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It’s important for a person to be competent in whatever field they wish to work. Students involved in FFA are given opportunities to prove their skill and proficiency in their chosen field, whatever that may be, specifically with a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). These experiences are multiple-year projects that immerse students in their chosen agricultural field, and these students can compete for an Agricultural Proficiency Award.

Brent Miller, member of the Bainbridge High School FFA, was recently named as the South Region winner in Poultry Production Proficiency. Poultry Production Proficiency requires the member work for a business that incorporates best management practices possible to produce poultry and/or their raw products, which can include chickens, turkey, or domestic fowl (i.e. ducks, geese and guinea.)

According to FFA advisor Victoria Hill, Miller has been working on his Poultry Production Proficiency for four years, initially starting with a small flock of laying hens. “He is now the manager of the Bearcat Poultry Operation at Bainbridge High School,” she explained, “where he assists in management decisions and day to day operational activities.”

Having been declared region winner, Miller will now move on to compete in the state interview process this April, along with two other candidates.

“The interview process is for the three state candidates,” Hill said. She elaborated, “They will ask him a series of questions that pertain to his SAE project. These questions will be related to his project, his application and his production goals for the operation. They will also ask questions about his leadership skills and experience in the FFA.”

Should Miller win at the state level, he will win an expense-paid trip to the FFA National Convention this October, where more detailed questions about his SAE will be asked, and he will showcase the project with location visits.

“I am thankful for FFA, because through my SAE in poultry production I have acquired skills such as responsibility and time management,” Miller said. “Caring for poultry over the past four years has led me to grow my knowledge in the poultry industry and animal health.”