Agriculture Education Can Lead to a Great Career
Brianne Peryea receives the FFA Junior Showman award from Franklin County Dairy Princess Addison Miller
Madison Peryea presents the FFA Novice Showman Championship Award to Emma Spoor.
By John T. Ryan
We live at a time when the vast majority of Americans have little direct connection to agriculture. Nevertheless, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) program is thriving at Northern Adirondack Central School (NAC) with almost 150 students participating in the FFA program. Students are learning that agriculture doesn’t necessarily mean working on a dairy farm. It’s an industry with a wide variety of jobs including thousands of unfilled jobs.
Last week Karen LaBombard, NAC’s agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, took a break from her duties as announcer at the FFA’s Clinton County Fair Dairy Show. She commented, “We have more than 40 kids in the 5th and 6th grade program and more than 100 in junior and senior high school. FFA Students take an agriculture class each year. Their courses range from agricultural mechanics to animal science and plant science, agricultural business, small engines and welding. They get school credit for all the courses and college credit for agricultural business and animal science.”
Ms. LaBombard pointed out that several SUNY colleges offer programs directly related to the courses being taught at NAC. “Most students don’t go into dairy farming. Many go into one of the agricultural sciences or the mechanical part of the industry. SUNY Morrisville, Alfred and Canton offer excellent programs. SUNY Cobleskill has a great John Deere program where students have jobs as soon as they graduate.” Students often specialize in plant, food, or animal science leading to careers offering a multitude of opportunities. About 15% become farmers. The other 85% work in the food and fiber industry or in government agencies that regulate these industries.
Danielle Clukey of Ellenburg also attended the FFA dairy show. She watched intently as her daughters Madison and Brianna Peryea brought cattle into the show ring. She commented, “The FFA program teaches the kids responsibility. It takes a lot of work to care for these animals. It also keeps the kids busy. They’re not sitting at home playing video games.”
Madison and Brianna have part-time jobs at Karen LaBombard’s farm in Chateaugay. The sisters milk cows three nights a week and according to Karen LaBombard they perform just about any task they’re given. They’re responsible, hard working and can problem solve, all qualities employers are seeking in today’s world.
Posted: July 25th, 2019 under Adirondack Region News, Agricultural News, Education News, Northern NY News.
Comment from Molly Williams
Time July 29, 2019 at 9:30 am
Good morning. What a nice surprise to see that The Peru’s Gazette did an article on SUNY Cobleskill and the John Deere Tech program. However the article did little to really showcase that program. The gentleman featured in the headline picture is my son. The Monday following his graduation in 2015, from Cobleskill, he began his career as a JD Tech and large equipment diesel mechanic. Two years later he continues at a dealership in Sandy Creek NY. He is part of a great company and has received incentives and promotions. He is not only tech savvy but also mechanically inclined and doing well. He continues to gain the respect of the local farmers. They should really have followed up with him to see what he is doing now! Just a suggestion for any good reporting.
As his mom I am extremely proud of him. He was never going to go to college. When he decided this would be a great program his sponsorship helped to secure him a future that is exactly what he not only loved but also was naturally very good at.