Indiana resident finalist for National FFA award

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Ind. — Luke Schilling of Eastern Hancock FFA in east-central Indiana is a finalist for the American Star in Agribusiness award at the National FFA Convention & Expo.

Schilling produces and sells Big Doug’s Secret Seasoning, a family recipe turned into a successful business.

The other Star in Agribusiness finalists are: Benjamin Biros, Illinois; Wesley Winch, Wisconsin; and Jose Yepez, Texas.

Schilling shared his journey with AgriNews.

Q: Can you tell me a little about your FFA project and what led you to earn the Stars Over Indiana recognition?

A: My FFA project is Big Doug’s Secret Seasoning which operates under a nonprofit organization called Season the Day LLC.

It started with my grandpa who started making the seasoning in a steakhouse and became a family recipe after the steakhouse stopped using it.

When I was 9, my youth pastor at church challenged us to raise money for Compassion International, an organization that raises money for children in need overseas for food, water and clothing.

Soon after, I started selling my seasoning and now support kids through Compassion International and World Vision on my own.

Additionally, I donate proceeds to several other organizations like FFA, 4-H and several other charitable organizations.

By the time I was a freshman and starting my supervised agricultural experience for FFA, I realized Big Doug’s was a perfect fit for the agricultural processing award area. I was then able to use it for the Star in Agribusiness.

I think what allowed my SAE to accomplish so much and have the honor of being a Star is I showed a lot of growth over the four years I was in high school. I started a website, selling seasoning online, getting into country markets and trying to expand the business to help those in need.

Q: What does it mean to you to have the opportunity to represent Indiana at the National FFA Convention?

A: I still don’t think it has set in yet what it means for me to represent Indiana at the national convention. FFA has been such a large part of my life — and, honestly, I never really imagined myself being a Star in Agribusiness Final Four finalist.

My goal had always been to be one of the Stars over Indiana and when I found out I made the national final four I was kind of in shock.

The closer convention gets, the more I am realizing that I get the chance to not only represent myself and the seasoning business, but also all the people who have helped me get to this point.

My family, FFA advisers, fellow FFA members and Indiana FFA have been so helpful and supportive, so I’m pretty excited that I get the chance to represent them this year.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about being at the national convention?

A: The thing I’m most looking forward to this convention is taking it all in. Last year I had the chance to compete in the public speaking finals and kind of felt like it was the end of my FFA career.

Now I get the chance to have one more year and feel the same bittersweet feeling. I joke with my family that the Culver’s ice cream stand is usually the highlight of my national convention, but I think this year my highlight will be getting to experience it all one last time and share with the whole FFA organization a little bit of my own and family’s legacy through Big Doug’s Secret Seasoning.