Failes earns Diversified Agricultural Production State FFA Proficiency Award
TULSA, Okla. — Brant Failes of the Cherokee FFA Chapter earned first-place honors in the 2023 Oklahoma FFA Diversified Agricultural Production Proficiency Award area during the 97th Oklahoma FFA Convention on May 3.
Parker Payne of the Thomas-Fay-Custer FFA Chapter and Rylee Glazier of the Lomega FFA Chapter earned second- and third-place honors, respectively.
Failes’ SAE includes the management of a commercial cow herd, replacement heifers, meat goats, bottle calves, 120 acres of farm ground and 35 acres of grass pasture. He is involved in a labor exchange position at his family’s cattle preconditioning lot and assists with farming 900 acres and a seed wheat business. Failes is responsible for checking cattle, fixing machinery and making management decisions that impact the operation.
“Diversifying my operation into both animal systems and plant systems has been beneficial,” Failes said. “I have learned that diversifying each system has been the best way to reduce risk. By utilizing my wheat as a dual-purpose crop, I have the option to retain ownership of my own calves and purchase lightweight calves to sell during a market high while also producing a grain crop.”
The diversified agricultural production proficiency award is designed to recognize students who are involved in a supervised agricultural experience using the best management practices available to produce and market efficiently a combination of two or more livestock- and crop-related proficiencies. The student must be involved in at least one livestock proficiency and one crop-related proficiency.
The Cherokee senior is the son of David and Gayla Failes. His agricultural education instructor and FFA advisor is Christy Snider.
The award is sponsored at the state level by Canadian Valley Ranch, Steve and Mindi Clark, Virgil and Renee Murray, Kurt and Debbra Murray and Jim and Carla Pilkington. A $1,000 state winner scholarship is provided by Nelda Matthews in memory of Bill Matthews.
FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. With more than 29,000 members and 366 chapters, the Oklahoma FFA Association is the fifth-largest state FFA association. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the Oklahoma FFA, visit okffa.org.