WEST ALEXANDRIA — Twin Valley South High School Class of 2023 graduates Elliana Hurst and Ryan McRill have earned the Agribusiness and Production Systems Certification from the Ohio AgriBusiness Association.

The Ohio AgriBusiness Association provides an industry-recognized, agribusiness credential that verifies high school student expertise in the areas of agriculture, agribusiness and production systems.

To be eligible for the program, a student must be enrolled in a career­-technical agricultural program and complete four of the following courses, where they are engaged in learning and applying technical skills in foundational agricultural concepts: agriculture, food and natural resources, agronomic systems, animal and plant science, business management for agricultural and environmental systems, environmental science for agriculture and natural resources, global economics and marketing of food, greenhouse and nursery management, livestock selection, nutrition and management, mechanical principles and science and technology of food.

As one of the four required courses, students must complete either Business Management for Agricultural and Environmental Systems or Global Economics and Marketing of Food. These upper­-level courses test students’ knowledge of global agriculture marketing and business principles applied in agribusiness.

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE) ­– a student project that involves real world agricultural activities done by students outside of the planned classroom and laboratory time — are also integral in attaining the OABA credential.

To be considered, a student’s SAE must be an entrepreneurial, placement, or research-­driven project pertaining to the agriculture industry. The student must document at least 500 hours of work on their project(s) and identify the Ohio Agricultural and Environmental Systems Career Field Technical Content Standards achieved through their SAE.

“We congratulate Elli and Ryan for achieving this credential and wish them much success,” TVS Ag Educator and FFA Advisor Allison Derringer said in a press release.

Hurst plans to attend attend Edison State Community College this fall, majoring in Agribusiness. McRill will continue working, with future plans to open his own fabrication shop.