OFI 1447: Going Big In Ag Business As A 9th Grader | FFA SAE Edition | Ashton Brusveen | Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA

What year in school is too soon to start an agricultural business that serves large farmers? I'm not sure, but, based on today's interview, I know that the answer is not 9th Grade. Ashton Brusveen has just completed his 9th Grade year of high school, and he has been part of the FFA since 7th Grade. He has grown up farming on his families land, helping to produce corn, soybeans, rye and wheat. But when it came time for him to develop a supervised agricultural experience, with his grandfather's help, he decided to start a business providing a service to other farmers.

This business, "Seed Clean", all began with some conversations with older farmers in the area talking about the need for a seed cleaning business. As the idea was discussed it became apparent to Ashton and his grandfather that there would be a lot of business for a person who started up a business like this. It just so happened that Ashton's grandfather had an old, Clipper fanning mill, in a shed on the farm.

Ashton and his grandfather cleaned up the old mill, and his grandfather even purchased an old co-op facility that was no longer in use for the logistics of farmers bring seed in. Then they made an arrangement that Ashton would run the seed cleaning business as his own, splitting the profits with his grandfather until the time that he was completely paid back.

The demand for this business turned out to be even higher than they expected. Therefore, Ashton is now investing in a larger mill, a Clipper 99 fanning mill, that will give him the ability to serve more customers and clean their seed faster. In addition to all of this he has got his eye on expanding his services in the future to bagging corn, and he is considering hiring his first employee.

I am very excited to watch and see how this business develops. This has got national proficiency and possibly even American Star Award written all over it!

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Seed Cleaning

HIGH SCHOOL: Cambria-Friesland High School; Randolph, Wisconsin

MASCOT: Hilltoppers

FFA ADVISOR: Lauren Frances

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ASHTON BRUSVEEN:

Click on the picture below to be taken to the Cambria-Friesland High School website:

Ashton's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected]

Cambria-Friesland High School Telephone Number: (920) 348-5548

FFA LINKS:

National FFA Organization

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's)

Support FFA

Donate to FFA - One way that FFA students are able to start small businesses is through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward.

REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA:

• Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% as well as the rest of the world. FFA is providing the needed education, training and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and insure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food.
• Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth.
• Farmers, ranchers and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the search for food is as simple as going to the grocery store:

“The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America’s youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America’s youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.”.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue

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