At this week's 100th Annual Oklahoma FFA State Convention, a passionate crew from the Oklahoma Pork Council talked with hundreds of the 15,000+ attendees who took over downtown Tulsa for a memorable week filled with blue and gold. Our staff and several pork-loving college students had a fantastic time reuniting with 8th through 12th graders we already know and meeting many more who enjoy showing pigs, eating pork, and/or learning about potential career opportunities offered across the pork industry.
Hundreds of FFA members visited our expansive "Work In Pork" booth at the career-focused trade show that brought back Shay Stegmann's incredible 800+ photo mosaic wall for for students to picture themselves in pork while realizing we are each a small part of the big picture in agriculture. This year's mosaic theme proudly displayed "We are the future" as a testament to the next generation of pork producers. As hundreds of students stopped by to participate in building the mosaic wall, we enjoyed countless opportunities to encourage a continued interest in pork production after they eventually hang up their FFA jackets for the workforce or continued education. Based on the booth's resounding success, we are confident this message is continuing to resonate with up-and-coming agriculture leaders.
Thanks to Shay's engaging mosaic experience (complete with a custom photo booth set-up she built herself) and our signature best-in-class Oklahoma Pork swag made by Shay and Kylee, our booth was among the most visited in the massive Expo Hall. We also welcomed many smiling visitors who had proudly participated in the Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby or one of several "Work in Pork" ambassador visits held at Oklahoma high schools this spring.
Three Pork Industry Group alums made our booth extra inviting, so a huge thanks to OSU students Molly Hoffman, Maysen Garrett, and Blakelee Pugh who took time during their finals week to "ride for the brand" of Oklahoma's pork industry! Keep reading for several other highlights from the 2026 State FFA Convention, and click here to see more fun photos from the week!