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Agricultural Proficiency Winners continued
Agricultural Services –
Entrepreneurship/
Placement
Ethan John Vander Wal – South Dakota
As a boy, Ethan John Vander Wal of the
Sioux Valley FFA Chapter in South Dakota
always wanted his turn on the tractor with
his dad and grandpa. He transformed that
love for tractors into a custom baling and
land rolling business. Vader Wal relies on
word of mouth and advertising in a local
paper to attract customers. In the upcoming
year, he hopes to bale 4,500 bales of
hay and corn and land roll 5,000 acres. He
is supported by FFA advisor Don Sutera.
This award is sponsored by Agricredit Acceptance
LLC and the National FFA Foundation.
Beef Production –
Entrepreneurship
Levi K. Zwirn – Colorado
Breeding beef cattle is a lifestyle for Levi K.
Zwirn of the Yuma FFA Chapter in Colorado.
In his constant pursuit to improve his
operation, he has increased his herd to 100
head of cattle, purchased a donor cow and
maintained detailed records. Zwirn raises
feeder calves in a feedlot separate from
his replacement females until the market
is at the best price to sell them. He is supported
by FFA advisors Lee Vetter and Brian
Cunningham.
This award is sponsored by Bayer Animal
Health and Nasco Division – Nasco International,
Inc.
Beef Production –
Placement
Evan W. Ibach – Nebraska
Evan W. Ibach’s great grandfather purchased
the Nebraska farmstead on which
his family raised cattle 92 years ago. The
operation is now expanding and Ibach is
actively involved in day-to-day operations,
staying especially attuned to herd health
and nutrition. Recognizing the importance
of genetics, the Sumner-Eddyville-
Miller FFA member also developed two
agriscience projects that focus on heat synchronization
and artificial insemination in
replacement heifers and mature cows. He is
supported by FFA advisor Boyd Bowder.
This award is sponsored by Midwest PMS and
the National FFA Foundation.
Dairy Production –
Entrepreneurship
Mitchell Krahn – Wisconsin
Mitchell Krahn’s dairy operation started with
three calves on his family’s farm in Wisconsin.
His herd has increased to 45 head of
registered Holsteins that he hopes to show
statewide in the future. Between caring for
his cows and his family’s cows, the Brillion
FFA member clocks in 50 hours of work per
week. Krahn supplements his on-the-farm
experiences with participation in the FFA
Dairy career development event (CDE). He
is supported by FFA advisor Gordie Gasch.
This award is sponsored by DeLaval, Inc. and
New Holland.
Dairy Production –
Placement
Erin Elizabeth Daninger – Minnesota
Erin Elizabeth Daninger of the Forest Lake
FFA Chapter in Minnesota is an enthusiastic
agricultural advocate when it comes
to her family’s 60-cow rotational grazing
operation. The close proximity of the
farm to the Twin Cities allows Daninger to
exhibit cattle and educate consumers at the
Minnesota State Fair. Daninger is equally
involved on the farm and does genetic
research on each cow in order to complete
registration papers and determine what
sires should be used to improve the herd.
She is supported by FFA advisors Michael
Miron, Robert Marzolf and Veronica Ward.
This award is sponsored by GEA Farm Technologies
and Kuhn North America.
Diversified Agricultural
Production –
Entrepreneurship/
Placement
Tyler Stanley Loschen – Illinois
Every Christmas, Tyler Stanley Loschen of
the Tri-Point FFA Chapter in Illinois anticipated
receiving more components to his
farm play set. His passion for agriculture
continued to grow, so much that his neighbors
offered to rent 160 acres of crop land
to him. Because his parents do not farm,
Loschen is very independent in managing
his operation, which required him to obtain
a $100,000 line of credit. He intends to
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