Cypress believes that, just as it always has been in the past, agriculture will continue to be a huge part of our lives.  While farms have diversified, farmworker numbers have become smaller, and technology has and will continue to have a major impact on the way agriculture continues to function. Farming, specifically American farming, continues to feed our world. Our West Tennessee FFA Chapters are providing an early advantage for young people who want to experience the life that agriculture offers. They are doing it in a huge way. As we will continue to do, Cypress will be going to state FFA convention with these students and will be recording the West Tennessee winners in our May magazine. 

Good luck to all of you - Cypress.

Many of the West TN Chapters let us have a preview of their ‘crop’ of students going to State Convention. They are extremely proud of these students and the work they have put forth to make it out of the Regionals and into State Competition.  

by Katijane Shoffner

Adamsville-

Adamsville FFA will be taking 11 students. 5 State Degree recipients: Blake Mast, Adam Surratt, Molly Finley, John Tyler Milford, and Calvin Smith. They also have a Regional Creed Finalist, Macy Brown. Others that will be attending are Bethany Brown, Olivia Roeder, Shelby Kemper, and Reese Sisk

Brighton-

Brighton FFA will be competing in Farm Business Management CDE, Food Science CDE, and Quiz Bowl. They have 4 State Degree Recipients: Skylar Campisi, Miller Countess, Angel Howell, and Devin Crook. They have 1 Proficiency, Riley Lenagar - Equine Entrepreneurship.

Collierville-

Collierville FFA will be taking 18 students. 6 State Degrees: Kylee Andrews, Grayson Boane, Lainey Goodson, Faith Johnson, Matthew Smith, and Jordan White. They have 2 people serving as delegates, Thomas Holmes and Logan White. They will be taking 7 agriscience fair projects: Ericka Baker- Social Systems Division 5, Lane Drewery- Animal Systems division 5, Elizabeth Hobson- Environmental Systems Division 5, AMina Kirkendoll and Zackary Molinaro- Social Systems Division 6, Haley Arnold and Logan Pendleton- Plant Systems Division 4, Mathew Smith and Ryann West- Environmental Systems Division 6, and Melody Smith- Animal Systems Division 3.

Covington-

Covington FFA will be taking 17 students. 5 State Degree recipients: Damon Boddie, Wesley Morris, Eli Patrick, Dagan Schlauch, and John Travis Turner. In the Ag Communications CDE, they will be taking Leanna Gray, Madison Rowland, Dagan Schlauch, and Savanna Long. In the Milk Quality and Products CDE, they will be taking Mike Hopkins, Mitch Hopkins, Jhonyya Wilcox, and Wesley Morris. In the Food Science CDE, they will be taking Madison Rowland, Leanna Gray, Dagan Schlauch, and Bobbie Sue Wilson. In agriscience they will be taking the following projects: Social Systems Agriscience Fair Division VI-Leanna Gray and Savanna Long, Social Systems Agriscience Fair Division V-Dagan Schlauch, Animal Systems Agriscience Fair Division V-Bobbie Sue Wilson, Power Structure and Technical Systems Division VI-Madison Rowland and Ethan Wilson, and Social Systems Agriscience Fair Division III-Sara Oliver. In proficiencies they will be taking the following: Service Learning-Georgia Friend, Diversified Crop Production-Eli Patrick, Beef Production-John Travis Turner, Turfgrass Management-Sammy Simmons, Outdoor Recreation-Allan Turner, Agriculture Mechanics-Madison Rowland, and Environmental and NRM-Dagan Schlauch. 

Dresden- 

Dresden FFA will be taking 23 students. 4 State Degrees: Natalie Weidenbach, Travis Platt, Bennett Higgs, and Parker Maxey. 14 Agriscience Fair Projects: Adrianne Todd, Cora Ogg, Kennedy Smith, Autumn Frazier, Erin Mallory, Morgan Richards, Kendall Brewer, Hayden Schlicht, Ian Pinion, Grant Kelly, Derek Kimmons, Chase Williams, Jesse Randolph, and Garret JOhnson. 1 student will be competing in the Creed Speaking CDE, Cora Ogg. 4 students will be attending the Teach Ag Rally: Erin Mallory, Austin Peevyhouse, Daniel Dean, and Sam Laws. Other students who will be attending are Taylor Oliver and Kelsie Stoker.

Dyersburg-

Dyersburg FFA will be taking 18 students. 5 State Degree recipients: Chealsea Binkley, Emily Escue, Mackenzie Moody, Brennan Rood, and Erin Welch. They have 2 proficiencies Brenna Rood- Ag Mechanics Design & Fabrication and Emily Escue- Vegetable Production Entrepreneurship. They will also be competing in Farm Business Management and quiz bowl. Erin Welch will be attending as a State Officer Candidate.

Dyer County- 

Dyer County FFA will be taking 25 students. 4 State Degree Recipients: Lynsey Akins, Molly Campbell, Jon Mark Castleman, and Kayla Walker. For Parliamentary Procedure they will be taking Sierra Alexander, Bailey Bryant, Molly Campbell, Sydney Campbell, Jon Mark Castleman, Drake Warren, and Braden Massey. For CCM they will be taking Lindsey Babbitt, Brilee Blalock, Macey Gean, Brittany Hollis, Lane Pyles, Kimberly Redmond, and Asia winegardner. For Quiz Bowl, Kade Anderson, Brian Brimm, Ryan Larson, and Madison Riggins will be competing. Olivia Lock will be attending as a State Officer Candidate. Other Students attending are Lynsey Akins, Mason Allen, Addison Gibbons, and Gino Nava.

Gibson county-

Gibson County FFA will be taking 2 students. Cole Garrison will be competing in the Diversified Agriculture Proficiency and Hunter Baier will be competing in the Grain Production Proficiency.  

Greenfield- 

Greenfield FFA will be taking 8 students. They have 1 student getting her State Degree, Hailey Jones. Other students attending are Sherri Tyson, Tripp Smithson, Kyra Tansil, Carter Finch, Garret Garner, Jackson Cooper, and Cortlynn Griffin.

Huntingdon-

Huntingdon FFA will be taking 6 students. 6 State Degrees: Anna Ruth White, Anna Colvett, Ashley Baker, Carson Warman, Jordan Davis, and Jordan Cole. Jordan Davis and Jordan Cole. 

Lexington- 

Lexington FFA will be taking 6 students. 6 State Degree Recipients: Mason Meador, Ricky Forrest, John Covington, Luis Romero, George Vaughn, and Cole Estes.

Munford-

Munford FFA will be taking 43 students. 16 State Degree recipients: Samantha Nelson, Raegan Alvey, Megan Blank, Autumn Bone, Ashleigh Cantrell, Garrett Crisp, Mia Dunn, Rose Greuling, abigail Heavner, Garner Holcomb, Zackary Looney, Skylar Lowery, Madison Naylor, Keegan Schulz, Haley Wilson, Naomi Mitchell. For their CCM team, they will be taking Abigail Hamm, Belle Tate, Carolyn Martin, Katie Greuling, Taylor Elkins, Houston Null, and Will Detter. For the Ag Issues CDE, they will be taking Ashleigh Cantrell, Claire Hatch, Haley Wilson, Skylar Lowery, Tori Chapman, Garret Crisp, and John Dylan Conrad. In Parliamentary Procedure they will be taking Brook Joyner, Brooklyn McWilliams, Claire Hatch, Jada Curlin, Jessie Brooks, and Katherine Crow. In the Marketing CDE, they will be taking Autumn Bone, Reagan Alvey, and Tori Chapman. In the Ag Sales CDE, they will be taking Mia Matanane, Rose Grueling, and John Dylan Conrad. Garner Holcomb will be competing for Employment Skills. Haley Wilson will be competing in Prepared speaking and Star in Agribusiness. Brydon McKOwen will be attending as a State Officer Candidate.  They will have 35 students competing in Agriscience Fair: Abigail Hamm, Abigail Heavner, Alyssa DeYoung, Ashleigh cantrell, Autumn Bone, Belle Tate, Brooke Joyner, brooklyn McWilliams, Carolyn Martin, Clair Hatch, Emma Tomaszewski, Garner Holcomb, Haley Wilson, Jada Curlin, Jocelyn Brummet, Katherine Crow, Katie Greuling, Madison Naylor, Mia Matanane, Peyton Whitehead, Reagan Alvey, Rose Greuling, Skylar Lowery, Taylor Elkins, Tori Chapman, Dallas Rhea, Garret Crisp, Houston Null, Jamie Naylor, John Dylan Conrad, Keegan Schulz, Thomas Ivy, Timmy Smith, Will Detter, and Zach Looney. They have 13 Proficiencies: Jamie Naylor- Ag Processing, Kelsey Max- Ag Sales, Tori Chapman- Agriscience- Animal Systems, Kaila Crocker- Diversified Horticulture, Dallas Rhea- Forest Management & Products, Kayla Chapman- Nursery Operations, Abigail McConnell- Poultry Production, Katijane Shoffner- Small Animal Care, Haley Wilson- Specialty Animal, Ashleigh Cantrell- Specialty Crop, Brydon McKowen- Swine Production Entrepreneurship, Madison Naylor- Swine production Placement, and Tanner Tate- Veterinarian Medicine.

Obion county-

Obion County FFA will be taking 7 students; 5 State Degree Recipients: John David Kersey, Logan Crabtree, Lane Partin, Ethan Screen, and JT McClain. They will also be taking 3 proficiencies to compete, Tanner Nichols- Fiber & Oil Crop, Austin Norton- Landscape Management, and Logan Crabtree- Sheep Production.

Paris-

Paris FFA will be taking 45 students. 9 State Degrees: Elijah Bruce, Craig Anderson, Jacob Pooler, Ben Hayes, Britian Hutson, Charlie Morton, Gage Sherrod, Christian Hawbaker, and Kara Barnhart. In the Ag Sales CDE, they will be taking Taylor Dunagan, Rachel Mitchell, Alyvia Taylor, and Marley Trosper. In the Ag Issues CDE, they will be taking Sarah Cate Orr, Josey Pettit, Hayden Bostick, Wade Tucker, Samuel Bruce, Evan Bevill, Elijah Bruce, and Craig Anderson. In the Ag Communications CDE, they will be taking Karlee Dalton, Amelia Hart, Avary Wood, and McKinley Snow. In the Farm Business and Management CDE, they will be taking Ava Kate Bomar, Alyson Bizeau, Emma Brewer, and Berrett Watkins. In Milk Quality and Products CDE, they will be taking Dailyn Serrano and Preston Pooler. They have 11 Agriscience Fair Projects:  Kayey Fletcher, Rocki Lane, Makaila Tayloe, Becky Smith, Jasmyn Russell, Marly Latta, Macey Dolliver, Maci Jarnigan, Dailyn Serrano, Noah Barnhart, and Ben Hayes. Ava Kate Bomar, Alyson Bizeau, Emma Brewer, and Berrett Watkins. Jacob Pooler will be competing in Star Placement. Clay Bush will be competing in Star Greenhand. Noah Barnhart and Addison Delany will be competing in Quiz Bowl. Kara Barnhart will be at State Convention as a State Officer Candidate. Caroline Gurton will be attending as a current State Officer. They also have 10 Proficiencies: Clay Bush- Ag mechanics Repair and Maintenance Proficiency, Charlie Morton- Ag Sales Proficiency, Gage Sherrod- Ag Services Proficiency, Christian Hawbaker- Agriscience Plant Proficiency, Kara Barnhart- Ag Education Proficiency, Addison Delany- proficiency, Cody Buckely- Dairy Placement Proficiency, Blake Kennedy- Fruit Production Proficiency, Dalton Paschall- Forage Production Proficiency, Ben Hayes- Agriscience Integrated Proficiency,  and Brody Flippin- Wildlife Management proficiency

Westview-

Westview FFA will be taking 21 students. 5 State Degree Recipients: Ethan Rose, Bryce Petit, Hunter Hall, Dylan Hazlewood, and Isacc Copeland. Will Rea will be competing in the Diversified Crop Production Placement proficiency. Other students attending are Rachel Powers, Reanna Brown, Abigail Colarullo, Isabella Dawson, Niki McKeel, Gabby McKnight, Rebecca Powers, Katelee Roberts, Sophia Shaw, Carson Dinning, Avery Garrett, Ben Rea, Tyler Roberts, Weston Rowlett, and David Wilson.