McDuffa named FFA State Star Farmer

HODGES — Recent Hackleburg High School graduate Blaine McDuffa has been named the 2026 Alabama FFA State Star Farmer, Alabama FFA’s highest honor for student agricultural entrepreneurship.

McDuffa received the award during the state convention held in Montgomery after years of building a cattle operation that began with two cows given to him at birth.

Agriculture, McDuffa said, has been part of his life for as long as he can remember.

“It’s kind of a humbling experience when you know you’re part of the 2% that feeds the other 98%,” McDuffa said. “That’s kind of my why for doing all the stuff that I do.”

According to Caleb Beason, Phil Campbell High agricultural education teacher and FFA sponsor, the award recognizes excellence in a student’s supervised agricultural experience project, his or her leadership and community involvement, and FFA accomplishments.

Candidates complete an extensive application documenting their agricultural enterprise, awards, leadership activities, community service and FFA involvement. Alabama FFA selects top competitors from districts across the state before choosing the overall winner.

For McDuffa, the recognition reflects years spent developing McDuffa Angus Farm, where he raises registered Black Angus cattle.

The operation includes approximately 25 registered Black Angus cattle.

His father, Brandon McDuffa, said the foundation was laid on the day Blaine was born. Brandon received a cow from his grandfather, Jack Lovett, when he was born. When Blaine arrived, Brandon gave him a cow, and Blaine’s great-grandfather gave him another.

“He started out with two cows, literally the day he was born,” Brandon said.

The family’s connection to agriculture continued throughout Blaine’s childhood. Before he started school, he regularly accompanied Lovett to local sale barns and cattle farms.

“When Blaine was four or five years old, before he started school, there’s not many Mondays they missed going to the sale barn,” Brandon said.

McDuffa said his operation evolved over time.

“It started out I wanted to buy my first heifer to be a show heifer, and it turns out I didn’t want to show what I thought I did, so I just started buying and breeding the cows, and it turned into what it is today,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges has been obtaining quality genetics.

“High-quality genetics are very expensive,” McDuffa said.

To help overcome that challenge, he learned to perform artificial insemination work himself.

Brandon said his son attended a three-day Select Sires artificial insemination training program at Auburn University’s Beef Unit after receiving a scholarship arranged through Lynn Holloman.

“At the time, he was 16 years old,” his father said. “That’s something not a lot of 16-year-olds can do across the country.”

McDuffa later expanded into embryo-transfer work and purchased his first donor cow in 2024. He said successfully collecting embryos from that donor cow is among the accomplishments he is most proud of.

The operation’s growth required more than technical knowledge. Brandon said his son has worked odd jobs for local farmers; helped with poultry-house work; raised vegetables and sold produce to earn money for the operation.

The family also operates poultry houses, which form another part of McDuffa’s agricultural experience.

“Every single dollar he gets, he’s in mind to spend it on something cow-related,” his father said McDuffa said support from family members, teachers, and mentors has been important throughout his FFA journey.

“I’ve had a lot of words of encouragement along the way, advice and people always lending a helping hand,” he said.

Beason said one quality that distinguishes McDuffa is his initiative and determination.

“Blaine is a hard worker,” he said. “He has that internal drive.”

McDuffa’s FFA accomplishments have built upon one another through the years. He previously earned his Greenhand Degree and Chapter Degree before receiving his Alabama FFA State Degree during this year’s convention.

Last year, he won the state beef cattle entrepreneurship proficiency award, and later advanced to national competition, where he earned a gold emblem.

He was also selected as the North District State Star Farmer finalist before earning the statewide title this month.

His father said perseverance has been one of the keys to that success.

He recalled that his son’s first appearance at a state livestock judging competition ended near the bottom of the standings. Instead of quitting, he continued working to improve year after year.

This spring, McDuffa tied for first place individually at the state livestock judging competition.

“To go from not being very good to being the top individual, that shows perseverance and work ethic,” his father said.

McDuffa said FFA has helped shape both his future and his personal development.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without FFA,” he said. “I can’t put it all into words of how FFA has helped me.”

He said the organization taught him leadership skills and how to communicate respectfully with others, even when disagreements arise.

This fall, McDuffa plans to attend Auburn University and pursue a degree in animal science.

His advice to younger students is simple.

“Just keep working,” he said. “You’ll never succeed if you quit. Just keep on keeping on.”