GROWMARK Announces 2016 Iowa Essay Contest Winner

Trygve Lien of Castalia, Iowa, has been named the Iowa state winner of the 2016 GROWMARK essay contest for FFA members. The theme of this year’s contest was “What can young people to do ensure the sustainability of agriculture?”

In his contest entry, Lien said: “The current population of young adults must educate themselves about modern agriculture and its impacts on others. Young adults should also educate others who are not knowledgeable on the subject so there is a universal understanding of how agriculture works. We should also work with professionals in the industry to help learn about complex topics which can often be distorted in the media.”

Lien is a student at South Winneshiek CSD and a member of the South Winneshiek FFA chapter. His FFA advisor is Melissa Brincks.

As the contest winner, Lien will receive a $500 award from GROWMARK at the Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference, held in Ames during April. The South Winneshiek FFA chapter will also receive a $300 award in honor of his accomplishment to help future students.

Four state runners-up will each receive a $125 award. The runners-up and their FFA chapters are, in alphabetical order: Evan Boss, North Linn FFA, Central City, Iowa; Emily Hugen, Iowa Diamond Trail FFA, Monroe, Iowa; Mara Weis, East Union FFA, Afton, Iowa; and Taylor Wessling, Greene County FFA, Grand Junction, Iowa.

This is the 23rd year for the program, sponsored by the GROWMARK System and FS member cooperatives, in conjunction with state FFA leaders, to help young people develop their writing skills, learn about current issues in agriculture, and understand the unique role of cooperatives.

GROWMARK is an agricultural cooperative with annual sales of $8.8 billion (FY 2015 data) providing agronomy, energy, facility planning, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services in more than 40 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives. More information is available at www.growmark.com