FARIBAULT, Minn. (RFD News) — A Minnesota high school senior is being recognized for his leadership in both FFA and 4-H.
Luke McCrea is the recipient of the 2026 Soy Scholarship, a national award that recognizes student leadership and involvement in agriculture.
McCrea joined us on Monday’s FFA Today to share more about his background and involvement in the industry.
In his conversation with RFD News, McCrea spoke about serving in his local FFA chapter and helping grow one of the school’s largest student organizations.
“I was able to work with our officer team and to help develop different activities to help our chapter grow and become eventually one of the largest student-led organizations in our school, and that was a really cool thing to be a part of.”
Those efforts helped lead to McCrea receiving the Soy Scholarship, an award presented to just one student across the country each year.
“It was kind of a surreal experience, getting that phone call. I saw the area code, and I was like, ‘Is this a spam call? Or what is this? I don’t know where it’s coming from.’ And then it was Farris Haley, with the American Soybean Association.”
McCrea says he has also become involved in agricultural communications as a way to help share agriculture’s story with consumers and the public.
He credits his 4-H and FFA mentors for helping shape him into the leader he is today, including his recent election as the 2026-2027 Minnesota State FFA President.
