OFI 1475: In Blood & Urine You Can Learn A Lot About An Animal's Health | FFA SAE Edition | Danae Westra | Central Valley Christian FFA

It is that time of year again, and it is my pleasure to interview the American Star Finalists for this year's National FFA Convention.  What a great time of year, and what a fantastic guest to kick off this series of interviews with! I am always fascinated with the way the mind of the finalists in agriscience research work, and with Danae Westra that is very true!  Not only has Danae been doing research on her families dairy since her freshman year of high school, but she has been doing research with immediate, practical applications in the family dairy business.  In addition to that, Danae has a big personality, and that has show through in the names that she has given each one of her projects: Freshman Year: "Calves R Us" Sophomore Year: "Milk R Us" Junior Year: "Protein 4 Life" Senior Year: "Milk It 4 All It's Worth" Freshman Year Of College: "Mastitis Mishaps" In this interview with Danae you will hear a repeated theme - getting up at 6am to do research before school started.  Whether that was weighing calves, pulling blood samples or collecting urine, she was out there, everyday, getting it done before school even started.  This is what is so inspirational about FFA students, and this is why Danae has already been recognized as one of the top four agriscience researchers out of the 850,000+ FFA students in the nation! SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Agriscience Research HIGH SCHOOL: Central Valley Christian High School, Visalia, California MASCOT: Cavaliers FFA ADVISOR: Kelsey De Jong CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DANAE WESTRA: Click on the picture below to be taken to the Central Valley Christian High School website: Danae's FFA Advisor's Email Address: [email protected] Central Valley Christian High School Telephone Number: 559-734-9481 FFA LINKS: National FFA Organization Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's) Support FFA  Donate to FFA - FFA students can start small businesses through an FFA grant of $1,000.  In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants.  With your donations, more students can get this head start - pay it forward. REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA: Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% and the rest of the world.  FFA provides the needed education, training, and resources to Americans that will carry that torch forward and ensure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food. Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation.  The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth. Farmers, ranchers, and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the food search is as simple as going to the grocery store: "The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America's youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America's youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.". U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue   More Places You Can Listen to Off-Farm Income And Matt Brechwald: