Listen to Western Region Vice President Bryce Cluff share his retiring address, “Work to be Done.”

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Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos toured ‘The Blue Room,’ a new addition this year’s convention that’s full of interactive technology and education tools. DeVos also walked around the convention center with FFA members talking about their experiences with the organization.

“First of all it’s really inspiring to be here,” DeVos said. “Meeting these young people and seeing their enthusiasms for their futures and seeing the definition of multiple pathways and opportunities. FFA is a great organization for a meaningful future.”

DeVos made her way to the expo and made a few stops at the booths including John Deere and FFA educational resources.

“It’s such a great opportunity here to see some of those things and give students a whole new vision for what might be,” DeVos said.

Listen to Bronson’s interview here.

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Only about 4,000 FFA members had the opportunity to experience a brand-new exhibit that showcased agriculture technology and ag biosciences.

The Blue Room, presented by AgriNovus and powered by Microsoft, offered interactive stations for students to explore innovations in agriculture.

Listen to a multitude of FFA members’ reactions after they experienced The Blue Room.

Dr. Brown – National FFA Advisor

Allie Wise – Monmouth Roseville FFA in Illinois

Amber Friedrichsen – Northeast FFA in Iowa

Caleigh Bennett – DeSoto FFA in Florida

Charlie Moser – Liberty FFA in Virginia

Tucker Gillepsie – McCook FFA in Nebraska

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The Outstanding Alumni and Supporters State Association was awarded to the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association. Listen to the interview with Bobby Jo Montgomery and Rudy Kaderly, representatives of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association.

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Listen to Microsoft’s Mary Snapp as she addressed convention attendee in Session 4 at the 91st National FFA Convention…

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After years of dedicated service to the FFA organization and its members, Edward Beeler from Ohio, John Arneson from Wisconsin and Greg Lincicum also from Wisconsin all feel humbled to win this award. All agree that the FFA organization has done more for them than they could ever give back. It is this attitude and love for agriculture and students that makes them so deserving of this honor.

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Listen to Central Region Vice President Piper Merritt share her retiring address, “The Forever Learner.”

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Listen to Southern Region Vice President Ian Bennett share his retiring address, “Dragon’s Teeth and Arrowheads.”

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If you visit a livestock show in Oklahoma, you may see a B-5 Enterprises Show Supplies trailer. The one-stop shop operation for show supplies is owned and operated by Brady Womack of the Morris FFA Chapter.

Brady said B-5 Enterprises carries livestock feeds, supplements and additives, plus other show supplies and custom metal cut outs. With six trailers to mobilize, his business can be present at several livestock shows in a single day.

“We’ve been blessed with people to come up and talk to us … saying that we’re kind of a one-stop shop for-for a lot of the show supply needs,” Brady said. “They don’t have to go to one trailer to another. They can just come right to us.”

Brady started his entrepreneurship SAE after acquiring a business named Winners Edge of Oklahoma, rebranding it B-5 Enterprises. Along the way, he expanded his business by buying Jobe’s Blue Ribbon Show Supplies, adding more trailers and inventory to his operation.

A variety of ag classes have helped Brady with his business, particularly agricultural communications, welding and animal nutrition.

“The nutrition side was a huge,” Brady said. “Being able to communicate with [customers] even if they need a pig, or cattle, or even the goat food side, if they need something to calm them down, they’re trying to figure out an ingredient.” From there, Brady can recommend a product for the customers’ animals.

Brady said he employs a high school student at B-5 Enterprises who uses his work there as a placement SAE. Giving support back to the community that has supported his business is important to Brady.

“Being able to grow to be enough that I can not only support myself, but also support the people that have supported me, too,” Brady said. “And to me, that’s what makes me the most proud.”

Brady studies agricultural education at Oklahoma State University and after graduation, he wants to be an ag teacher and run B-5 Enterprises on the side.

He is the son of Reina and Monte Womack. His advisors are Mick Clark and Amber Martin.

Listen to his interview with Hannah Borg below.

Hannah Borg is a senior at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln studying Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communications. An alumna of the Allen FFA Chapter in Nebraska, she is serving as a radio report for the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo Newsroom Crew.

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