27-02-2025
Grain Support: FFA students rally around farmers at downtown Cargill facility
Tuesday morning, the students from Daviess County High School's FFA leadership team were handing out bags of snacks to farmers delivering truckloads of grain to the former Owensboro Grain facility downtown.
The event, which is part of the FFA chapter's celebration of National FFA Week, was a chance to recognize farmers for their contributions to the country.
'It's just to give back to the farmers, because a lot of people don't realize what they do,' FFA member Jonathan Berry said. '(People) think if they need food, they'll go to the store. They don't know where it comes from.'
Tuesday morning's event is one of several activities the DCHS FFA group has planned for the week.
Craig Howard, one of the school's FFA advisors, said the the students came up with Tuesday's event.
'They are really good kids,' Howard said. 'They always step up to the plate and do what needs to be done.'
The farming community has been good to the school's FFA chapter, Howard said.
'A lot of times, when we need something, we make a couple of calls and the farmers make it happen,' Howard said. 'They believe that strongly in FFA.'
The students handed out the bags to farmers as they arrived with the loads at the facility's scales.
The company is owned by Cargill.
Avery Wimsatt, the school's FFA president, said the the group put together about 150 bags, which contained snacks, a bottle of water and a note 'to extend our thanks for all the work the farmers put in each day.'
The FFA group contains both students who came from farm backgrounds, and other students who are interested in learning about agriculture.
'The whole school can get involved in FFA activities,' Wimsatt said.
The school has 150 FFA members, and a total of 432 taking classes in agriculture.
Howard said students in agriculture courses learn how their studies in other subjects will be applicable when they are working in farming or agribusiness.
'We're teaching them animal science, horticulture, greenhouse' and other subjects that draw on student understanding of math, science and writing, Howard said.
Ag classes 'puts that reason behind why (they) are learning the math, the science,' Howard said.
Later, Howard said, 'Our curriculum ties that all together, and also shows the kids what's out there for potential careers in the future.'
The group wanted to thank farmers Tuesday, and also wants to help educate the public about the importance of agriculture, Howard said.
'There are a lot of people out there that don't understand what goes into farming,' Howard said. 'They don't see all the work that goes into every day to make an honest living.'
