South Dakota FFA agri-scientists earn state honors, some qualify for national competitions

Two hundred and seventy-five FFA members showcased their research in the SD FFA Agriscience Fair, April 16, 2025, in Hartford, and winners celebrated. Research SAEs offer a deep dive into the scientific aspects of agriculture. These projects include meticulous investigation of materials, processes, and information, either to generate new knowledge or validate existing research. Agriscience Research SAEs can be experimental, analytical, or inventive research, offering a broad spectrum of inquiry. Through these projects, students are encouraged to collaborate with peers, educators, university researchers and industry specialists.

Agriscience students use scientific principles and emerging technologies to solve complex problems related to agriculture, food and natural resources in six different categories (Animal Systems; Environmental and Natural Resource Systems; Food Products & Processing Systems; Plant Systems; Power, Structural & Technology Systems; Social Systems). Projects involve extensive research as well as writing a written report including information on previous studies related to the topic, their research and findings. Students can compete in the AgriScience Fair as an individual or with a team in separate divisions:

I – Individual member in grades 7 and 8      

II – Team of two members in grades 7 and 8

III – Individual member in grades 9 and 10

IV – Team of two members in grades 9 and 10

V – Individual member in grades 11 and 12      

VI – Team of two members in grades 11 and 12

The Chilson Sweepstakes award, presented to an 11^th or 12^th grade FFA member who demonstrates exceptional achievement in agriscience in any category, went to Madison Lauck, McCook Central. Selection is based on innovative thinking, sustained involvement in agriscience over multiple years, extensive research into agriscience-related challenges, a strong agriscience application, and an interview highlighting the student’s understanding of his/her project and key takeaways.

The top projects in each division will advance for a chance to compete at the National FFA Agriscience Fair at the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana this fall. The winners are as follows:

Animal Systems

The study of animal systems, including life processes, health, nutrition, genetics, management and processing, through the study of small animals, aquaculture, livestock, dairy, horses, and/or poultry.

Division 1, sponsored Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic, Eichacker Simmentals, and Salem Veterinary Service:

1^st – Aaliyah Lennon (Belle Fourche)

2^nd – Rosalie Bergeson (McCook Central)

3^rd – Jake Cody (Tri-Valley)

Division 2, sponsored by Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic, Eichacker Simmentals, and Salem Veterinary Service:

1^st – Addisyn Schock and Alexis Schock (McCook Central)

2^nd – Alexander Gordon and Cody Hanisch (Montrose)

Division 3, sponsored by Fall River Feedyard and the Franken Family:

1^st – Keaton Zubke (Florence)

2^nd – Charlie Cody (Tri-Valley)

3^rd – Elizabeth Vogel (Dells)

Division 4, sponsored by Fall River Feedyard and the Franken Family:

1^st – Jocelyn Wagner and Rylee Knock (Hitchcock-Tulare)

South Dakota FFA Agri-Science Animal Systems Division 1.
Courtesy photo.

2^nd – Laruen Klitzke and Sophia Sandine (McCook Central)

3^rd – Teagan Lupkes and Stella Siemonsma (West Central)

Division 5, sponsored by Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic, First Bank & Trust, De-Tye Vet Supply Inc, and First Dakota National Bank.

1^st – Colton Stiefvater (McCook Central)

2^nd – Atlee Olson (Belle Fourche)

Division 6, sponsored by Dakota Hills Veterinary Clinic, First Bank & Trust, De-Tye Vet Supply Inc, and First Dakota National Bank:

1^st – Antone Krempges and Jason Wimmer (McCook Central)

2^nd – Austin Michaels and Hunter Wagner (West Central)

Environmental Service/Natural Resource Systems

The study of systems, instruments and technology used in waste management; the study of the management of soil, water, wildlife, forests and air as natural resources and their influence on the environment.

Division 1, sponsored by Ducks Unlimited:

1^st –Adeline Miles (McCook Central)

2nd – Peyton Knox (Doland)

3^rd – Claire Rowley (Montrose)

Division 2, sponsored by Ducks Unlimited:

1^st – Stella Oyen and Joseph VanEmmerick (McCook Central)

2^nd– Lane Kayser and Landon Stahl (Bridgewater-Emery)

3^rd – Zachary Sechser and Bennett Graff (Montrose)

Division 3, sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America, Pennington County Conservation District, and Wilbur-Ellis:

Sponsor: Brain Gottlob, Farm Credit Services of America

1^st – Joseph Kayser (Bridgewater-Emery)

2^nd – Olivia Knox (Doland)

3^rd – Grace Rick (West Central)

Division 4, sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America, Pennington County Conservation District, and Wilbur-Ellis:

1^st – Brodie Boomsma and Bryxx Bawek (Doland)

2^nd – Brooke Johnson and Brinley Hansen (Tri-Valley)

3^rd – Sawyer Foster and Bailey Peterson (Tri-Valley)

Division 5, sponsored by ProAg Engineering, Inc.:

1^st – Emma Schneider (Doland)

2^nd –Katrina Thon (Bridgewater-Emery)

3^rd—Dylan Waltman (Garretson)

Division 6, sponsored by ProAg Engineering, Inc.:

1^st – Levi Top and Brecken Weir (Garretson)

2^nd – Teresa Melius and Alyssa Brick (Northwestern Area)

3^rd – Jakob Gnadt and Cole Schleuter (Garretson)

Food Products and Processing Systems

The study of product development, quality assurance, food safety, production, sales and service, regulation and compliance and food service within the food science industry.

Division 1, sponsored by Brian & Codi Mills, SD Retailers Association (Jaime Hybertson pictured), and Titan International

1^st – Taeya Sonnier (McCook Central)

2^nd – Iliana Krutsinger (McCook Central)

3^rd – Macie Jones (Tri-Valley)

Division 2, sponsored by Brian & Codi Mills, SD Retailers Association (Jaime Hybertson pictured), and Titan International:

1^st – Alli Foreman and Chanel Mohrhauser (Tri-Valley)

2^nd – Kenzie Thompson and Savannah Hagemann (Montrose)

3^rd – Derek Durfee and Landon Alley (McCook Central)

Division 3, sponsored by Doland FFA Alumni and SD Retailers Association (Jaime Hybertson pictured):

1^st –Chesnie Heim (Northwestern Area)

2^nd – Ana Byer (Florence)

3^rd – Chesnie Anderson (Sisseton)

Division 4, sponsored by Doland FFA Alumni and SD Retailers Association (Jaime Hybertson pictured):

1^st – Leah Feterl and Khloie Klinkhammer (McCook Central)

2^nd – Lily Hilton and Carissa Weber (Bridgewater-Emery)

3^rd – Blake Tuschen and Darryn Beck (West Central)

Division 5, sponsored by Jim Chilson (pictured), Grain Millers, Inc, McCook Central FFA, and Carl & Kari Sanders

1^st – Avery Alley (McCook Central)

2^nd – Kenasyn Johnson (West Central)

3^rd – Reganne Miles (Doland)

Division 6, sponsored by Jim Chilson (pictured), Grain Millers Inc., McCook Central FFA, Carl & Kari Sanders:

1^st – Karlee Klinkhammer and Kaylee Klinkhammer (McCook Central)

2^nd – Taylor Borgen and Ayla Kramer (West Central)

3^rd – Kamryn Schaaf and Seth Lind (West Central)

Plant Systems

The study of plant life cycles, classifications, functions, structures, reproduction, media and nutrients, as well as growth and cultural practices, through the study of crops, turf grass, trees and shrubs and/or ornamental plants.

Division 1, sponsored by sponsored by Bayer, Next Level Ag, LLC, SD Corn Utilization Council, and Dan & Sheri Kahnke:

1^st – Emerri Gottlob (McCook Central)

2^nd – Mya Zantow (Leola)

South Dakota FFA Agri-Science Plant Systems Division 1.
Courtesy photo.

3^rd – Levi Horstman (McCook Central)

Division 2, sponsored by sponsored by Bayer, Next Level Ag, LLC, SD Corn Utilization Council, and Dan & Sheri Kahnke:

1^st – Levi Weber and Nicholas Paweltzki (Bridgewater-Emery)

2^nd -Jorja Weber and Olivia Havard (McCook Central)

3^rd – Paisley Dutcher and Addisyn Moothart (Tri-Valley)

Division 3, sponsored by Central Farmers Cooperative and FREMAR, LLC, and the First National Bank in Sioux Falls:

1^st – Ty Boekelheide (Northwestern Area)

2^nd – Brecken Halvorson (Northwestern Area)

3^rd – Kendall McAreavey (Tri-Valley)

Division 4, sponsored by Central Farmers Cooperative and FREMAR, LLC, and the First National Bank in Sioux Falls:

1^st –Jersey Lucas and Erika Caspers (Tri-Valley)

2^nd – Joslyn Stahl and Caydence Finch (West Central)

3^rd – Gunnar Strunk and Bradyn Pieper (West Central)

Division 5, sponsored by SD Soybean Research and Promotion Council (Bruce Haines & Valerie Willson pictured) and Dan & Sheri Kahnke:

1^st – Noah Felderman (Doland)

2^nd – Grace Stacken (Bridgewater-Emery)

3^rd – Renee Uberty (McCook Central)

Division 6, sponsored by SD Soybean Research and Promotion Council (Bruce Haines & Valerie Willson pictured) and Dan & Sheri Kahnke:

1^st – Dawson Lantgen and James Kahnke (Florence)

2^nd – Eva Healy and Hannah Haase (West Central)

3^rd –Rylee Hartung and Allison Brost (West Central)

Power, Structural, and Technical Systems

The study of agricultural equipment, power systems, alternative fuel sources and precision technology, as well as woodworking, metalworking, welding, and project planning for agricultural structures.

Division 1, sponsored by Meyerink Farm Service:

1^st – Nicholas Richards (McCook Central)

2^nd – Aaron Kinzley (McCook Central)

3^rd – Landan Mack (Tri-Valley)

Division 2, sponsored by Meyerink Farm Service:

1^st – Logan Glanzer and Creighten Werning (Bridgewater-Emery)

2^nd – Isaac Rotert and Tyler Adler (McCook Central)

3^rd – Connor Karsky and Mauer Jones (Wessington Springs)

Division 3, sponsored by Butler Machinery and CTE Global, Inc:

1^st – Adrian Flisrand (Florence)

2^nd – Austin Nash (Northwestern Area)

3^rd – Ella Weber (Montrose)

Division 4, sponsored by Butler Machinery and CTE Global, Inc:

1^st –Tucker Peterson and Luke Horstman (McCook Central)

2^nd –Ty Haskell and Jack Remily (Doland)

3^rd – Mackenzie Neel and Payton DeMent (West Central)

Division 5, sponsored by Dacotah Bank (Mark O’Hara pictured), Summit Contracting, RDO Equipment, Gullickson Family Livestock:

1^st– Mason Kieffer (Harrisburg)

2^nd –Reece Gerlach (West Central)

3^rd – Vincent Walker (West Central)

Division 6, sponsored by Dacotah Bank (Mark O’Hara pictured), Summit Contracting, RDO Equipment, Gullickson Family Livestock:

1^st – Espn Althoff and Riley Easton (Tri-Valley)

2^nd – Hailey Goebel and Lyric Riepma (West Central)

3^rd – Tyler Erickson and Colin Shellum (Garretson)

Social Science

The study of human behavior and the interaction of individuals in and to society, including agricultural education, agribusiness economics, agricultural communications, agricultural leadership and other social science applications in agriculture, food, and natural resources.

Division 1, sponsored by Chad Wosje:

1^st – Shane Schultz (McCook Central)

2^nd – Baron Coffey (McCook Central)

Division 2, sponsored by Chad Wosje:

1^st – Connor Magee and Connor Twedt (Montrose)

2^nd –Micah Waldner and Keean Benecke (McCook Central)

3^rd – Arabella Mortinsen and Lanie Brandt (McCook Central)

Division 3, sponsored by Prairie Grain Partners, LLC., SD Biotech Association:

1^st – Jazmine Oliver (Canton)

2^nd – Elle Goehring (Parkston)

3^rd – Kiera Bartmann (Montrose)

Division 4, sponsored by Prairie Grain Partners, LLC., SD Biotech Association:

1^st – Ted Petersen and Gunnar Alfson (West Central)

2^nd – Ashtyn Nilson and Cambree Ideker (West Central)

3^rd – Hailey Fortney and Evangeline Gerlach (West Central)

Division 5, sponsored by FMNE Insurance (Chad Hank pictured), Pioneer-Corteva and BankWest:

1^st –Madison Lauck (McCook Central)

2^nd –Alexa Pulse (McCook Central)

3^rd – Kasy Kalb (West Central)

Division 6, sponsored by FMNE Insurance (Chad Hank pictured), Pioneer-Corteva and BankWest:

1^st– Lauren Roling and Alyssa Roling (McCook Central)