Jenna Brixey of Norwood is one of 10 Missouri students named a national finalist for the FFA Agricultural Proficiency Award. This recognition means more to her due to the limited resources she had.
“You don't have to have the best to be the best,” she said. “I didn't have access to the greatest technology, and I didn't have the greatest resources nearby, so networking was really important.”
The proficiency awards honor members who develop specialized skills that they can apply toward their future. Brixey will make her third trip to the National FFA Convention to see her hard work pay off.
Dairy focused
Brixey, a fourth-generation FFA member, got her proficiency in dairy production focusing on the management and development of her registered Jersey herd at her family’s dairy farm.
“Through my [supervised agricultural experience], I have strengthened my understanding of genetics by evaluating traits and selecting sires that best fit my cows and long-term herd goals,” she wrote in her award application.
Brixey’s responsibilities included understanding the nutritional needs of the herd and deciding the feed based on various factors for calves, heifers and dry cows. She also administered vaccinations and monitored the herd for illnesses.
Brixey even incorporated beef-on-dairy breeding to increase calf value and strengthen profit margins. But in 2023, she made a tough choice in herd management.
“I made the difficult but necessary choice to cull lower-quality cows to improve genetic potential,” Brixey wrote in her application. “While this created a temporary dip in profit the following year, it positioned my herd for strong performance in the future.”
Her future in agriculture
Now Brixey is attending College of the Ozarks, where she is studying agriculture education and working at the college dairy.
“I am grateful for my prior dairy experience and that I am able to apply it to my work,” she said. “I also enjoy being able to help others learn more about the dairy industry.”
She is not entirely sure what her future in agriculture has in store, but she hopes to merge her dairy experience and her growing knowledge in agriculture education.
Hard work pays off
“Being from a shrinking dairy community taught me to work hard and make the most of every opportunity,” Brixey said. “I think this shows that where you come from doesn't limit what you can achieve.”
She had help along the way — from her family to FFA advisors and more — and without them, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to make strides in the dairy industry.
“A lot of people helped me along the way, and this recognition is a reflection of all of that support,” she added.
The other proficiency award finalists are:
- Tyler Fleming, Ashland FFA
- Hunter Skouby, Ashland FFA
- Lane Carter, Audrain County R-VI
- Lillian Floyd, Belton FFA
- Logan Pinkham, Belton FFA
- Montgomery Ross, Carrollton Area Career Center FFA
- Marshall Kable, Centralia FFA
- Larson Hall, Clopton
- Cole Schweizer, Savannah
All students will be recognized on stage at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.