Name: Tanner Pace
Parents: Randy and Sherry Pace
FFA Chapter: West Plains High School
How are you involved in agriculture?
"My family has been farming for three generations. Once I joined the West Plains FFA I became even more involved. A couple of years ago my dad and I bought two combines and we run those every year. I also work for him and my uncle on the farms. Currently I own about 20 Angus based cows and sell heifers through the Show-Me Select Program."
What are benefits of selling through the Show-Me Select program?
"It’s a little extra income than just selling the heifers at weaning through the sale barn. We keep them an extra year and they get extra feed, but it’s a very good value added program. The heifers that go through the sales are usually very gentle because they get hand fed each day and it really is a win-win for the seller and buyer."
Who is your role model?
"My dad and both grandpas. They have showed me and taught me everything I know about farming. What I do and how I do it is based on what they have done and taught me. This is a 3rd generation operation with about 560 acres and 140 momma cows. Right now we have 60 heifers and we put up about 2,000 bales of hay each year. Everything I do on the farm is based on what they have done and their experiences in the past."
What are your future plans?
"I’d like to attend college at the University of Missouri in Columbia and major in ag engineering or get an ag business degree. I still plan to do my part on the farm and hope to be able to come back and farm after college."
By Stephanie Moody
