INDIANAPOLIS — Carson Reiman of the Gothenburg FFA Chapter has added another national championship to his accomplishments at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo.
Reiman was named the national winner in Vegetable Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement on Friday, just one day after winning the National Prepared Public Speaking contest.
The Nebraska FFA state president earned the proficiency award for his supervised agricultural experience, Reiman Spuds, a business he started as a high school freshman.
“My original goal was just to do something that I liked,” Reiman said. “Reiman Spuds kind of started as a one-off conversation with my dad.”
Reiman said he enjoyed gardening as a child and often took responsibility for growing potatoes in his family’s garden. When he needed to develop a supervised agricultural experience for his high school agriculture classes, he decided to expand that interest into a business.
Through Reiman Spuds, he grew, marketed and sold potatoes, increasing production from 4,500 pounds in 2022 to 13,000 pounds in 2024.
Reiman said expanding his equipment and irrigation capabilities helped him increase production. He purchased a planter during his second year and later added a cultivator.
An early grant from the Nebraska FFA Foundation also played an important role in getting the operation started.
“I received an SAE grant my freshman year, and that’s what really helped me kick off Reiman Spuds,” Reiman said.
He used the grant to purchase a potato digger through BigIron Auctions, allowing him to harvest his first crop and reinvest earnings into additional equipment.
Although Reiman has moved on from operating the business himself, Reiman Spuds continues under the direction of his younger sister, Brooklynn Reiman.
“She is now taking over Reiman Spuds and she’s got a contract with the grocery store still, and she’s been selling direct to consumer,” Reiman said.
His sister has also taken over the business’s social media accounts.
National FFA proficiency awards recognize members who develop specialized skills through supervised agricultural experiences, including entrepreneurship, employment and research.
Reiman said winning a national proficiency award was never part of his original plan.
“When I initially started, I didn’t know vegetable production was even a specific category you could win in,” Reiman said. “So making it to this level has just been a dream come true for me.”
Looking ahead, Reiman hopes to pursue a career in agricultural sales and eventually operate his own seed dealership.
National FFA Convention coverage made possible by the Nebraska FFA Foundation and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
