Hinck wins Missouri FFA Diversified Crop Production Placement Proficiency Award

Travis Hinck

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 16, 2009 -- Travis Hinck of the Sweet Springs FFA Chapter, Sweet Springs Mo., received the second place of the Diversified Crop Production Placement Proficiency Award at the 81st Missouri FFA Convention, according to a news release from the state FFA organization.

Hinck, a graduate of Sweet Springs high school, and is the son of Greg and Donna Hinck. His FFA advisors are Brent Niemeyer and Kristen Fenner.

Following graduation Hinck has worked at many nearby farms assisting in crop production such as corn, soybeans, wheat, milo, sunflowers, and forage crops. In addition to row cropping, he also mowed, baled, raked, and transported hay. Following his high school graduation Hinck was hired by the South Fork Harvesters to harvest crops from Texas to Canada.

Hinck has participated in many state, and local FFA activities. Hinck won State FFA Proficiency awards in Grain Production Placement and Forage Production Placement as well as State FFA Livestock and Parliamentary Procedure Career Development Events

Hinck is currently working for an area farmer and hopes to return to the harvest crew during the spring.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Diversified Crop Production-Placement is one of 47 proficiency awards presented at state level and was sponsored by the Missouri Crop Improvement Association.

The Missouri FFA Association has 24,410 members representing 317 chapters. The national organization has over 507,000 members representing 7,439 local chapters in 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

The FFA Mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through an agricultural education, according to the news release.