David Steed Examining Many Facets of Agriculture

Published on Wednesday, March 30th, 2022

David Steed is a Career & College Promise student attending Montgomery Central High School and Montgomery Community College and will soon graduate with his Associate in Arts degree. He has been accepted into the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Program at North Carolina State University, where he intends to major in agricultural and human sciences or agricultural and resource economics.

David was exposed to the NC State campus at a young age, and never really considered attending another college. He comes from an agriculture-focused family with both peaches and chickens in his lineage. His father, Joe Steed, is Director of Hatcheries at Pilgrim’s and an alumnus of NC State.

“I grew up around peaches and chickens, but I think it was a sixth grade honey bee experiment that got me hooked on agriculture,” explains David. “We blew powdered sugar through a hive to control varroa mites, and to this day bees are a big interest of mine.” David has spent several summers working for Johnson’s Peaches in Candor, intrigued by the science of pollination and its relation to the success of produce in the area. He is also an avid hunter and fisherman. After college, he intends to return to the local area to put his degree to work.

David serves as president of the Montgomery Central FFA. In late March 2022, he received an official blue jacket during a special event recognizing the Montgomery Central FFA Chapter, in addition to the organization’s first Chapter Leadership Award.

MCC’s Sustainable Agriculture Department sponsors the Montgomery Central FFA Chapter as a curriculum-connected opportunity. Eligible students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of FFA activities, including local, regional and national competitive events, service projects, networking opportunities, community-building exercises and leadership development activities. MCC Sustainable Agriculture Department Chair, Mrs. Kim Johnson, serves as chapter advisor.

A group of young farmers founded the National FFA Organization in 1928. Their mission was to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. Today, more than 735,000 student members aged 12-21 in more than 8,800 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are engaged in a wide range of agricultural education activities.