Andrew Hall, of Wright City, was one of 30 high school sophomores recently selected to participate in the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Missouri Agribusiness Academy.Hall and the other students selected will spend the first week of June in Springfield learning about many of the unique opportunities available in agriculture.“It has never been more important to cultivate a strong passion for agriculture in our young people,” said Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce. “These young men and women are the up-and-coming agriculturalists who will soon be the leaders we rely on to make decisions and promote agriculture. MAbA provides an exceptional group of young men and women an opportunity to expand their horizons through meaningful experiences and relationships that will stick with them for a long time.”On Monday, June 6, the MAbA class will convene at the Missouri Department of Agriculture. After a department overview and tour, the students will travel to Springfield. During the 2016 Missouri Agribusiness Academy, the students will visit Osage Catfisheries, KY3 News Station, Farmers Market of the Ozarks, Missouri State University, Joplin Regional Stockyards, Associated Wholesale Grocers and the Dairy Farmers of America Innovation Center. The students will end their week with a graduation ceremony at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.Since 1988, the Missouri Agribusiness Academy has awarded more than 840 academy memberships through a competitive application and interview process for high school sophomores interested in pursuing agriculture-related college degrees and careers.To be eligible for the Missouri Agribusiness Academy, students must come from a farming family or be an active member of the National FFA Organization or 4-H.Hall is a sophomore at Warrenton High School, where he is an active member of the Warrenton FFA Chapter and County Crossroads 4-H Club. He is the son of Don and Charlene Hall.Missouri Agribusiness Academy