youth in
agriculture tomorrow’s ag leaders
Addie G OOSENECK TRAILERS Womack L T •F •D T IVESTOCK RAILERS
LATBEDS
UMP RAILERS
FRYE FARMS • SENECA, MO • 417-438-0146
Photo by Terry Ropp
By Terry Ropp
Parents: Russell and Stacy Womack Hometown: Russellville and Hope, Ark. Age: 19 What is your favorite aspect of agriculture?
“Many ag students prefer production agriculture, but I like promotion and teaching people that agriculture is more than buying food in the store. I want them to realize that real people spend their lives working to produce what they purchase and how demanding and precise that work is. I want them to understand the real story, not common misconceptions. Consequently, I am an ambassador for Arkansas University, which means I attend events to promote our university and recruit high school perspectives in addition to helping plan agricultural events at school.”
What is your background?
“Like so many kids raised on a farm, I remember bottle feeding off my front porch. The calves always were needing to be fed and it taught me the importance of responsibility because the animals depended on me, something that will help me throughout my life. Things just have to be done. We have always worked together as a family so I understand the importance of being a contributing part of a team. When I was in FFA, I showed Shorthorn heifers and once won reserve supreme Shorthorn at a state spring show.”
What are your future plans?
16
Everything changed when I met Charles Looney. I worked for him last just after he arrived at the Russellville campus from the University of Arkansas to work at the research center as our beef/cattle specialist. I grew up on a farm and worked there all of the time but working for him was my first real job in agriculture. He showed me how to work with adults so they will listen to new information that may be contrary to what they currently believe or perhaps in addition to their current production practices. My experience with him helped me narrow my career choices so that I am currently switching from agribusiness/animal science to agribusiness/public relations. The switch fits in nicely with my minor in social media. I want to work for an ag-based company so I stay within agriculture while being part of the huge social media marketing medium. My parents are super involved in agriculture and have many connections that may be useful when I graduate. Networking is the name of the game.” Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
APRIL 13, 2020
