7 Youth In Agriculture That You Should Know

Missouri's youth in agriculture are making significant impacts by building strong relationships, preparing for careers in agriculture, honing their leadership skills, and giving back to their communities. Our state is home to many talented young individuals who are passionate about agriculture, but here are seven exceptional youth who are leading the way.

Karson Calvin
Karson Calvin is driven by a passion for educating others about agriculture, a commitment that he has had from a young age. Born and raised in #AgriReady Designated Lincoln County, Karson graduated from Troy Buchanan High School in 2023, where he was an active member of the National FFA Organization. His journey into agriculture has continued at the University of Missouri where he is studying Agricultural Education and minoring in Agribusiness Management.

Jaron VanHouden
Jaron VanHouden was a collegiate summer intern and educator for the Missouri Farmers Care Agriculture Education on the Move™ (Ag Moves) program in 2024. He grew up in southwest Missouri near Chadwick, a rural community rooted in agriculture. “I never thought I’d make a career out of it,” Jaron reflected, about enrolling in agricultural education courses and becoming a member of the Chadwick FFA chapter as a freshman in high school. He has soaked up his summer internship and sees how the experience will translate into his future career. Jaron’s agriculture journey has transformed into a purposeful pursuit to have a lasting impact on students around him.

Emma Harvey
Those engaged in agriculture are united by a common love of the land, animals and lifestyle. Yet, something unique sets each youth in agriculture apart from their peers. What makes Emma Harvey unique is her patriotic spirit that established her passion as an advocate for farmers’ mental health. Emma is committed to using each platform she earns as an opportunity to raise awareness for agriculture’s most vulnerable.

Reagan O’Farrell
As a fifth-generation farmer, agriculture is a tradition on both sides of Reagan O’Farrell’s family. While many in the family raise beef cattle, the Appleton City High School senior’s focus is on hog production.
She, along with other family members, not only raise but also process the animals on the farm, located in Agri-Ready-designated St. Clair County, Mo.

Reagan Pendleton
Raegan Pendleton was the first-ever high school junior to serve as the president of the Mt. Vernon FFA Chapter. Raegan lives near Stotts City in Agri-Ready Designated Lawrence County on her family’s turkey farm where she walks the barns each morning checking flock health. Raegan’s FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project includes her own herd of five cattle and a unique baking business. She often bakes cakes for showers, birthdays, and has even made a couple of wedding cakes. “I love making free hand designs with my air brushing kit. I enjoy being creative with the icing and decorations, but I really don’t like to eat cake,” Raegan said.

Kylie Scrivner
In #Agri-Ready Designated Douglas County near Goodhope, Kylie Scrivner’s FFA Supervised Agriculture Experience project was her work on the family dairy farm. The farm is an example of the 98 percent of farms in Douglas County that are owned and operated by families. Kylie graduated from Ava High School and served as the FFA Chapter president with plans to attend Missouri State University where she will study animal science in a way that will POWER Genetics for the future of animal agriculture.

Caleb Simpson
Caleb Simpson is uniquely passionate about agriculture policy. Caleb spent weekends and summers growing up on his grandparents’ farm in #Agri-Ready Designated Polk County and is a member of the Bolivar FFA Chapter. He served as a State Vice President for the Missouri FFA Association and is pursuing a degree in agricultural policy and pre-law at the University of Missouri. Caleb was excited to explore agriculture policy opportunities and careers as he served as one of Missouri Farm Bureau’s 2024 Ambassadors.