Past Winners: Great Lakes Region

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2024 | 2023 | 2022

2024 Winner: Unionville-Sebewaing Area FFA

The Unionville-Sebewaing Area FFA recently received $10,000 from ACH Seeds’ 2024 Homegrown Giving program to construct an agricultural barn, expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students. The FFA chapter at Unionville-Sebewaing Area High School, with its growing membership of 100 students, is dedicated to offering valuable agricultural experiences and education to students in both communities.

Beyond the traditional classroom setting, the FFA chapter offers hands-on learning experiences encompassing all aspects of agriculture. This year, students have been engaged in raising market chickens with plans to expand from 100 to 250 birds. The chickens are donated to local blessing boxes, which support families in need around Thanksgiving. Each family on the list receives a harvested chicken along with other non-perishable food items from local organizations. Students involved in the project also take home a chicken, experiencing the entire farm-to-table process.

The Unionville-Sebewaing FFA group receives the check from the ACH Seeds sales team.

One of the FFA students prepares to show her chicken at the fair.

One of the FFA students gets ready to show his pig at the fair.

One of the FFA students prepares to show her cow at the fair.

Congratulations to Unionville-Sebewaing Area FFA

Watch the short video to learn more about this amazing organization!

Hear from the Winner

The Homegrown Giving donation will enable us to build a new barn, creating a dedicated space for experiential learning and to teach students responsibility.

Shannon Bowman Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor for Unionville-Sebewaing Area FFA

2023 Winner: Cass City Public Schools!

With the donation, Cass City Public Schools plans to sustain a school-based Class A CDL training program to help address the high demand for CDL drivers in the agriculture industry. Through the training program, students receive both a math credit and a Class A CDL certification. The school rents a truck and trailer each month while covering other costs such as fuel and insurance. Students pay for the online portion of the course and the fee for an online test. The donation will help fund the school’s CDL program and create a scholarship to pay the fees for students who complete the course. There are many success stories of Cass City Public Schools students who have completed the course that are now utilizing their CDL license in their current careers with a few of those students returning to agriculture. Twelve students are currently enrolled in the CDL course for this school year.

cass city public schools holding their $10,000 check

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The CDL program is a great way for students to gain experience to prepare them for jobs in agriculture. The Homegrown Giving donation will allow us keep the program running and connect more students with farmers who are struggling to find truck drivers so we can help their operations thrive.

Adam Dorland CDL Course Instructor at Cass City Public Schools

Every Award Winner Has a Different Story

Watch to learn more about the 2023 Homegrown Giving Award Winner for the Great Lakes Region.

2022 Winner: Ubly FFA

To kick off our Homegrown Giving program in 2022, we focused our giving in the Great Lakes region of Michigan. The recipient of our first year’s donation was the Ubly FFA Chapter of Ubly, Michigan. Ubly FFA is in Michigan’s sugarbeet-producing region and serves 155 students from Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties. Nearly half
of its members come from families whose livelihood is attributed to
the sugarbeet industry.

Ubly FFA holding their $10,000 check.

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We were honored to be both nominated and selected for this generous award.
This monetary donation will have a positive impact on our students, program
and community by allowing us to expand our current programs and offer new
leadership opportunities.

Melissa Kramer Ubly FFA Advisor