Dr. Davey Griffin & Ray Riley were awarded honorary lone star degrees by the Texas FFA Association at their annual convention, held in Fort Worth on July 15-19, 2019. Each year, the association honors those who have rendered meritorious service to agricultural education and the FFA. Each year, local chapters honor school officials, local business owners, farmers, parents and alumni to receive the honorary chapter degree. However, a select few are chosen to receive the highest degree of honorary membership which can be bestowed at the state level by the Texas FFA Association, the Honorary Lone Star FFA Degree.
Both Griffin and Riley were nominated by the College Station High School FFA chapter. It is their dedication to meat science and contribution to the various FFA meat judging contests that earned them this prestigious honor.
“Dr. Davey Griffin has supported Texas FFA for over 30 years as the contest superintendent for the meat judging contests at Texas A&M University,” said Griffin’s nominators. “His expertise and meat knowledge have benefited FFA members for many years!”
Griffin is responsible for organizing the meat judging clinics, area contests, and the state FFA meat judging contest. Additionally, he is the contest superintendent for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Meat Judging Contest, the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Meat Judging Contest, and the San Antonio Livestock Show Meat Skillathon.
“Riley’s long-term dedication to hosting meat judging clinics and contests have ensured that FFA members have the best resources available to both learn and compete,” said nominators. “No other person in the meat science area at Texas A&M University has served FFA as long as he has. Additionally, he has hosted numerous schools and FFA chapters who tour the Rosenthal Center each year to learn more about animal agriculture and meat science.”
Riley has worked for the Rosenthal Meat Science Center at Texas A&M University since 1981. He is responsible for procuring and harvesting the meat animals used for the Meat Judging contests at TAMU, including the judging clinics, area contests, and state contest. He manages the facility, ensuring that FFA members have an excellent facility and products to use for the judging contests.
-30-
For more information regarding news from the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, please contact Maggie Berger at maggielberger@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1542.