Madeliene Pollard of Lathrop, Missouri, was named the national winner of the Agricultural Proficiency Award in Diversified Crop Production – Entrepreneurship during the National FFA Convention & Expo on Oct. 31 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Pollard, a member of the Lathrop FFA Chapter, was one of four national finalists in the category. She began her supervised agricultural experience (SAE) in high school with just 28 acres of soybeans and 30 acres of corn. By her senior year, she had expanded her operation to 135 acres of soybeans and 166 acres of corn.

“I thought, ‘There’s no way I’m going to win,’” Pollard said. “But I kept a positive mindset. I had lots and lots of support from my family, my ag teachers and the Missouri FFA community.”

As Pollard wraps up her FFA journey and looks ahead to earning her American FFA Degree, she reflects on the mentors and family who helped her along the way — from her ag teachers and advisors to her parents, sister and grandpa.

“My ag teacher supported me through everything — I consider her one of my best friends,” Pollard said. “And my dad took time out of his evenings to help me prepare for interviews and fill out my records. It was worth all the effort.”

At Mizzou, Pollard is active in the Ag Ed Society, Collegiate Farm Bureau and Agriculture Communicators of Tomorrow. She is pursuing a degree in agricultural education with an emphasis in communications and leadership and a minor in plant sciences.

“One of my main goals is to be an advocate for agriculture,” Pollard said. “Now I want to grow my knowledge about the agriculture industry as a whole and be able to educate others — whether through 4-H, Extension, events or talking to younger kids.”

The Agricultural Proficiency Awards recognize FFA members who develop specialized skills through their SAEs. Proficiency award winners are announced on stage during the National FFA Convention & Expo.