Whitney Glazier is big on farming despite her small stature.
“I am not a very big young lady,” Glazier said. “I am 5’1” and I’m very petite.”
However, her size has never stopped her from chasing success. That success was showcased on Friday at the 2023 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis when she was named the 2023 American Star in Ag Placement. Ahead of the National FFA Convention- Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays sat down with Whitney- click here for that conversation.
As a member of Lomega FFA in Oklahoma, Glazier is a fifth-generation farmer with a three-part supervised agricultural experience (SAE) — she raises crops on her family farm, she worked at a veterinary clinic for over two years and she is currently working at Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) agronomy station to research plant science.
“I’m the fifth generation,” Glazier said. “It’s in our blood to want to do this, to be involved in agriculture. It’s just something that’s been instilled in me, and my passion for agriculture is what keeps me going.”
Glazier said her family’s long history in the agriculture sector is what she’s most proud of, especially after a recent tragedy. Her father passed away in June 2023, and Glazier said he was her biggest help and her greatest inspiration.
“He was and still is my biggest role model and my biggest supporter,” Glazier said. “He was an ag teacher for 20 years [and] a full-time farmer. … He gave me building blocks to work off, to build up to make myself successful.”
Looking to the future, Glazier said she hopes to graduate from OSU’s veterinary school and start her own clinic. She said she’ll always work on the family farm when she can, though.
“Once I graduate from this, [I’ll] try to go back out to where I grew up and open my own clinic there to be able to help with the shortage of large animal veterinarians that we have in rural communities,” Glazier said.
Her advice for FFA members who want to start their own SAE is to always ask for help — even if you don’t want to.
“For some people, asking for help isn’t always the easiest,” Glazier said. “But knowing that you can have people in your corner who are willing to do anything to help you … is second to none.”
National FFA’s Lydia Johnson talked to Glazier about her program of work and more in Indianapolis- click on the audio bar above.
Our coverage of Oklahoma FFA engaged at the National FFA Convention is being powered by Oklahoma Farm Bureau. Watch for our stories and interviews from Indianapolis on our Website, Daily Email, our statewide Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and our Social Media Channels. Click here for the OKFB website to learn about how they are making a difference in lives of Oklahomans. Oklahoma Farm Bureau supports the youth of rural Oklahoma year round- and reminds you- Together- We Are Rural Oklahoma!
