2026 Young Cooperator Award
Emma Alexander, 2025-2026 Virginia FFA State President and Louisa County High School graduate, received the Virginia Cooperative Council’s Young Cooperator Award in a ceremony held Sept. 30 at Southside Virginia Community College in Alberta, Va.
The Council sponsors this award to recognize outstanding cooperative members under the age of 40. Alexander was nominated by Virginia Cooperative Council President Dustin Francis, the community relations coordinator for Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative.
“I first met Emma during her participation at the 2025 Virginia Institute on Cooperative Education (VICE),” explained Francis, who noted her dedication and commitment to cooperative principles when she served with other Virginia FFA (VAFFA) officers as a student leader for 2026 VICE. “With her top-notch leadership and communication skills, Emma already is an outstanding advocate for cooperatives,” Francis added.
Alexander’s family are members of EverGro Cooperative and Colonial Farm Credit. Her active participation in the Louisa County FFA, including a supervised agricultural experience at her family’s Gold Mine Farm, where she helps breed and raise cattle, was recognized with an FFA Beef Production Proficiency Award.
After placing 2nd in employment skills at the 2024 VAFFA State Convention, Alexander advanced to the Eastern States FFA Exposition (“The Big E”) where she placed 3rd before winning the 2025 VAFFA Employment Skills Career Development Event. She also earned an American FFA degree, which recognizes significant achievement in agricultural experience, leadership and community involvement.
Alexander is currently attending Clemson University, where she intends to study agribusiness with minors in economics and marketing. After graduation, she plans to return to her family’s cattle operation while pursuing a career in agricultural marketing.
“Emma was a delight to work with as VAFFA President, and I look forward to following her career and continued commitment to all that FFA stands for,” said Jennifer Armstrong, executive director of the Virginia FFA Foundation.
About the Virginia Cooperative Council: VCC’s mission is to promote understanding of farmer and consumer-owned cooperative businesses across Virginia and their contributions to the state economy through youth and adult education. This not-for-profit organization started in 1962 and is headquartered in Richmond. To learn more about the Council and Virginia Institute of Cooperative Education, to be held March 19-21, 2027, please visit www.virginia.coop.
About the Virginia FFA Foundation: VAFFA works to secure financial resources and corporate sponsorships to support Virginia FFA student members and ensure the long-term sustainability of agricultural education. For more information, please visit www.vaffa.org.
