Caleb Simpson says joining FFA showed him more about agriculture
BOLIVAR, MO. – Growing up, Caleb Simpson was no stranger to the agricultural way of life. He didn’t live on a farm, but his grandparents, Billy and Kay Dryer, own a Polk County, Mo., Century Farm, where Caleb spent a great deal of time helping out with the cattle operation.
When he reached high school, his mother suggested he take an ag class.
“I helped out on the farm, and I just always considered it what you do,” Caleb said. “I never thought of it as a career for me. My grandparents’ farm is all I knew about agriculture, and I didn’t think that was a path I wanted to go down.”
Caleb, the son of Alan and Sandy Simpson, enrolled in an ag class and joined FFA at Bolivar (Mo.) High School and things began to change for him and his perception of agriculture.
“I got about five months into my FFA experience when the world got shut down,” Caleb said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I didn’t get to engage with classmates or with other schools, which probably would have gotten me more involved, but it was my freshman year, and we were diving into FFA knowledge, so I was taking that at my own pace. The time I had to really dive into that let me take a break from my other classes.
“I didn’t realize how big the agriculture industry is and all the things agriculture offers that I can tailor to what I want to do in my life, things I enjoy, and I can go back to the farm and raise cattle. It’s a blessing to have such a flexible industry.”
Caleb’s agriculture and FFA world grew when the world reopened in his sophomore year.
“That’s when I really started getting involved in state events in FFA,” he recalled. “Each summer, there are different camps, from exiting freshmen to seniors. The one I would have done as a freshman didn’t happen because of COVID, but then I went to the Missouri Agribusiness Academy.”
At the academy, Caleb learned there was a thriving agricultural business community in Missouri.
“It really changed my mind,” he said. “It didn’t hit me how FFA could impact my life and the opportunities I can have there until the end of my sophomore year.”
Caleb began to thrive in the FFA environment. He became part of his chapter’s leadership team, holding offices of sentinel, reporter and president. He also served the Area 10 Association as president. Caleb competed in extemporaneous speaking events, and was named the state champion in the Young Farmers/Young Farm Wives speaking contest.
Now a freshman at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying agribusiness management, Caleb continues his FFA experience as a state vice president of the Missouri FFA Association.
“The first time I went to National Convention was at Lucas Oil Stadium,” he recalled. “I watched the national officers speak and thought, ‘Holy smokes.’ It was the coolest thing, but I didn’t think I could do something like that. I was one of those people who idolized them.
“I think what really got me interested in state office was State Convention in 2021; that was the year we had it in Sedalia. I was there with my entomology team (which earned a state championship) to pick up our plaque and walk across the stage. We were in the back row of the convention center, and there was a tap on my shoulder. It was (then State Officer) Kaylee Lower from Weaubleau. She had a conversation with us, and the interaction she had with us made us feel seen and appreciated; I wanted to be that person.”
Running for a state office in the Missouri FFA Association requires a great deal of time and preparation, which Caleb drove straight into.
“I really enjoyed feeling like I had something to put my time into. It felt like there was so much opportunity in state officer interviews, and any effort put into studying and efforts put into studying for the interview would pay off for me even if I weren’t selected,” Caleb said. He discovered a week before the 2022-2023 Missouri FFA Convention that he would be an incoming officer.
“It was an incredible moment,” he recalled.
Being a state officer and a college freshman keeps the 19-year-old busy, but Caleb enjoys his duties, including chapter visits, leadership conferences and other activities.
“It’s been a life-changing experience,” he said. “The biggest thing is just making the time. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so we can’t let it slip away. For me, it’s about organization.”
Caleb enjoys sharing his FFA and agriculture experiences, but he also enjoys learning those of others.
“Especially those who didn’t grow up around agriculture,” Caleb said. “In the Ozarks, most people, even if they don’t live on a farm, are vaguely familiar with the world around them, but it’s interesting when I’m at my dorm and meet people from Kansas City, St. Louis or Chicago. I explain what I do with the Missouri FFA, and they have a very different idea of agriculture; they think of cows, plows, and sows, but it is so much more. I have never had a malicious conversation about agriculture. I have found when you have those conversations, it’s mostly an open conversation.”
When working with young FFA members, Caleb emphasizes the broad scope of agriculture and FFA.
“There are so many things I wish I would have done in FFA as a freshman or sophomore; I didn’t realize they were there,” Caleb said. “Your advisor can write them on a whiteboard, but to have someone your age share their experiences would have been a total game changer. That’s something I try to focus on. Advisors typically ask me to speak to their Ag 1 or middle school classes. I think every workshop I’ve done has been on FFA experiences; that’s a lot to dump into a 15-minute session. If I can help them find one or two things, that’s a good primer to help them and their advisor pick up later.”
His passion for sharing the story of agriculture has also led him to the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation. Caleb is one of two students in the state to be named ambassador for the organization. As an ambassador, Caleb looks forward to participating in the annual M0FB trip to Washington, D.C., to advocate the organization’s policy priorities to lawmakers and agency leaders, as well as the Missouri Farm Bureau Legislative Day.
If someone had asked eighth-grade Caleb about joining FFA or becoming a leader in the state organization, Caleb would not have given it a thought.
“I only saw FFA as your SAE (Supervised Agriculture Experience), learning about cattle breeds in class and working on your farm,” Caleb said. “It’s been exciting to see the early outreach today, especially for those students who don’t have an ag background. I enjoy seeing students who aren’t traditional ag students get involved in FFA.”
Some students have joined FFA to help them in other areas, such as speech and debate, Future Business Leaders of America, and other competitive areas.
“They might not have ag backgrounds, but someone in their school has told them how to supplement with FFA,” Caleb added. “I love FFA, and it offers a ton of opportunities that can be used in so many ways.”
While Caleb has found other areas of agriculture to explore, he hopes he will eventually take the production agriculture lessons he has learned back to the family farm.
“I’ve been a part of the farm my whole life, and nearly all of my knowledge of production agriculture until college came from my grandpa. Alongside my parents, [my grandparents] have been my longest and staunchest supporters and my base,” Caleb said.
Like FFA, Caleb’s path is constantly evolving.
“If you would have asked me six months ago, I would have told you I wanted to go into agricultural law,” he said. “As someone who enjoyed speaking events in high school and is a big reader, and likes English, history and the humanities, getting to take those things I enjoy and apply them to agriculture is something I want. In the last six months, I’ve been able to be involved in different organizations, and I have gotten to see the ag policy process. That experience opened my eyes, and taking classes this semester in agriculture policy has been my favorite, so I’m looking at going into ag econ and working for a non-government agency.”
Caleb also said he would like to work in a congressional office one day, but he is doubtful he would run for public office.
