Have you ever wondered what it's like to work in the animal science industry, live and work on a farm or have a passion for educating others about topic you're passionate about? My name is Ashley Brincks, I will be telling you about my experience in all of these sectors of the agriculture industry. I will start off by providing you with a little history. I was born and raised on our family farm, where I spent most of my time outside, helping my dad. I have vivid memories of riding on the fender of the tractor with him while working the fields and helping him fill five gallon buckets with grain, using a coffee can or anything else small enough for me to fill and lift, to feed the cattle. Its no surprise that my love for agriculture has shaped me into the woman I am today.
I have only grown from the time of riding the fender, and filling five gallon buckets. I have been promoted to tractor driver and feed wagon filler. While in high school, I was an active member in our local FFA chapter. My sophomore year, I had the opportunity to become an office in the chapter. My drive and leadership skills soon led me to the secretary position, where I manned my post for 3 years. While in this role, I was able to organize several fundraisers, promote my chapter and participate in Career Development Opportunities (CDE's) as well as Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE's).
From there, I decided that agriculture was my calling, I chose to further my education at Northwest Missouri State University. I am currently majoring in Animal Science with a minor in Agriculture Communication. While furthering my work experience, I have interned with several agribusiness'. This experience includes working for a local farmer and his wife, assisting with their cow/calf herd, breeding of Labrador retrievers, and everyday maintenance and up-keep around the farm. Another internship opportunity I was given was working in a sow unit, breeding, gestation and farrowing. While there, I was able to see first hand how the hog production side of the industry works and the teamwork it takes to manage a sow unit. This past summer, I was blessed with the best opportunity thus far, interning for a veterinary clinic. During my summer, I was able to work thousands of head of beef cattle, preform breeding soundness tests of livestock and assist in the amputations of toes, the diagnosing of diseases and illness' and so much more. I was also able to work with small animals, which is not something I had worked with a lot in the past. Being able to connect with families and their beloved pets was a great feeling. My experience in the industry has provided me with a great sense of gratification and I am beyond thankful all of the ups and downs i have faced along the way.
My experience and love for agriculture doesn't stop there, while having these internships I also worked at a local daycare. While working there, I was able to educate children about agriculture which I believe is extremely important. We were able to visit a local dairy farm, where the kids were able to see where their milk comes from. We discussed the many uses of dairy products and the uses of animals in general. I was exceptionally blessed with the opportunity to educate our youth and teach them about the importance of agriculture.
During my Freshman year of College, my mother passed away unexpectedly. The day before Thanksgiving of 2016, I lost one of my biggest supporters. She always pushed me to do my best and told me I could do whatever I set my mind too. After her passing, I decided that I would do everything I can to make her proud of me and to help support my family. Through everything, we've gotten through the tough times together.
As I finish my college career in the next year and a half, I hope to find a career in the agriculture industry that I love. Whether that be working with animals or educating children, I cannot wait to see where my passion takes me. I will continue to be a strong woman in agriculture, refusing to let anyone make me feel inferior. From early on, my parents told me I could be anything I wanted to be, so I've chosen to be a leader and advocate for agriculture. I hope to gain knowledge about the various types and uses of social media as I complete my minor in Agriculture Communication. I also hope to connect with the public and my followers through my social media posts and promoting the agriculture industry. I truly enjoy advocating for agriculture, I am striving to advocate and educate the public and help to clear up any misinformation that may be presented. I have also opened myself up for any questions from my followers and friends on social media, hoping to answer any questions they may have. My goal with doing so is that they will be more willing to ask questions that they may have about the industry. Its important to me that consumers know that we are a family, united as one, with a common goal. That goal being creating safe and nutritious food that will sustain the growing population.