Premier Select Sires awarded a total of $18,500 to 15 college students through the 2020 Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship competition. Two students received $2,500 scholarships through the Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship and the Wayne Dudley Scholarship. Thirteen other students received scholarships of $1,000-$1,500 in value.
Todd Allen of Glen-Toctin Farm, a 120-cow registered Holstein operation in Jefferson, Md., is the son of Jim and Lisa Allen. Todd received the Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship. He is a student at Virginia Tech studying Dairy Science with a minor in Agricultural and Applied Economics. Upon graduation, Todd hopes to combine his passion for the dairy industry and strong mathematical skills to work as a consultant for a precision dairy company. He would also like to eventually return to his family farm to help in some capacity.
Jesse Braun of Woodcrest Dairy, a 4,960-cow dairy in Lisbon, N.Y., is the son of Peter and Michelle Braun. Jesse received the Wayne Dudley Scholarship. He is a student at Columbia University studying Sustainable Development and Computer Science. Following completion of his undergraduate program, he hopes to leverage his work in the field of Sustainable Development as a path into law school to study Environmental Law. Through his future career, Jesse wants to facilitate communication between farmers and environmental agencies to help each group better achieve its goals.
Ryan Allen of Glen-Toctin Farm, a 120-cow registered Holstein operation in Jefferson, Md., is the son of Michael and Johanna Allen. He is a student at Frederick Community College majoring in General Studies. Ryan has been accepted to Penn State to study Animal Science, and after graduating he plans to work in the dairy industry so he can help dairy farmers succeed in all facets of their business.
Hannah Braun of Woodcrest Dairy, a 4,960-cow dairy in Lisbon, N.Y., is the daughter of Peter and Michelle Braun. She is a student at Cornell University studying Animal Science. Hannah plans to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and hopes to promote sustainable agricultural development along with animal and population health through her job.
Belle Dallam of Broom’s Bloom Dairy, a 50-cow registered Holstein dairy in Bel Air, Md., is the daughter of David and Kate Dallam. She is a student at Penn State studying Animal Science – Business Option. After graduating, Belle plans to return to her family’s dairy farm and restaurant, where she wants to help grow and improve their operations to reach full potential. Her family has recently begun building an on-farm processing plant to bottle their own milk, make cheese, and make ice cream. Belle also hopes to host farm open houses and tours so consumers can better understand the dairy industry.
Hannah Diehl of Musser Run Jerseys, a 350-cow dairy farm in McVeytown, Pa., is the daughter of Joseph and Kristin Diehl. She is a student at Penn State studying Animal Science. After graduating, Hannah would like to work in the dairy industry, specifically with Jersey cattle. She is also considering eventually returning to the family farm with thoughts of diversifying by pasteurizing milk, making ice cream, and making cheese.
Jenna Harnish of Harnish Farms, a 150-cow dairy farm in Ulster, Pa. is the daughter of Eric Harnish. She is a student at Penn State studying Toxicology/Pharmacology. After graduating, Jenna would like to begin actively practicing in the ambulatory care field of pharmacy. She wants to help people through her career, emphasizing the importance of farmer and rural community health while giving back to the agricultural organizations she has been associated with.
Morgan Krick of Arl-Ja Farm, a 220-cow dairy farm in Hamburg, Pa., is the daughter of Lynn and Sherrie Krick. She is a student at Delaware Valley University studying Agribusiness. After graduating, Morgan would like to pursue a career in the agricultural industry. She is currently exploring different career paths within the industry, and has an interest in Ag Insurance.
Emily Mikel of Mikelholm Holsteins, a 40-cow registered Holstein operation in Stafford, N.Y., is the daughter of John and Sue Mikel. She is a senior at SUNY Morrisville studying Dairy Management. After graduating, Emily plans to return to work with her parents on their dairy farm. She hopes to bring new ideas home to implement on their operation, and to expand the herd to 50 registered Holsteins within the next ten years. In addition to working on the farm, Emily would like to obtain a job with a bull stud, dealing specifically with genetic consulting and heifer inventory.
Gavin Rankins of DarLin Farms, a 95-cow dairy operation in Cusseta, Ala., is the son of Linda and Darrell Rankins, Jr. Gavin is a student at Auburn University studying Animal Sciences – Animal/Allied Industries. Following the completion of his education, Gavin plans to return to his family’s diversified dairy farm and increase the number of cattle. He also hopes to pursue new enterprises and expand their existing goat, chicken, guinea, and square-bale hay enterprises.
Daniel Rohrbaugh of Buffalo Valley Angus in Seven Valleys, Pa. is the son of Doug and Cathy Rohrbaugh. The Rohrbaugh’s currently have 23 head of registered Black Angus cattle. Daniel is a student at Kansas State University studying Agribusiness, and upon graduation, he plans to pursue a career in sales, possibly selling equipment, seed, or livestock. He would also like to give back to the Pennsylvania Junior Angus Association by serving as an advisor. He wants to continue breeding and raising Angus cattle and market them to 4-H and Junior Association members.
Melanie Showers of Showerdale Holsteins, an 80-cow dairy farm in Fredericksburg, Pa., is the daughter of Tim and Andrea Showers. She is a student at Penn State Berks studying Animal Science. After graduating, Melanie would like to be a herd manager or calf manager on a dairy farm in her home area. She would also like to stay involved in promoting the agriculture industry through organizations such as Penn State Extension, 4-H, and/or a local Dairy Club.
Bryce Windecker of Windex Farm, a 100-cow registered Holstein farm in Frankfort, N.Y., is the son of Dale and Deborah Windecker. He is a student at SUNY Cobleskill studying Agricultural Business. Upon graduation, Bryce plans to obtain a job involving farm finances so he can guide farmers and agricultural businesses in the right direction to help them prosper. He would also like to remain involved with his family farm.
Taylor Wolfe of Wolfes Powerline Dairy, a 400-cow registered Holstein operation in Milton, Pa., is the daughter of Ray Wolfe. She is a student at Penn State studying Animal Science. Upon graduating, Taylor would like to obtain a part-time job in agricultural sales or consulting so she can give back to the agricultural industry and help other producers. With the remainder of her time, she wants to remain involved with an active role on her family’s dairy farm.
Addie Womack of Clear Lake Farm in Hope, Ark. is the daughter of Russell and Stacy Womack. The Womack’s currently have 300 head of beef cattle. Addie is a student at Arkansas Tech University studying Agricultural Business – Animal Science, and after graduation she would like to pursue a master’s degree and then work in the cattle industry as a nutritionist. She is interested in working for a feed company developing and testing new products, or in a research position at a university.
The Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship program provides financial support to eligible college undergraduates in agricultural majors, and also provides additional return to the cooperative’s member-owners by supporting the next generation of young people desiring to study and work in the agricultural industry. The Premier Select Sires board of directors has made a commitment to providing money to support this scholarship program on an ongoing annual basis.
Premier Select Sires is a farmer-owned cooperative that serves beef and dairy producers in its 23-state member area. Dedicated to providing its members with all they need to achieve success, Premier provides:
- Industry-leading genetics from the Select Sires, Accelerated Genetics, and GenerVations brands
- Effective herd health and management products, as well as artificial insemination supplies
- Reliable services and programs backed by years of success
- Knowledgeable industry experts who are easily accessed for consultation, advice, and on-farm assistance
Together with its five sister cooperatives across the United States, Premier owns and controls Select Sires Inc., the world’s most recognized name in bovine genetics.
