By: Ag. Report Mollie Goode
The FFA Supervised Agriculture Experience is shaping the future of agriculture through young entrepreneurs like Jacee Mckeel.
McKeel entrepreneurs SAE the “Little Red Barn,” which started in 2022 from her parents’ small flock and has since grown into much more. McKeel says she isn’t the traditional ag. kid, but with the help of her parents’ starter flock and her passion for FFA, she knew she had a good foundation to create a business.
Through her SAE, McKeel says she has grown a deep understanding of what it takes to run a business, but it’s also shaped her understanding of the impact small businesses like hers have on the community.
McKeel says that through learning her market and making connections with her community, she has been able to expand her flock by another 18 chicks and is planning to continue her entrepreneurship journey after high school.
As McKeel is looking toward the future, she is also remembering the past, and she says a key piece in the agricultural advocate journey has been the experience gained through her FFA chapter, which is why she wants to continue that momentum in college by making agriculture education a career.
McKeel says the past four years of her FFA experience has revealed a clear mission to educate the public about where their food and fiber come from.
