When Abby Bertz tapped the gavel for the first time as the new Missouri state FFA president, she could think of one person — her grandpa.

FULFILLING HER PASSION: Abby Bertz will share her FFA and agriculture story with other members, community leaders and school officials over the next year. She set a goal to become a state FFA officer as a way to share her passion for the organization and the ag industry. (Photo courtesy of Missouri FFA)

"He wanted this for me so badly," she says. Ronnie Bertz was one of the first to instill the love of agriculture and the FFA in his granddaughter. "Being involved was more like a rite of passage in our family," she says. Her grandfather and father showed her how to be passionate about the industry. "My family is so deeply rooted in agriculture that I knew I was going to be involved," says Bertz, a seventh-generation young farmer.

But her grandfather was not there to see or hear her tap the gavel dismissing the 89th Missouri State FFA Convention —  he passed away six months prior.

Living out the legacy
"He had this thing where he called people a 'good farmer,'" Bertz says. For her grandpa, being a good farmer was not just about caring for the soil or livestock, it was about being a good person, wife, husband, community leader, or someone who invests in youth. "Someone who was always there to serve others," she explains. "I want to be a good farmer for the agriculture industry and the FFA. I want to carry on that legacy and live by the standards he set for himself and his family."

Her parents are Greg and Kim Bertz. Bertz grew up on a farm outside of Mayview, where her supervised agriculture experience program consisted of growing 35 acres of rotational corn and soybeans, exhibiting pigs and working seasonally at Fahrmeier’s U-Pick and Produce Market.

HARD WORK: Working at a U-pick farm as part of her supervised agricultural experience, newly elected Missouri State FFA President Abby Bertz says members should always work hard to fulfill their goals. And if they falter, she says they should use those experiences as a catalyst in their next goal.

Helping others
Bertz takes over the helm of the Missouri FFA Association to lead more than 26,000 members representing 342 chapters. She says encouraging the membership is important as a state officer.

The Odessa FFA member recalls her first interaction with a state FFA officer when she was just a freshman in high school. "I looked up to them," she says. "They took the time to listen to me. I remember them inspiring me to do more in the FFA. I want to be that state officer for another FFA member."

She is making advocacy a priority for the FFA and the agriculture industry. Bertz says that being state president offers her a unique platform where she can talk to elected officials, school boards and industry representatives. "I hope members learn that it is OK to be passionate about something, to step out of their comfort zone, and to make something happen for yourself and others." She wants to encourage members to be front and center, sharing about the FFA and their own part of the agriculture industry.

"Not only is it OK to be passionate about what you do," Bertz says, "but it is also important to work hard." She admits that there are times she fell short in achieving a goal. But she used those experiences to work hard to achieve the next goal. "Nothing I have accomplished has been without a lot of time, effort and energy," she says. "I hope they see that in me throughout my year of service."