FFA Star finalist purchases first farm at young age

FORRESTON, Ill. — American Star Farmer finalist Justin Myers purchased his first farm several years before he became an FFA member.

Myers is one of four finalists for American Star Farmer. The award will be presented during the National FFA Convention & Expo, Oct. 21-24 in Indianapolis.

Three additional finalists for American Star Farmer are: Bailee Amstutz, Ohio; Kaleb Ellis, Wisconsin; and Cooper Kline, Oklahoma.

“I bought my first farm when I was in sixth grade,” Myers said. “It was my great grandfather’s 32-acre farm, and I worked with my parents and an ag lender to get a trust loan.”

Last year, when the Forreston FFA member turned 18 years old, he purchased his second farm of 72 acres with the help of a Farm Service Agency beginning farmer loan.

“I am a third-generation farmer, and I farm alongside my dad and uncle,” he said. “As a family, we run close to 3,400 acres, and I am farming 420 of those acres.”

Myers’ FFA projects include corn, soybean and hay production, as well as cattle and sheep.

“I rotate my corn and soybean ground every year, so I try to be 50-50 with that as I can,” said the son of Dave and Gail Myers. “I make small square bales and 4-by-5 round hay bales.”

The FFA member’s sheep flock totaled about 20 head.

“I’ve had them since I was probably 12 years old, and I sold them off last year,” he said.

“For my cattle project, I buy Jersey steers at 400 to 500 pounds and feed them to about 1,300 pounds,” he explained. “I sell freezer beef, and I also sell them through a local auction house to a packing plant.”

While in high school, the Star finalist was responsible for the chapter’s test plot.

“We did corn trials and emergence testing to compare the ears of the first plants that came up to the plants that came up last,” said Myers, who is advised by Kelley Parks.

He also enjoyed competing in career development events such as ag mechanics, poultry judging and meat judging.

Currently, the FFA member is a sophomore at Highland Community College where he is studying agricultural business with an emphasis on crop production.

“I’d rather be farming, but I also wanted to expand my knowledge, so that’s why I’m at the community college,” he said.

It was a surprise, Myers said, to be chosen as a Star Farmer finalist.

“I am extremely happy and proud,” he said. “The award was kind of in the back of my mind, but it also just happened at the same time.”

This will be the second time Myers has been introduced on the National FFA stage during the convention. Last year, he was a finalist for the diversified crop production entrepreneurship award.

“The hard part is over, but I am still nervous to find out the results in front of all those people,” he said.