Although many young people are involved in FFA in the state, four students have risen above the rest and were named “stars” in 2024. The North Dakota Star awards are the highest honor given for North Dakota FFA members.

Star Farmer Jackson Brossart (Rugby), Star in Agribusiness Joe Lindburg (Carrington), Star in Agriculture Placement Kylie Skadberg (Carrington) and Star in Agriscience Samantha Burchill (Central Cass) were recognized during the State FFA Convention in Fargo, N.D.

In each area of expertise, these students were awarded for their top experiences in the state, demonstrating outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and exemplary scholastic record.

Star in Agribusiness

Joe Lindburg, the Star in Agribusiness and North Dakota FFA state officer, says that his family and advisors played a key role in his FFA career and achievements. “It started when my stepbrother joined,” Lindburg said. “He was always talking about the fun stuff he did, and then came my freshman year of high school, and I was excited about all of the competitions I was joining to do.”

The State Star in Agribusiness is awarded to the FFA member with the top nonproduction entrepreneur agribusiness supervised agriculture experience in the state.

After a whirlwind first contest, Lindburg was hooked. Through all of his experiences, his advisors Mitchell Becker and Missy Hanson were the ones who encouraged him to apply for the Star in Agribusiness award for his bait-selling business.

Related:Meet your South Dakota FFA American Star Award winners

“They said that I had a great opportunity and said I should fill out the application for proficiency and star,” Lindburg said. “They played a huge role in helping me with the application, and I’m thankful to both of them for all they did.”

Star in Agricultural Placement

Kylie Skadberg of Carrington, N.D., was named the 2024 Star in Agricultural Placement during the State FFA Convention. This award is given to the FFA member who demonstrates the top agricultural placement supervised agricultural experience in North Dakota.

She began working at Barton Meats, a butcher shop specializing in custom slaughter and retail meats, her freshman year of high school. Her duties consisted of helping customers, stuffing ground beef and meat wrapping.

Her advisors also were Hanson and Becker, and during her FFA career, she participated in meats evaluation, parliamentary procedure, livestock judging and dairy judging.

Star Farmer

Jackson Brossart of Rugby, N.D., started his ranching operation with only five yearling heifers and, five year later, he was named the 2024 North Dakota State Star Farmer at the North Dakota State FFA Convention.

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With the help of advisors Kristi Tonnessen and Issac Ripplinger, Brossart had a successful FFA career while learning about managing his own herd along the way. He also was awarded the Beef Production Proficiency Award during the National FFA Convention.

As the fourth generation on his family operation, ranching has always been a part of his life. He works alongside his family with their red angus herd and raising spring wheat, oats, corn and soybeans, growing his own herd to 30 animals along the way.

Brossart is attending Bismarck State College and working toward a degree in farm and ranch management. He plans to return to his family farm after graduation.

Star in Agriscience

Samantha Burchill of Casselton, N.D., is the 2024 North Dakota FFA State Star in Agriscience. Her supervised agriculture experience began by investigating which oil was best for frying rosette cookies for a school sensory panel, and it grew from there into research focused on plant science.

The State Star in Agriscience is awarded to the FFA member who demonstrates the top agriscience-based supervised agricultural experience in North Dakota. They must demonstrate research aimed at developing a higher order of scientific knowledge and skills through their own research and cooperative research projects.

Related:More than just a successful harvest field day

She focuses her research, advancing each year in various areas that have helped her to write research findings, increase her knowledge base about plants and analyze research data.

Advised by Hannah Gress, Burchill has been involved in numerous areas in the North Dakota FFA throughout her career. Burchill was the president of her FFA chapter; awarded second place in the nation for flora culture; and competed in parliamentary procedure, prepared public speaking, ag sales, farm business management and the Agri-Science Fair.

Burchill is attending North Dakota State University and studying agriculture education.