Paul Oliver’s seven-year quest to become the second Future Farmers of America (FFA) American Star Farmer in his family came to fruition on Friday, October 25, 2024, when he won that coveted award at the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over 70,000 people attended the event. Amazingly, Paul’s father, Clint Oliver, age 57, was named National FFA American Star Farmer in 1989.
“I don’t think it has ever been done before,” said Paul, who is 22 years old. “Everyone I talked to said it was a first, but I haven’t seen anything in writing. I want to see the list of winners. It took a long time for those involved with the program this year to understand that there was a father-son connection that adds to the accomplishment. One lady who was interviewing me figured it out and asked how we were going to display the two awards, and I told her they would be side-by-side but mine would be just a little higher. Later, when I told Dad, he just grinned and said he had seniority.”
The American Star Awards, including Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement, and American Star in Agriscience are presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through competition of an SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience). Cargill, Case IH, John Deere, and Syngenta sponsor the FFA Degree recognition program and American Star Awards.
"Balancing the demands of school with the responsibilities of hog farming proved challenging in the early years, but my passion and dedication never wavered,” Paul said. “I seized the opportunity to purchase cattle and land. These new ventures have deepened my appreciation for the strong work ethic instilled by my parents and grandparents. I am grateful for the ability to diversify my income while continuing to derive fulfillment from daily work on the land that holds familial significance.”
LaNell Oliver, the mother and grandmother of the two national winners, was still trying to wrap her mind around the achievement on Monday, October 28.
“It was so great, but it was so nerve-racking. I thought he had a good chance, but at that level of competition, there’s no way to know how it will go. The competition was really strong, particularly the young man from Oklahoma, and I knew Paul would be so disappointed if he didn’t win. Then on top of that, I think I was the last one to find out about it. They wanted me to see it live as it was announced on stage, and there was an hour delay from when it was announced on the Farm Network until it would be live on stage. My phone was ringing with people calling from home to congratulate us, and I still didn’t know he’d won.”
“I still can’t believe it,” she continued. “To have a son and a grandson win such a national honor like this in agriculture that we all love is just unbelievable.”
Cleon Oliver, Paul’s grandfather, was unavailable for comment Monday because work on the farm waits on no one. But those who know him understand that, given an opportunity, his longest and most vociferous analogy would be something like, “That boy did good.” And, like the others, he would be unable to stop grinning.
Back in August, Paul was confident about his program, but he was worried about his interview skills. He even mentioned that he wished he had his grandmother’s ability to talk to strangers. Somehow, he overcame his shyness. He had about three minutes left on his 18-minute final interview, and with all the questions answered, his interviewers asked if he had anything else he wished to say.
“Well,” he said, “I’m sure some of you in here are Yankees and don’t know anything about pecans. I want to tell you about the pecan business.”
It should be noted that Paul said “pecans” instead of “pecons.” His standard response to the pecan-pecon pronunciation variation is, “we sell both, but pecons cost more.”
When LaNell heard about the “Yankee” comment, she said her heart almost stopped, and she worried he had blown the interview. Apparently, his interviewers did not view the comment as derogatory but rather an honest statement by an enthusiastic young farmer who wanted to let the world know about his Georgia pecans. The logic is simple. When one is searching for new markets, Yankees ought to be included.
His parents, Hope and Clint, were awarded honorary American Degrees. No doubt that is a normal practice that goes with the Star Farmer Award, but, in this case, it must be said it was an earned honor. While his official SAE is over a seven-year period, beginning as a freshman at Tattnall County High School, he actually started by following his grandfather, Cleon, and father, Clint, around the farm at a very early age, and Oliver Farms has the oldest registered Duroc hog herd in the United States, with 55 years of continuous production of registered Durocs. His mother, Hope, is the daughter of the late Jim Jordan of Jordan Farms. Hope now operates Jordan Farms, which specializes in pecan production and sales. Suffice to say, Paul learned good farming practices from the inside out along with a love for agriculture, so his practical SAE is much more than seven years. Additionally, there can be no doubt that his grandmother’s conversational skills eventually rubbed off on him, even though she would have probably addressed the interview committee a little more conservatively.
He made the most of the opportunity. He tweaked his hog operation by cross-breeding Durocs and Berkshires to develop a meat that excels in tenderness and taste, and he was able to develop ‘niche’ markets in which customers quickly became acquainted with the quality and safety of his operation, and they preferred his meat. He plans to turn that reputation for tasty, tender meat into a brand market.
Currently, his farming operation includes cattle and pecan farming that are part of the 134 acres of farmland he purchased from the Cox family in 2020 that provides diversification necessary to operate in an increasingly competitive landscape. Obviously, his plan impressed the judges.
Rodney Cool, Agriculture Instructor, FFA Advisor, and American Star Farmer Judge from Quincy High School at Quincy, Washington, sent this text to Paul Monday afternoon.
“Congratulations on your selection as the American Star Farmer. I hope this award and recognition will help take your farming operation to new levels as you continue to live out your dream. I was impressed with you during your interview, and I’m proud to have been part of your selection. You truly represent what we old school FFA Advisors believe an American Star Farmer should be. Keep up the good work, keep fighting the good fight, and good luck with your American Dream.”
Paul’s success on the national stage is in part a testament to his family’s love and dedication to agriculture, but it is also a feather in the cap for the Tattnall County High School Agriculture program. FFA Advisor Leigha Kirkley worked with Paul throughout the complicated process of compiling and submitting the necessary documentation for the National FFA Star Farmer project. It was no small task. Additionally, his success is a tremendous honor for the State of Georgia and Tattnall County. Georgia has had two final four candidates and two FFA National Star Farmer Award winners in the last 35 years, and those two candidates and winners are a father and son team from Reidsville, Georgia. No doubt, the late John N. Kunney, Sr., the regionally respected Agriculture teacher from Reidsville High School, who was working so diligently with Clint in 1988 when he won the award, is grinning from ear-to-ear. Like we say down in South Georgia, it just doesn’t get much better than this.
