From Cattle Shows to Capitol Hill
by Emily Reames
Josie Wilkins
Arkansas FFA President | Lamar, Arkansas
Supervised Agriculture Experiences: Beef Production, Poultry Production, Vegetable Production
In the quiet town of Lamar, Arkansas, resides a young lady with an extraordinary commitment and enthusiasm for the agricultural community. This young lady is Josie Wilkins—the Lamar homecoming queen, a college freshman, and the President of the Arkansas FFA Organization.
Josie's incredible passion for agriculture is deeply rooted in her upbringing. She grew up on a 255-acre farm, where she learned the value of family, work ethic, and sustainable living. She and her three younger sisters helped their parents operate six Tyson Broiler houses, maintain a small cow-calf operation, and grow a garden each summer.
Josie's commitment to agriculture and advocacy was evident from a young age as she began showing livestock, inspired by her family tradition. "My uncles and mom showed cattle, and obviously, I want to be like them and win national championships like they did..." she recalled. She started showing goats but knew her "heart was always set on cattle." Josie got her first show heifer at nine, naming her Platinum after a Miranda Lambert album. "I started showing then, and I set my goals really high. Then I got my sisters into it, and we all showed many different breeds. I showed Maine-anjou, Chianina, and Simmental-Angus."
Like showing cattle, Josie knew she wanted to be involved in the FFA early on. "I started with the Creed," she said. "I was first exposed to FFA in kindergarten, and I learned the first competition I could compete in would be [reciting] the Creed." Remarkably, Josie memorized the FFA Creed in kindergarten, and the practice paid off when she competed as a high school freshman and finished third in the state. "It was a big accomplishment," she explained. "I am really competitive; I put a lot of effort into it and was looking forward to it for a long time." Encouragement from her mom, a former FFA Advisor, and Lindsay Triplett, a former FFA state officer who told her as a kindergartener, "Josie, you're going to be a great Arkansas FFA president one day," fueled her passion further. A fire ignited within her that led Josie to pursue a state office, lead conferences, and represent Arkansas FFA nationally.
After graduating from Lamar High School in 2024, Josie is now pursuing an Agriculture Communications degree. She is currently taking online courses through the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton to balance her education goals with her duties as Arkansas FFA President. She plans to transfer to the University of Arkansas later.
Her presidency is driven by a desire to be "very intentional and authentic." Josie hopes to foster lasting relationships with members, find solutions for critical issues in Arkansas agriculture, and build a legacy of agricultural representation.
Josie explained that the last sentence of the FFA Creed is one of her favorites. It reads:
"I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task."
She elaborated, "It is special to me because I'm very passionate about the state of Arkansas, the many industries here, and the people in my community. Finding ways and solutions to better the future of agriculture and all the different aspects of my community is something that I want to focus on now and as I get older."
Josie continued, "Agriculture runs the world, and no matter what level we are at, we all play a part in it. We have to increase the 2% [of people] who feed the 100."
Josie's enthusiasm for leadership and community service shines through in every aspect of her work, making her a true inspiration for future generations of agricultural leaders and a remarkable representative of the River Valley. She dreams of one day serving in the House of Representatives and growing in her endeavor of being a" voice for agriculture" in her beloved state of Arkansas.
Source: FFA Creed | National FFA Organization
Cover Photo: Barbara Jenkins, AVECC Multimedia Specialist
Other Photos Provided by Josie Wilkins