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NMCC student named FFA Star in Agribusiness
NEW MADRID, Mo. -- As the sun rises above Southeast Missouri's fertile farmland lighting up the rows of corn plants before her, Mercade Campbell walks a steady pace. Pausing she checks plants along the rows for any signs of disease. Above the plants, Campbell sweeps a net, identifying each entrapped bug, determining if it is beneficial or a predator.
Then Campbell stops as a deer picks its way from the nearby fence row onto the edge of the field. Cambell watches the deer and the deer gazes at her before bounding away.
For Campbell, this point in crop scouting is her moment of zen.
"I love being outdoors," she explained about her work. "It is peaceful. It gives me time to think about what I need to. And you have got beautiful scenery around you."
But crop scouting for Campbell is more than a moment to observe nature.
The job is paying for her car and provides the money for her apartment. This fall, the 2016 New Madrid County Central High School graduate will use her profits to pay for her college education.
It also earned her recognition as one of the top Missouri Future Farmers of America. Campbell is one of 16 students statewide named a FFA Star in Agribusiness.
The award is presented for outstanding achievement in work experience in an agricultural business as part of student's supervised agricultural experience program and active participation in FFA. Campbell was recognized at the 88th Missouri FFA Convention, where she also was presented with her state degree in agriculture.
Campbell, the daughter of Walter Campbell of Canalou and Jamie Calbert of Sikeston, learned about crop scouting as a sophomore. At that time she and her father, a manager with GreenPoint Ag, were approached about the scouting program.
Campbell, who described herself as really into agriculture, readily agreed. For three weeks, she squeezed nightly classes in between attending school and playing on the Central Eagles softball team, then headed home to do homework and catch a few hours of sleep.
"It was fun," said Campbell about the classes. "It was interesting because you got to talk to different people. The specialist of each thing came and talked to us."
Initially Campbell and her father scouted for GreenPoint Ag. The next year she established her business, Cade's Scouting.
In 2015, Campbell scouted approximately 1,200 acres of corn, cotton and soybeans for Bootheel farmers. This year, she is continuing her work, initially heading out to the fields after school and before her second job at a local restaurant in New Madrid. With graduation on May 9, Campbell now goes to the fields early in the morning before heading to her newest job. (She earned her certified nursing assistant certification at Central enabling her to work in a hospital or nursing home.)
According to Campbell her interest in agriculture was encouraged by her father. Starting her freshman year at Sikeston High School, she joined FFA and that October when she transferred to New Madrid County Central, she found herself in class with then new agriculture instructor Ellen Amos, who is also the school's FFA adviser.
"She was one of my students who really embraced it from the beginning," Amos recalled. "She was willing to do anything and everything, always participating in activities and willing to go above and beyond to hone her skills. That is so important in the FFA realm."
Over her four years in FFA, Campbell served as the chapter's vice president and president. She attended the state convention in Columbia, the national convention in Louisville, Ky., and FFA Camp at the Lake of the Ozarks as well as a Washington Leadership Conference. For three years, Campbell participated in the fall public speaking contest and was named the area winner for completed record book-entrepreneurship.
In addition, Campbell was a member of the high school orchestra, SkillsUSA, Future Business Leaders of America and played high school softball and with an independent team.
Amos, who joined Campbell in the crop scouting course, encouraged Campbell as she developed her business. Amos said in the back of her mind, she realized the Star in Agribusiness honor was something Campbell could achieve.
Crop scouting, Amos said, is a unique business and one that a lot of people don't understand.
Campbell checks the soil each week and sends samples to a lab for nutrient analysis. She takes samples of plant tissue and checks fields for insects.
Her work includes relaying her information to farmers to aid in proper management practices including pesticide and herbicide applications, fertilizer recommendations and water needs.
As part of her business, she kept track of mileage, costs and payments. Campbell said she learned about money management as crop scouts aren't paid until the season ends.
According to Amos, 2 percent of Missouri's FFA students earn the state degree in agriculture, a process she called extremely competitive. Only those with a state degree in agriculture are eligible for to be named a Star in Agribusiness.
Campbell was chosen to represent Area 16's 19 FFA chapters from an application process. At the state level she went through an additional interview about her business.
Although she knew she had worked hard, Campbell admitted to her surprise when they announced her as Area 16 Star in Agribusiness.
She is the first student from New Madrid County to attain a state degree in agriculture in 17 years, Amos said, who went on to describe her student earning the Star in Agribusiness as a real milestone for Campbell and the local FFA chapter.
Campbell intends to stay active in FFA.
"There is something about agriculture that gets to me. I guess because I grew up in the small town of Canalou," she said. "Being in FFA taught me how to be independent and how you can work as a group."
This fall at Three Rivers College, Campbell will minor in agriculture and major in nursing. In two years, she plans to transfer to Arkansas State.
But already, she has learned a lot of life lessons.
"I've learned I need to work hard to get what I want in life and to try, actually try to do stuff on my own instead of depending on my parents or my grandparents or anybody," she said. "If you work hard you achieve what you need to in life."