Five Fairfield FFA members have earned the Iowa FFA State Degree, the highest honor awarded by the state association.
The degree recognizes members for exceptional dedication to agriculture through leadership, community service, and a strong Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program. Recipients must complete extensive coursework, demonstrate active FFA involvement including earning their chapter degree, and achieve significant earnings and hours in their SAE.
Fewer than 5% of Iowa FFA members receive this prestigious degree each year, making it a significant achievement. With Iowa FFA membership totaling more than 20,000 students across the state, the award represents a small fraction of total membership.
The degree will be presented at the 98th Iowa FFA Leadership Conference in Ames, held April 19-21. More than 7,000 FFA members and guests from across the state will gather to learn about careers in the agriculture industry, compete in various events, and shape the future of the Iowa FFA Association.
2026 Fairfield Recipients
Brock Atwood
- SAE: Agricultural placement
- Future Plans: Attend Kirkwood Community College
Jackson Hollander
- SAE: Agricultural placement
- Future Plans: Attend college to study agriculture
Benji Hunter
- SAE: Natural resources
- Future Plans: Attend community college
Emily Short
- SAE: Food science
- Future Plans: Attend college for early education
Natalie Steele
- SAE: Beef placement
- Future Plans: Attend college and play tennis
Congratulations to all five recipients on this outstanding achievement.
Photos courtesy of Elly Stremsterfer. Information courtesy of Mallory Mahon.
