“How did you end up here?”

The reasons are endless. The paths that lead to the same end point of people raising Angus cattle are as diverse and spread out as the ranches they inhabit across this country.

So in the spirit of National #FFAweek we thought you may like to hear from one rancher, in particular, who answers that question with the famous motto.

It seems it was less than 57 years ago that Norman Garton walked the freshman halls of Nevada High School in the southwest Missouri county where he was born and raised. A childhood spent on a dairy instilled his love for livestock but it was FFA that catapulted his diverse career, spanning decades.

“I joined FFA as a freshman and got to serve four years in the organization,” Norman recounts. “I think it had quite an impact because I could go to some of the local association sales. That’s the way I bought my first black, registered Angus heifer.”

Foreshadowing a lifetime of success, Norman excelled in his high school chapter. Serving as treasurer, vice president and president he “came up through the ranks” and continued his education at the University of Missouri, culminating with a degree in veterinary medicine, and later opened a practice in Nevada. That was after a two-year stint in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, and before a 13-year career as a food safety inspector for USDA.

“I went ahead and did an awful lot in the FFA chapter,” Norman says. – He earned the prestigious American FFA degree while working for a local Angus rancher – “After I got in FFA, I would buy a heifer here or there and borrowed his old truck in the summer time to go to shows and fairs.”

All the while, Norman raised Angus cattle, emulating his employer.

“I saw him raising and selling registered bulls and that was the thing I thought I would like to do.”

So he did. In 1971, alongside a young veterinary practice and rearing two boys with wife Vicki, he began building their herd. Last year 166 registered Angus calves were born. The Gartons have been collecting data for more than 40 years.

Aiming for quality. They’ve had the high net profit group of cattle in their last two feedouts. In November, their ranch was presented the Seedstock Producer of the Year award from the Southwest Missouri Beef Cattle Improvement Association. Their last set of steers qualified 80% for the Certified Angus Beef brand.

FFA was only the beginning. Something the 71-year-old rancher would recommend to today’s youth.

“I really loved traveling to the different contests. I enjoyed the judging. To me, just being able to associate with kids from other chapters, across the state, was really educational.”

Then there’s the legacy. Norman still visits with friends from his FFA days. His brother followed in his footsteps, his sons went through the same program and qualified for the national showmanship contest. A rare feat, his alma mater chapter won the 2015 Junior Stock Show competition and will represent the U.S. in Scotland in the spring.

His pride overflows.

“We will join behind those kids. It’s a real honor.”

“How did you end up here?”

Norman Garton’s story is one lined with achievement. At the center, FFA.

To those with similar stories and those with their own, together we tip our hats to an organization that has contributed to a passion that runs deep in our industry.

Happy National FFA Week!

Laura

PS – Almost one-third of our employees were involved in FFA in high school. Can you identify anyone?

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