Ellaree Rockey, a member of the Sargent FFA chapter, was awarded gold as the state winner for the Colorado FFA Entrepreneurship- Swine Production proficiency. She will receive this award at the Colorado FFA State Convention in June, 2024 and will then represent the state as her proficiency moves on to the national level.
Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through their supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs), have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Nationally, students can compete for awards in nearly 50 areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. In an Entrepreneurship SAE, the member plans, implements, operates and assumes financial risks of ownership. In the swine production- entrepreneurship category the member owns an enterprise that applies the best management practices available to efficiently produce and market swine and their raw products.
Ellaree’s SAE is based around her swine breeding business. Within this SAE she takes responsibility in feeding, doctoring, breeding and all aspects of raising swine. She started off her business in 2021 with one bred sow within that year she farrowed out one litter. Throughout the past three years she has had a total of four litters.She has sold two sows and acquired more to increase the production of her herd. She currently owns two sows, one of them being a purebred berkshire, and one a crossbred. After she farrows out litters she raises the piglets for show. She sells some piglets to other kids involved in 4-H and FFA so that they can have projects to show during the summer. During the off season of showing she keeps the litters of piglets from feed to finish and sells them for market. Ellaree plans on continuing her business for the rest of her FFA career and after high school.