Columbia, Mo.,—Alyssa (Aly) Francis, a sophomore at Oklahoma State University (OSU), has been selected as one of the 2021 Missouri Pork Association Youth Pork Ambassadors. Her selection was announced during the 2021 Missouri Pork Expo on February 2nd in Osage Beach.

 

Aly is the daughter of Tony and Barb Francis of Paris. When at home, Aly is the farm flock assistant manager in production, exhibition and marketing for Francis Family Farms. The farm raises lambs, boer goats and show pigs, along with a cow/calf operation.

 

During the summer of 2020, she was the agriculture retail intern for Monroe County COOP Agri-Service. She has clerked sales for Heartland Livestock and was a stock handler for the Midwest Exchange Regional Stockyards.

 

Aly is also active at OSU and received the OSU Ferguson College of Agriculture Agriculture Leadership Scholarship in the Fall of 2020. She is a member of the OSU Sigma Alpha, OSU Collegiate Cattlewomen, OSU Swine Club, OSU Block and Bridle and OSU Air Force ROTC.

 

After seeing that food insecurity can affect anyone, including those in her rural community, Aly developed the Youth Feeding the Needy Food Insecurity Project in partnership with the United Way of Northeast Missouri in 2018. She continues to coordinate the donation of show hogs to be processed and help those in need.

 

Aly is majoring in animal science and ag communications. With this education plan, she hopes to find a career where she can connect producers and consumers in expanding market opportunities across the U.S. and around the globe.

 

Throughout the next year, Aly will participate in various events in the pork industry. At the end of the program, she will receive a $1,000 scholarship, payable to a technical school, community college or four-year university.

 

Qualified applicants must be involved in the pork industry or the son/daughter of a parent or guardian involved in the pork industry, and between their senior year of high school and sophomore year of college as of January 1, 2021.

 

The Missouri Youth Pork Ambassador program combines a scholarship opportunity with the chance to actively participate in Missouri’s pork industry. It provides an opportunity for youth to develop strong relationships with both pork producers and allied industry members, while improving communication and leadership skills.

 

The Missouri Pork Association represents the state’s pork producers in the areas of promotion, research, education and public policy. For more information about this or any other programs of the Missouri Pork Association, go to www.mopork.com, or call the Missouri Pork Association office at (573) 445-8375.

 

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