Streator’s Lance Moritz 1 of 4 finalists for national FFA award

Since Streator FFA Chapter member Lance Moritz was 6 months old, he’s been around his family’s lawncare business, helping his father with the work.

The fourth-generation farmer’s plans are to help expand his family’s farm and lawncare business, using the knowledge from an agronomy degree acquired at Illinois Valley Community College.

His parents and the Streator FFA program have been a big influence on shaping his plans.

Moritz was one of four national finalists Friday for its 2023 top achievement awards as an American Star in Agricultural Placement.

The American Star Awards represent the best of the best among thousands of American FFA degree recipients. The award recognizes FFA members who have developed outstanding agricultural skills and competencies by completing a supervised agricultural experience program.

A required activity in FFA, an SAE allows members to learn by doing. Members can own and operate an agricultural business, intern at an agricultural business, or conduct an agriculture-based scientific experiment and report the results.

“It is still kind of a shock,” Moritz said about being selected as one of the top four in the nation for the award. “I didn’t have any words at all.”

Moritz works for his family farm and his family’s landscaping services, taking care of 27 lawns/clients, for his SAE. The family farm consists of about 3,500 acres with a corn-soybean rotation.

“My responsibility is to plant the soybeans, and I also assist my dad with other needs like running the combine to harvest corn and soybeans,” the son of Jeff and Mary Moritz said. “I am also responsible for doing maintenance on the equipment and meeting with landlords.”

Added to his story, he received a kidney transplant in December 2021.

“I received a kidney transplant [in college],” Moritz said. “Most of my classes were supposed to be in person, but the college worked with me pretty well and allowed me to do a lot of things over Zoom. … When I was going through the kidney transplant stuff, I still did things at home, as in the paperwork side of things, for the farm and the lawn care.”

Moritz said things are returning to normal.

“I’m here to help the family farm,” he said.

A panel of judges interviewed the finalists and selected one winner Friday from each award category for the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. Whitney Glazier of Oklahoma was chosen as the best of the best in Moritz’s category.

“Now that I’m done with everything, I’m slowly taking things over and making purchases and doing my part,” Moritz said.

Moritz said learning the business side of agriculture and keeping good records during his recovery is what he is most proud of in his SAE, and his parents were helpful in that regard.

“The biggest help overall would be probably my dad because he’s taught me the business side of things and how to operate and manage it, but credit is also due for my FFA adviser and my mom,” Moritz said.

For FFA members looking to start their own SAE, Moritz said his advice is to keep records up to date, even when it’s a struggle.

“It was kind of difficult at times,” Moritz said. “You worked that day, and you’d come home and sometimes you would keep track of your SAE, but then sometimes you wouldn’t do it. … I would recommend keeping up to date. It’s a big thing.”

During high school, Moritz enjoyed going to local FFA activities, including career development events and communicating with other chapters.

“I had the opportunity to travel with the FFA to Ireland, which was a great honor,” said Moritz, who is advised by Riley Hintzsche and Gwen Heimerdinger. “We went to see how things were done in a different part of the world.”

Moritz also was the plot manager for the Streator FFA Chapter.

“It was my responsibility to line up the person in the local area that would donate their equipment and time to bale the hay,” he said. “I also was responsible to contact someone who was interested in purchasing the hay.”

FFA members, Moritz said, should take advantage of the organization’s activities as much as possible.

“Be active and push yourself to keep involved, and it will be a good turnout,” he said.