Fugate selected as American Star in Agriscience finalist

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — It was her first time at the National FFA Convention as a freshman that sparked Maddie Fugate’s interest in competing in the Agriscience Fair.

“It all started as a passion for swine and wanting to not only compete in the Agriscience Fair, but also find solutions that would work in our industry,” said Maddie Fugate, a member of the Mahomet-Seymour FFA Chapter.

“I thought it was so interesting that kids my age were competing at the national level and also because I loved science through middle school,” Fugate said. “It is one of my favorite subjects because you have the real-world application of labs and hands-on experience.”

After seven years of completing agriscience projects, Fugate has been selected as one of four finalists for the American Star in Agriscience award and will be honored during the 93rd National FFA Convention.

The Star winner will be announced on Oct 28 during the evening session of annual event that will be held virtually this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Being named a finalist is an experience like no other,” said the daughter of Eric and Julie Fugate. “It didn’t feel real until I got an email and I knew it was really happening so it wasn’t a dream anymore.”

Fugate got the idea for her first agriscience project from a phone call her dad had with a veterinarian.

“They were talking about (porcine epidemic diarrhea) virus, biosecurity and vectors which was a foreign concept to me,” she said. “Once they explained that a vector is a mode of transportation for a disease to get on a farm, I was intrigued.”

The first project Fugate completed evaluated the effectiveness of reducing the transmission of PED on truck tires by using a disinfectant, washing with water or both.

“That morphed into my project for the next six years,” she said. “I focused on biosecurity in the swine industry and used PED as a model to try to figure out what would work.”

One of Fugate’s projects was a partner study.

“That was as big change of pace because I had to learn how to work as a team,” she said. “It taught me so much because my partner was not involved in the swine industry, so I had to explain things that I took for granted and knew from a young age.”

Fugate’s family operates a small farm where they raise cattle and pigs.

“I started showing livestock when I was 2 years old,” she said. “We raise livestock for our own exhibition and to sell to 4-Hers and FFA members from across the nation.”

Competing in the agriscience fairs is one of Fugate’s favorite FFA activities not only because she was learning things, but also because she shared her results with people that are not familiar with swine diseases.

“I had to take stuff that I have extensive knowledge about and translate that into a better understanding for others,” said Fugate, who is advised by Jennifer Wherley. “That was challenging, but in a rewarding way.”

In addition, Fugate has also enjoyed competing in prepared and extemporaneous public speaking events.

“These contests hold special places in my heart,” she said. “I was giving speeches in junior livestock organizations before I joined FFA.”

Fugate attended Lake Land College, where she was a member of the livestock judging team, before transferring to Iowa State University, where she is now a senior studying agricultural business.

“I would like to go to grad school to study the economic impact of herd health,” Fugate said. “There’s always a cost associated with disease from increased biosecurity practices or from losses because of a lack of biosecurity practices.”

For more information about the 93rd National FFA Convention and Expo, go to www.ffa.org.