His grandfather has worked at Edlen Cranberry Co. in Humbird, Wis., for more than 50 years and his father just passed the 25 – year milestone with the company. So naturally,
Trenton Bemis has been involved in the cranberry business all of his life.
“My life as a cranberry grower began and took its start from the day I was born,” he said. “Since I could walk, I’ve been involved to some extent with marsh activities. My father and grandfather helped me get involved at a young age and helped shape me into the dedicated worker and manager I am today.”
Today, the Wisconsin FFA member is in his third year of employment at the company and was recently promoted to co-manager. His employment started with routine tasks like mowing, pulling weeds and washing trucks.
“But things are much different today,” he said. “I have a lot more responsibility on the farm. I manage our irrigation and frost protection procedures. We package fresh fruit for Ocean Spray so quality and appearance of our fruit is of the utmost concern. And we operate an on-site mechanical sorting and packaging facility that I manage with my father.”
His goal is to stay with the company his entire life and continue to advance up its employment ranks. Saturday at the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo in
Louisville, Ky., Bemis was named American Star in Agricultural
Placement.
“It’s really overwhelming right now, honestly, but I wouldn’t have traded this experience for anything,” he said. “I have a lot of people in my life who have worked hard to get me where I am right at this very moment.”
Each year at convention, four FFA members are honored with an American Star award for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education. The award is the most prestigious honor awarded to a student by the National FFA Organization.
The American Star awards – including the American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience – are awarded to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of a supervised agricultural experience. A required activity in FFA, a supervised agriculture experience allows students to learn by doing by either owning and 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.
Sixteen American Star award finalists from throughout the U.S. are nominated for a panel of judges to interview during convention. Four are named winners and receive cash awards totaling $4,000. All American Star finalists receive a $2,000
cash award.
Bemis, 22, is a member of the Lincoln Amal Center Humbird Merillian High School FFA chapter in Alma Center, Wis., led by advisor Steve Boe. He is the son of Deb and Mike Bemis.
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