by Abby Mueller, Wyoming FFA Secretary
Taylor West grew up in Brodas, Montana, for ten years on his grandparents ranch. He helped his family feed and worked with their chickens. He also helped his parents night calve and then he moved to Buffalo, Wyoming to go to school. When he hit high school, West’s supervised agriculture experience was sheep. He was involved in FFA and found a passion for FFA through the agriculture education department.
Taylor is currently working for Tractor Supply, and with this job there are a ton of people who don’t know what they need for their animals. That’s where he comes in and help them decide what their interested in or what may help their animals. He also considers what makes them the most profit in the long run. Whether that is nutrient or feeding to antibiotics and vaccination.
“Well, if you think about it you can’t have a country without agriculture. Ag education is the most important subject we could be teaching in school,” West says. “Students and future generations must know what ag is. Agriculture is by far one of the most important things that we need to advocate for. It’s something students should be excited to learn.”
West says his agriculture teacher, Mr. Evans, made him want to be better. Evans, says West, was the father figure he didn’t have in his life. Without him West wouldn’t have been as impacted by FFA .
“He put the fire in me to want to do ag and to be a better person,” West says.
West says there needs to be more advocating for agriculture. He feels that some FFA chapters aren’t very well supported.
“This is when we need to reach out to them and emphasize the importance of agriculture and that we are making better students and leaders for generations to come. Keep pushing, and keep saying how important agriculture is,” he urged. “Make sure that those programs who foresee cuts have a say.”
West chose to be an ag teacher because of the effect an ag teacher can have on his students.
“The inspiration that you can have is so immense and empowering. I want to be a apart of that change. I want to light a fire within a student that my ag teacher did with me and be a part of that change.”