Rich and Judy Meyer earn Outstanding FFAAlumni award

Rich and Judy Meyer were recognized for their many years of dedication and service to the FFA and its alumni organization when they were awarded with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Wisconsin FFA Alumni and Supporter Convention, a twoday event held over Feb. 2 and 3. As the state winners of the award, the pair will be up for the national version of the honor, which will be bestowed at the national convention later this year.

The husband and wife duo has been intimately involved with the Colby FFAAlumni association since its inception in 1977. Rich served as the organization’s second president and Judy held the position of secretary for six years. On top of their roles as officers, the couple was part of organizing and running various fundraisers and events hosted over the years by the organization.

Some of these events include the nut and bolt sale, which Rich has served as the chair of since it was created, and the annual Colby Dairy Breakfast, which the Meyer’s farm hosted twice and which they have been involved with for the last 42 years. They’ve also been involved in other events like the annual bowling tournament, which Judy has helped with organization and food preparations, the donkey basketball game, at which they have offered many hours working the concession stand, and ice cream bar.

All of these fundraisers earned thousands of dollars that have helped support the Colby FFA Chapter’s activities and continued growth.

Rich and Judy have also worked as chaperones, taking FFA members to the State FFA Convention and World Dairy Expo, among others over the years.

As part of the organization’s scholarship selection committee and helping with the Section 7 Washington Leaders Conference (WLC) Auction, the couple has helped award nearly $62,500 in scholarships to 75 students over 25 years and $30,000 to help send FFA members to the WLC.

Even before their long history with Colby’s alumni organization, Rich and Judy have had a connection with local agriculture. After graduating from Loyal High School, Rich began farming almost immediately. A year after the two were married in August of 1970, the Meyers started Rem Jem Dairy outside of Unity, a farm that now hosts about 500 cows. They have also been involved in the Maplewood Badgers, Unity’s 4-H club, and Rich is part of the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative and the Associated Milk Producers Inc. cooperative, the former of which he served as a board member for 25 years.

They have also passed on their affection for both the organization and agriculture in general. Many of their eight children and 23 grandchildren are, were, or are looking to become members of FFA and have served as chapter officers and participated in various state FFA positions and events. Even after graduating, many have continued to be involved in agriculture in their personal and professional lives.

The Meyer’s dedication to FFA and showing cattle has spanned the course of 40+ years as they had helped their children show cattle at the Wisconsin State Fair and then when their last child went through, their grandchildren started to show animals.

“We started taking dairy cattle to the state fair when Cindy was 12 and we hadn’t missed a year until the last couple,” Rich said.

The duo said over the years, dairy farming and clubs like FFA and 4-H have given them experiences that they otherwise would have never had. In reflecting on their lives in agriculture, Judy and Rich recalled times they had spent all over the country at conferences. The Meyers have traveled to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Florida, Texas, Washington, D.C. and many other areas.

The Meyers’ impact on the Colby and state of Wisconsin FFA organizations has been felt across generations but the couple simply said, the scope of their work within FFA and agriculture is nothing special. They said it planning, organizing, volunteering events for the FFA Alumni and Supporters Association was all part of being a good community member for the farming community in central Wisconsin.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION - Judy and Rich Meyer, center, stand with Wisconsin FFA Alumni and Supporters President Bobbie Jo Montgomery, left, and Wisconsin FFA Alumni & Supporters President Vice President Nick Lowe at the state convention in Green Bay.