star in Agribusiness
Paxton Boldry from the McCracken County FFA Chapter in Kentucky
Lainey Hutchison from the Crockett County FFA Chapter in Tennessee
Weston Whiteside from the Sam Rayburn-Ivanhoe FFA Chapter in Texas
Joseph Pulver from the Randolph-Cambria-Friesland FFA Chapter in Wisconsin

American Star in Agricultural Placement
Lance Moritz from the Streator FFA Chapter in Illinois
Riley Berger from the Ridgewood FFA Chapter in Ohio
Whitney Glazier from the Lomega FFA Chapter in Oklahoma
Jaxson Collier from the Snyder FFA Chapter in Texas

American Star in Agriscience
Jasmyn Hoeger from the Beckman Catholic FFA Chapter in Iowa
George Frees from the Cass Career Center FFA Chapter in Missouri
Audrey Pinger from the Felicity-Franklin FFA Chapter in Ohio
Hadley Stiefvater from the McCook Central FFA Chapter in South Dakota

Visit FFA.org/Stars for more information about the American Star Awards.

The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 850,000 student members as part of 8,995 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

# # #

About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 850,000 student members as part of 8,995 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook and Twitter.

About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations, and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders, and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees composed of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA Alumni, the foundation is a separately registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.