Samuel Jordan, a high school junior, is actively involved on Fair Oaks, his family’s cow-calf farm near Savannah in Agri-Ready Designated Andrew County. His experiences on the farm and through 4-H and FFA have built his interest in participating in Livestock Judging and studying animal nutrition in college. Sam’s FFA Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) includes Agriculture Services and Beef Entrepreneurship and Placement. Sam exhibits his registered Angus cattle at many state and national level shows and received the distinction of being awarded the Reserve Champion steer at the National Junior Angus show. Samuel’s success is proof of the POWER of youth development in Missouri Agriculture.

Samuel’s family raises and sells registered Angus cattle. Samuel helps by mowing fields, checking cattle, calculating rations, rinsing the show cattle daily, cleaning out trailers, and more. He has a small business clipping and fitting cattle for exhibition at many state and national level shows where he also shows his own registered Angus cattle. He is a member of the Kodiak Kadettes 4-H Club and the Savannah FFA chapter where he will serve as a 2^nd Vice President when school begins this fall. Samuel’s commitment to his beef projects made him an excellent candidate for the Missouri Agribusiness Academy.

Sam is one of only thirty Missouri sophomores chosen through a competitive application and interview process to for the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s 2023 Missouri Agribusiness Academy (MAbA). Members of the Academy spent a week in June touring a variety of farms and agribusinesses in the St. Louis region with a day spent in the Bootheel of Missouri.

Samuel heard about MAbA from friends who were members of the Academy in 2022. He was interested in the stories they told and was sure it was an experience that he would enjoy. Samuel began work on his application as soon as it became available, learning how to refine and share details on his application pages. He earned a seat as one of only five youth to represent his district of the state.

Samuel was surprised by the tour stop at the shrimp farm because he wasn’t aware shrimp could be farmed in our state. “It just goes to show the variety of agriculture we have in Missouri,” Samuel said. But the pinnacle of Samuel’s tour experience was learning about animal nutrition research at the Purina Research Farm. “I have had an interest in animal nutrition and livestock feeds so getting to see the processes and systems of the research was eye opening for me. I appreciated seeing how the research, development, and facts are combined to give us nutritional information about feeds. I talked to our tour guides about internships because I want to focus on animal nutrition in college. I would like to get a job working for a company helping to develop feeds and supplements,” Samuel said.

While the Academy aims to exhibit paths to career success, it also serves as an unforgettable experience that bonds thirty young, excited agricultural leaders from across Missouri. “I liked the tour and I learned news things. But I loved being surrounded by 29 other people with the same interests and goals as me. We all had a lot in common. These people who I had never met are now my really good friends,” Samuel said.

Samuel is the youngest child of Matt and Monica Jordan. Mrs. Theresa Wright is his 4-H Club Leader and his FFA Advisor is Mr. Jeff Baumann. The Jordan family are members of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, which is a partner of Missouri Farmers Care.