By DIETER KRIEG
BLUE BALL E. Clair
Martin 21, is in his last year
of membership in the Future
Farmers of America. And as
he steps out, he will take
with him the highest degree
bestowed by that
organization. That aWard -
The American Farmer
Degree - is given to only a
select few members. One of
the prerequisites is that
candidates must have
earned the highest state
award, which is given to only
2.5 per cent of any state’s
membership. Martin earned
his state award - The
Keystone Degree - in 1975.
The son of Mr. and Mrs.
«ner Martin, New Holland
, the American Farmer
Degree recipient says he
enrolled in the vocational
agriculture program at
Garden Spot High School
because he grew up around
agriculture and enjoyed it.
Clair Martin American Farmer Degree
He did not actually grow up
on a farm, however. The
closest he came to that was
several years of work on
area farms, including dairy,
steer, and hog operations.
For the past 4M> years
Martin has been employed
as a meat cutter by Yoder’s
Meats, Inc. of East Earl.
According to Martin, it is
primarily through his ex
periences with the but
chering firm that he realized
his goal of earning the
coveted American Farmer
Degree. While employed by
Yoder’s Meats, his place of
work is the meat department
at the Shady Maple Farm
Market, east of Blue Ball.
Other factors which
figured into the selection
were his church and com
rilunity activities, FFA
activities and project work.
He is a member of the Welsh
Mountain Mennonite
Church, was an officer on the
Grassland Chapter’s
parliamentary procedures
team which took first place
in state competition, and has
traveled to Kansas City, Mo.
and Springfield, Mass, to
represent his Chapter. The
young man will make his
second trip to Kansas City on
Tuesday to receive his
American Farmer Degree.
“FFA has meant a lot to
me,” Martin said while
reflecting on his years of
membership which are now
coining to a close. “It has
taught me leadership and
public speaking skills as well
as the basics of farming
which I couldn’t have gotten
anywhere else.”
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Clair meat cutter for a Lancaster County butchering firm, is one of
22 Pennsylvania FFA members who will receive the American Farmer Degree in
Kansas City next week.
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 4,1978—113
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