Clarion FFA students return, start in beef production

The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows school district has an active National FFA Organization chapter which is helping young people develop leadership skills and promoting agricultural education. Though the skills gained through FFA can help grow individuals going into any career, some of these students do intend to go directly into agriculture—and are succeeding. Two young Clarion area farmers, Ryan Anderson and Knuton Severson, have recently started in the beef stock business and are selling their beef at Clarion’s That Iowa Girl store. Both producers participated in FFA and were local chapter president in different years.

Collette Johnson, owner of That Iowa Girl, specializes in food products from Iowa, but she stocks a few products specifically from Wright County: aronia berries, wines from the Dome Winery, and Hunter’s Purple Ribbon Beef. However, this is the first time that she knows of that she’s worked with young farmers fresh out of the FFA. “Here we have two of our young future farmers coming back to Clarion and producing delicious, healthy beef,” she said. “I’m just impressed that we’ve got young people back here and wanting to establish a business in stock.”

Anderson started working on his business, Anderson Cattle Company, in September, after having wanted to get into stock his whole life. “It’s kind of always been in the family,” he said. When a local farmer was going to retire his beef business, Anderson thought it purchasing it would be the perfect opportunity to get started.

Severson, on the other hand, didn’t grow up wanting to raise livestock. “I really wanted to leave and go to a big city, and after I did that for nine months, I realized I didn’t want that,” he said. While completing a turf internship with the Seattle Seahawks in Washington, he got a close look at the area’s farmer’s markets and farm-to-fork culture. He realized he could be part of the local food scene close to home.

For the full story, see the February 9 edition of the Monitor.