Ella Saal, of the Northwestern-Wayne FFA Chapter in West Salem, has been named a national finalist for the prestigious Dairy Entrepreneurship Agricultural Proficiency Award — an honor awarded to only four FFA members nationwide in each proficiency area.
This remarkable achievement reflects Ella’s commitment, passion, and expertise in dairy farming. As a partner in Saal Sisters Dairy, she works alongside her sisters to manage daily operations, including milking, feeding, vaccinating, and bedding. Through her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), Ella has recorded over 200 hours on the farm and has developed key life skills such as time management, responsibility, accountability, and problem-solving.
Over the course of her SAE, she has successfully raised and bred four cows and 11 heifers. Ella is currently in her second year at The Ohio State University, studying Animal Sciences, with future plans to expand her dairy operation to include youth outreach programs. T
he Agricultural Proficiency Awards recognize FFA members who apply classroom knowledge through hands-on experience in fields ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. These awards, given at local, state, and national levels, celebrate students who are actively building successful careers in agriculture which Ella is a prime example of the FFA’s mission
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Ella Saal named finalist for the Dairy Entrepreneurship Agricultural Proficiency Award
Reporting by Provided by Kaylee Cherry,Northwestern-Wayne FFA Chapter reporter / The Daily Record
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