In a county where agriculture runs deep and one in five students wears the traditional blue corduroy jacket, a generous gift from Channel Seed® is accelerating construction of a new FFA barn that supporters say will strengthen both student learning and the broader rural community.
Last summer, over 75 students, alumni, community members and supporters gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the Appomattox FFA Alumni Agricultural Complex.
Appomattox FFA Alumni is working to build infrastructure that matches the chapter’s success. And through the Channeling Good initiative, Channel Seed supports local organizations nominated by Channel SeedPros across the country.
The company recently contributed $4,000 toward a multipurpose facility with livestock handling areas. The under-construction building will make livestock projects more accessible to students and serve as a hub for local agricultural events.
Channel Seed provides customized seed, and agronomic and local support for corn and soybean growers. Donation nominations were submitted by Channel Seed employees Bobby Long and Glenn Dye.
Dye is a farmer in Appomattox, Fauquier and Stafford counties, serves on the Stafford County Farm Bureau board of directors and has been active in leading efforts for farm equipment highway safety in Virginia.
“The FFA is trying to secure funds for this tremendous building project opportunity,” he said. “Since they’ve been chosen as the top FFA chapter in the state for three consecutive years now, I felt they were most deserving. The Appomattox FFA program is preparing the students to be positively contributing young adults. After graduation, they are much more desirable job candidates and possess the soft skills to be productive members of society.”
Mary Beth Primm, president of the Appomattox FFA Alumni, told the Appomattox-Times that Channel Seed’s donation to the agricultural complex is a powerful investment in the future of agricultural education in the community.
“Support like this allows us to provide hands-on learning opportunities, develop student leadership, and move one step closer to making the agricultural complex a reality,” she said.
Dye noted the average age of farmers is increasing every year.
“Our industry faces a constant uphill battle in so many facets,” he said. “We need our young leaders to continue—not just operating—but advocating for our great and increasingly important industry. They are the agricultural leaders of the future.”
Visit secure.qgiv.com/for/appomat toxbarnproject to help the Appomattox FFA reach their goal.
