Gov. Dave Heineman introduces Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council
A new crop of young people have been named to the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council and they say the future of farming is bright.
Twenty-one college-aged men and women have been named to the 44th Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council, which spreads the message of agriculture throughout the state.
Head Counselor Johnny Florence of Ord, a University of Nebraska student and an intern at the Nebraska Agriculture Department, says jobs in agriculture are wide open.
“It’s absolutely anything,” Florence tells reporters during a news conference at the governor’s Capitol office. “There are a lot of people going back to the farm. There are a lot of agri-business jobs. There are a lot of jobs in food science. There are a lot of jobs in animal science. It’s pretty much anywhere.”
One of the duties of the council is to educate urban youth about farming.
Head Counselor Trent Matsny of Howells, also a University of Nebraska student and an intern with the Agriculture Department, says one misperception stands out.
“I would say, mostly where your food comes from, because a lot of people think that your food comes from just the grocery store,” Matsny says. “A lot of kids think that and they don’t understand that it comes from an actual farm and a producer is producing it.”
The council coordinates the annual Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute for high school juniors and seniors this summer.
Head Counselor Johnny Ference reads the list of Ag Youth Council members
The 2014-2015 Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council leaderships includes: Johnny Ference, Ord, Head Counselor; Trent Mastny, Howells, Head Counselor; Larissa Wach, Wauneta, President; Morgan Zumpfe, Friend, Secretary; Samantha Schneider, Cozad, Vice President of the Communications and Social Media Committee; Hannah Gaebel, Ashland, Vice President of the NAYI Improvement Committee; Eric Wemhoff, Humphrey, Vice President of the Promotion Committee; Aksel Wiseman, Hershey, Vice President of the Sponsorship and Alumni Relations Committee; and Toni Rasmussen, Albion, Vice President of the Youth Outreach Committee.
Additional members are: Elizabeth Rice, Murray; Railen Ripp, Kearney; Dylan Dam, Hooper; Grant Uehling, Uehling; Haley Bledsoe, Blair; Kate Likens, Swanton; Kory Wagner, Creighton; Landon Swedberg, North Platte; Maggie Louthan, Smithfield; Rachel Ibach, Sumner; Rebecca Cornelius, Madrid; and Sarah Wollenburg, Beatrice.
To learn more about the NAYC or NAYI, please visit the NAYI website at nda.nebraska.gov/nayi or search for Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute on Facebook.
AUDIO: Brent Martin reports [:55]
AUDIO: Gov. Dave Heineman and State Agriculture Director Greg Ibach introduce the 2014/2015 Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council. [7 min.]