South Dakota Soybean Association Executive Director Jerry Schmitz hails from the Elk Point FFA Chapter in the southeastern corner of the state. Schmitz says giving back to the community was a highlight of his FFA career. “We did a number of things for the community including projects in Elk Point. The more I learned in FFA, the more excited I got.” Schmitz served on the 1974-1975 South Dakota State FFA officer team and credits his time in the blue jacket for giving him the skills to succeed in his career path. “One thing that really stands out to me is the things that I learned in FFA, such as the conduct of meetings, how to do things efficiently, and being comfortable speaking publicly, those things are the foundation of what I do today.” View the full interview here.
