Showing livestock with Arroyo Grande FFA may be considered an extracurricular, however the process begins in the classroom with a student’s academic standing in the Agriculture department.
As the spring semester begins, the ag department is preparing for the arrival of livestock on and off campus. Students who wish to show livestock with the Arroyo Grande FFA chapter are required to maintain good academic standing and attendance.
“ We follow the privilege system rules, we follow the school rules, no D’s or F’s in any ag classes, and no averages below a 2.0” Lacee Holloway said.
In addition to the Academic minimum, students must be in good standings within the school’s privilege system to be eligible to show with Arroyo Grande FFA. If a student loses privileges during the time that they have their animal they will be granted a set period to make change. If no changes are made, the student risks not being allowed to show with the FFA chapter and if the animal is housed on school grounds the student will be asked to take their animal home.
Agriculture advisors at AGHS include: Shannon Lemons, Lacee Holloway, Sara Carney, and Josh Rodrigues. Currently all of the ag advis
ors are starting to check grades, ensuring all students are eligible before they purchase livestock.
Lemons is in charge of small stock, which includes chickens, meat rabbits, and turkeys. She currently has one student showing chickens, two showing turkeys, and two showing rabbits. All of these animals are eligible to be kept on campus. Small stock animals usually arrive around May.
Holloway is the cattle advisor, which includes beef cattle and replacement heifers. She currently has five students showing cattle, all five have beef steers and one has a heifer also. Cattle are not kept at the school farm, all of the students already have their animals and are preparing to work with them.
Carney advises students showing sheep and goats. Currently there are 15 students signed up to show sheep and one signed up to show a goat. Of these 16 students 14 will keep their animals at the school farm and two will be off campus. Sheep usually arrive on the school farm between mid March and early April.
Rodrigues is responsible for students showing pigs. He has 20 students signed up to show swine. Of the 20 students showing swine, 10 will be off campus, and 10 will be on campus in the brand new pig barn that was built this year. Students on and off the school farm typically receive their pigs in March.
