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The Four Wisconsin FFA Stars

2015 Star Costello

The 2015 Wisconsin FFA Star in Agribusiness is Alex Costello of the Campbellsport FFA.  He started with 40 turkeys six years ago.  Today he has 40 turkeys, 305 broiler chickens and 130 laying hens.  He markets to customers throughout Fond du Lac County “basically through word-of-mouth and social media.”  He does all his own processing.

With the threat of avian influenza, Costello has picked-up biosecurity at the farm with new equipment, stricter sanitation and closing the barn to outsiders.

He plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville this fall to study agribusiness.   Costello talks about his SAE:

 

2015 Star O'Donnell

The 2015 Wisconsin FFA Star in Agriscience is Carlie O’Donnell of the Big Foot FFA.  Throughout the past three years she has been researching the effect of varying vermiculture in compost.  Currently she is using the compost in the school’s greenhouse hydroponics system to grow tomatoes.

O’Donnell plans to attend Mount Mary University in Milwaukee in the fall to study Law and Society towards a goal of becoming a civil rights attorney.  She wants to take some worms to college with her but; “We’ll see how my roommate does with that.”

O’Donnell talks about her SAE:

 

2015 Star Schmitt

The 2015 Wisconsin FFA Star in Agricultural Placement is Ryan Schmitt of the Juda FFA.  He says it all started when he was very small, sitting by his father’s side watching him repair small engines.  That led to Ryan doing minor repairs and changing oil.  As his experience grew, he expanded into major overhauls and tractor restorations.  As a freshman in high school he took a job doing maintenance work on a dairy farm.  As a senior, he started working for a machinery and small engine dealership.  He is a certified Stihl technician and also works on Dixon and Kubota lawn equipment as well as Case IH tractors.  He values the constant opportunity to learn more about engines.

He plans to attend University of Wisconsin-Platteville to study mechanical engineering.  His ultimate goal is to design for Case IH.

Schmitt talks about his SAE:

 

2015 Star Zimmerman

 

The 2015 Wisconsin FFA Star Farmer is Ashley Zimmerman of the Spencer FFA.  While she does not live on a farm, she has arranged to house her Simmental beef, Berkshire hogs and market lambs close enough to allow her to work with them each day.  She has 20 head of beef and shows throughout the country during the summer.  The Berkshires are a joint project with the U.W. Platteville where they share the litters 50-50.  She has two lambs for showing at her county fair this year.

She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin – River Falls this fall to major in agricultural education.

Zimmerman talks about her SAE:

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