Daniel Jossund Named American Star Farmer at National FFA Convention

Indianapolis, IN – (Friday, Nov. 3, 2023/National FFA Organization) – Everyone on the border between North Dakota and Minnesota knows that snow is a hassle, but for Daniel Jossund, dealing with snow is one of the many ways he earns a living.

“In the wintertime, I push snow in Fargo at night running a payloader,” Jossund said.

Jossund is no stranger to operating heavy machinery. As a member of Ada-Borup-West FFA in Minnesota, he farms on both his parents’ land and his own land to raise sugar beets, corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. He’s particularly focused on baling straw and alfalfa, with over 1,000 acres baled in 2022.

“I own all my own machinery for all the haying and the baling, and I have my own semi for trucking,” Jossund said. “Everything to do with the baling is all on my own. I use my parents’ machinery for the crop farming.”

Farming is a family business for Jossund. He began working on his supervised agricultural experience (SAE) when he was a teenager with the help of his parents and his brother Andrew Jossund. However, Jossund said his parents aren’t balers by trade, so he learned a lot about the practice from other local farmers.

“I got started with it when I was 14,” Jossund said. “I bought a small square baler to start baling with my brother Andrew. He’s nine years older than I am and, as we got older, he had other interests and I started baling more — and I bought him out of the baling business.”

Now 20 years old, Jossund said owning 150 acres of land at such a young age is one of the things he’s most proud of. Jossund is currently majoring in agribusiness at North Dakota State University, and he said he’s planning on continuing to expand his current farming operations after he graduates.

“The college degree is pretty much just to have a degree and meet people,” Jossund said. “That’s the best part about it. All the people I’ve met.”

Jossund’s advice for FFA members starting their own SAE is to persevere — you might not like your job every day, but it’s a good job if you’d still rather be doing it than anything else.

“That’s what I always tell myself when I’m out in the field and stuff’s not going right or I have hay that gets rained on or whatever. ‘Oh, I hate this.’ But then I think there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing than this,” Jossund said.

About the American Star Awards
Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, four FFA members are honored with American Star Awards for outstanding accomplishments in FFA and agricultural education.

The American Star Awards, including American Star Farmer, American Star in Agribusiness, American Star in Agricultural Placement and American Star in Agriscience, are presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of an SAE. A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows students to learn by doing, by either owning or operating an agricultural business, working or serving an internship at an agriculture-based business, or conducting an agriculture-based scientific experiment and reporting results.

Other requirements to achieve the award include demonstrating top management skills; completing key agricultural education, scholastic and leadership requirements; and earning an American FFA Degree, the organization’s highest level of student accomplishment.

Sixteen American Star Award finalists from throughout the U.S. were nominated by a panel of judges who then interviewed the finalists this fall. Four were named winners during the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo this year, which was held in Indianapolis. Winners received cash awards. Cargill, Case IH, Elanco Animal Health and Syngenta sponsor the awards.

 The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 945,000 student members as part of 9,163 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Story Credit: Kyle Hampel

From the Ada Borup West FFA Facebook –

Day 3 of convention was absolutely incredible! We celebrated John & Lorraine Jossund receiving their Honorary American FFA Degree in the morning. Congratulations!

We explored more of the expo center and was able to meet with not one but TWO former National FFA Officers, thanks to our special friend Lindsey Abentroth, who works at the USDA with Victoria Maloch , Past National Officer. Bruce Maloch (Victorias dad) also a Past National Officer and Victoria spent an hour of their busy convention schedules to talk with us about anything & everything. We are so grateful to have that experience!

Part of our evening was spent at the National FFA Alumni & Supporters reception for American Degree recipients where we talked with Corynn Flood, past MN FFA Alumni & Supporters President who now serves as the Central Region Representative on the National Alumni & Supporters Board. Mrs. Savage also met the National FFA Advisor, Dr. Travis Park and was too star struck to get a picture!

The capstone was the Stars over America ceremony where we are STILL in awe of having Daniel be named the 2023 American Star Farmer! It is a night that all of us will remember and are so thankful for the outpouring of love & support for Daniel!