Friday Feeders is presented by FNBO – The Great Big, Small Bank.
Two Nebraska FFA members are offering a glimpse into the future of the beef industry: one rooted in stewardship of the land, the other in building a cattle business from the ground up.
Ericka Larsen of the Burwell FFA Chapter and Jaelin Wolfinger of the S-E-M FFA Chapter were named 2026 proficiency award winners in beef production for their supervised agricultural experiences – Larsen in placement and Wolfinger in entrepreneurship.
Though their projects take different paths, both point to a shared goal: sustaining and growing the beef industry for the next generation.
Ericka Larsen: Burwell FFA Chapter
Larsen’s supervised agricultural experience is based on her family’s Sandhills ranch, where she handles a wide range of responsibilities, from cattle work to conservation program management.
“My SAE is far beyond just the classroom,” Larsen said. “It started when I was a little girl… and now it’s everything from tagging calves and treating cattle to haying, fencing and managing the Conservation Stewardship Program.”
That program, a five-year federal initiative, includes 42 practices such as grazing management, soil sampling and controlled burns. Larsen said stepping into that role as an eighth grader was daunting.
“Right away I was like, ‘gosh, I don’t know if I can do this program because there’s just so much paperwork,’” she said. “But looking back now… I’ve definitely grown in confidence in myself and the abilities that I have.”
Her work has also reshaped how she views ranching.
“You think of ranching as cattle and it’s beyond that,” Larsen said. “It’s the land and taking care of what you have so that it works for you.”
Jaelin Wolfinger: S-E-M FFA Chapter
Wolfinger’s project focuses on the business side of beef production, building an operation with three profit centers: show heifers, a growing cow herd and feeding cattle through 4+ Feeders, her family’s feedlot near Lexington.
That effort began with a $30,000 loan from her grandfather, Jim Poorman.
“It was pretty scary,” Wolfinger said of starting in seventh grade. “But being able to have that support from my grandpa Jim Poorman… really inspired me to continue to feed the world.”
Now a freshman at Kansas State University, Wolfinger plans to continue expanding her operation while helping producers adopt new tools and technologies.
“There is so much new technology in the agricultural industry,” she said. “I’d really love to bridge that gap to help producers become more financially efficient.”
She said one of the biggest challenges ahead is rebuilding the nation’s cow herd after years of drought-driven liquidation.
“I think the biggest challenge… is the low number of cows,” Wolfinger said. “But I think that we can take that on.”
While Wolfinger focuses on growth and innovation, Larsen keeps her eye on stewardship and legacy.
“I just think that ranching is important. I think the beef industry is important,” Larsen said. “I want to continue to carry on the legacy of the industry.”
