Dalton Melton
Parents: Jon and Valerie Melton
Hometown: Yellville, Ark.
School: Yellville-Summit High School, Yellville, Ark.
Age: 16
FFA Advisor: Rick Zeigler
How are you involved in agriculture?
I help on my family’s farm. And then here at the school I help at the greenhouse. I stay after school and help plant. I help in the school’s Ag shop as well. Out on the farm I help feed cows in the winter and in the summer, get ready for the next year with the farming and fencing, and give the animals all their meds and doctoring for the winter. I’m also the president of the Ag Club here.
Why do you like agriculture?
I believe agriculture is a thing that I liked when I was a kid, like working on the farm and helping my dad, and I just feel like I’m supposed to go on with our agricultural pursuit. It’s what we need in the world to raise for others and for our families, to raise crops.
What goals do you have, as it relates to agriculture?
Personal goals, even if I don’t go on to be something in agriculture, I’ll always have my farm for extra money. Hopefully I’ll always do something in agriculture. I’ve thought about being in agricultural education. Anything in agriculture, I would love to do. I haven’t got one specific thing in mind yet.
If you had to pick one person, who do you think has been the most influential in your life, up to this point?
I would have to say Erica Morris or Mr. Zeigler. Erica Morris is my 4-H leader and Mr. Zeigler is the Ag teacher here at Yellville.
If you had the power to change anything about agriculture, how would you change it?
I would like to see more small-time farmers, just mom-and-pop farms, receive grants to help them stay alive and be able to run, instead of having a bunch of big corporations running it. I’d like for the kids to grow up on the farm, too.
