果冻传媒麻豆社

As an FFA state officer attending 果冻传媒麻豆社, Katie Hebdon spent about half of her freshman year off campus advocating for Idaho agriculture, traveling more than 20,000 miles during her first semester alone.

Still, Hebdon, of Nampa, graduates from U聽of聽I in May 2025 after four years in school 鈥� and with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, bachelor鈥檚 degrees in agricultural economics: agribusiness emphasis and animal and veterinary science: dairy option and a certificate in agricultural commodity risk management.

鈥淢y academic advisors were absolutely amazing helping me work with my class-load and schedule since I was gone traveling so much,鈥� Hebdon said.

Thanks to the many college scholarships she earned, she鈥檒l also be leaving U聽of聽I with no student debt.

Next August, Hebdon will start a graduate program in animal science and ruminant nutrition at Michigan State University, with plans to return to Idaho and offer ruminant nutritional consulting to the state鈥檚 large dairies and beef operations.

Hebdon believes the broad education she received through U聽of聽I鈥檚 College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), including in business and commodity risk management, will help her better serve future clients.

鈥淣ot only are you working with producers to formulate rations and do work on the animal husbandry and animal health side, but you also have to do it in a cost-effective way because at the end of the day, people have to make money,鈥� Hebdon said. 鈥淭he commodities and risk management side tied into that really nicely because I understand the markets, I understand hedging and futures, what鈥檚 going to happen with the corn markets and how that鈥檚 going to impact feeder cattle prices and fat cattle prices and class three milk.鈥�

Hebdon solidified her interest in an agricultural career after working throughout high school as a ranch hand at a family friend鈥檚 small cow-calf operation in Marsing.

鈥淚鈥檝e always loved cattle,鈥� Hebdon said. 鈥淲orking at the ranch was a good opportunity to learn the ins and outs of what it鈥檚 like to be actively involved in the cow-calf sector.鈥�

Also fostering her love of agriculture, she was active in UI Extension 4-H Youth Development and FFA, which is a national, agricultural-based youth leadership organization with more than 6,500 statewide members.

In April 2021, during her senior year in high school, she was elected to a one-year term as an FFA state officer. The position kept her constantly on the road, teaching leadership curriculum at middle schools and high schools and raising awareness to school superintendents, lobbyists and lawmakers about the importance of agricultural and career and technical education.

鈥淲e were traveling nationally to represent Idaho鈥檚 needs,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e were the face of young agriculturalists in the state of Idaho.鈥�

CALS awarded Hebdon both college credits and scholarship money for her participation as an FFA state officer.

Hebdon initially considered pursuing a career as a large animal veterinarian. She chose ruminant nutrition instead, recognizing the opportunity to preventatively benefit animal health by designing balanced rations for them.

She shadowed industry feed representatives during her senior year of high school. During her sophomore year in college, she worked closely with a livestock nutritionist as an intern with a large dairy in Boardman, Oregon.

While at U聽of聽I, Hebdon has been active in campus activities and promoting her college. She participated in CALS ambassadors 鈥� a team comprising current CALS students who represent the college and its programs on and off campus.

Hebdon also served as the student representative on the search committee that selected Leslie Edgar as the next J.R. Simplot Endowed Dean of CALS.

鈥淚 care really deeply about CALS and I want to see it continue to be in good hands once I leave,鈥� Hebdon said.

During her final semester, she served on U聽of聽I鈥檚 team at the National Dairy Challenge in Gainesville, Florida. Competitors were challenged to be consultants, identifying problems at a host dairy farm and presenting data in support of solutions they identified. U聽of聽I finished third in its bracket.

鈥淚 love animal science,鈥� Hebdon said. 鈥淎nimal science is my passion, but understanding economics and running a business is also something you need to know.鈥�