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Grayson Long,
President
grayson@supportvaffa.org
SAE(s):
My SAE project is in the area of sheep production entrepreneurship. I am the proud owner and operator of Long's Rockingham Dorsets, Southdowns and Commercials located in Rockingham County, Virginia. My flock consists of roughly 50-75 head whom I am responsible for their care, breeding, finances and management decisions. Lambs I raise that are not shown or kept as replacements are sold to other FFA and 4-H showmen in my area and the rest are loaded up and sold at my local stock sale.
Favorite CDE/LDE:
My favorite CDE is Meats Judging. Starting out as a middle school FFA member I always loved competing in stockmans contests, but the two stations that always scared me were meat identification and meats judging. It wasn't until I entered high school and began attending Massanutten Technical Center that I decided to face this fear and participate in the Meats Judging CDE. Through the diligent use of flashcards, practices led by my advisor and the assistance of many local butcher shops my teammates and I won the state meats judging contest this year and I was the high individual.
Favorite FFA Memory:
My favorite FFA memory was attending the Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education at Graves Mountain Lodge. I learned so much about cooperatives and how vital they are to our communities. The farm business feed store simulation we all participated in was very engaging and allowed us to compete with one another while learning how cooperatives function. Overall, it was a week full of learning, fellowship and delicious apple butter!
Future Plans:
Next fall I will be joining the Hokie family to major in Animal and Poultry Sciences and minor in Agribusiness at Virginia Tech. My goal is to one day pursue a career as a poultry/livestock nutritionist. By continuing my studies in Virginia I hope to expand my knowledge of the sustainable and crucial industry I have grown to know and love. After obtaining my degree I intend to put it to good use in Rockingham County and give back to the poultry and livestock farmers in my hometown who have shaped me into the person I am today.
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