Landon Haney earned one of the top awards at the National FFA Convention.

Submitted photo

NDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Arcanum graduate and Arcanum MVCTC FFA Member Landon Haney has been named American Star in Agribusiness during an onstage ceremony at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Ind.

The American Star Awards represent the best of the best among thousands of American FFA Degree recipients. The award recognizes FFA members who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies by completing a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). An SAE is a required activity in FFA and allows members to learn by doing. Members can own and operate an agricultural business, intern at an agricultural business, or conduct an agriculture-based scientific experiment and report the results.

The lessons, experience, and mentorship that FFA exposed Landon Haney to helped him launch and grow his own successful business, Haney’s Mowing and Landscaping, LLC, and launch his career in high school. What began as completing small lawn care and leaf cleanup jobs has turned into a 7-person operation offering hardscaping, drainage solutions, gravel grading, sod and seeding, and snow removal.

“The experience of starting a business from scratch has impacted my future because I know now that there is no limit on what I can accomplish in my life,” says Haney. “Becoming a business owner allows me to be a well-rounded individual in society and learn multiple types of skill sets.”

He takes pride in employing six individuals and providing them with valuable income, and he takes that management responsibility to heart. Haney was the first business owner under 18 in the state of Ohio to offer a Worker’s Compensation Policy. He hopes to continue growing the business and transition from owner/operator to manager of a larger operation with many more employees. Haney gives back to his community in more ways than just employment opportunities, including donating landscaping services to his school’s athletic fields.

About the American Star Awards

Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, four FFA members are honored with American Star Awards for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education.

The American Star Awards, including American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience, are presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of an SAE. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows students to learn by doing, by either owning or operating an agricultural business, working or serving an internship at an agriculture-based business, or conducting an agriculture-based scientific experiment and reporting results.

Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.

Sixteen American Star Award finalists from throughout the U.S. were nominated by a panel of judges, who interviewed the finalists this fall. Four were named winners during this year’s 97th National FFA Convention & Expo, which was held in Indianapolis. Winners received cash awards. Cargill, Case IH, John Deere and Syngenta sponsor the American FFA Degree recognition program and the American Star Awards.

Visit FFA.org/Stars for more information about the American Star Awards.

The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,027,200 student members as part of 9,235 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.