Marin on a
TAHS senior pursing coveted FFA Star in Agriscience
HOSE WHO KNOW MARIN KNOTT ARE WELL AWARE THAT SHE HAS TWO SIDES TO HER. There is the glamour side that came out last year when she was crowned the 2025 Miss Tracy, and there is the Tom Boy side — the overall-wearing, it’s-OK-to-get-dirty side.
No, not all teenage girls are made totally of sugar and spice and everything nice.
“During my trials, it’s a lot of time in the barn,” the Tracy Area High School senior said. “And I end up smelling like pigs. I would show up to basketball practice and be like, ‘Sorry girls, when I start sweating, it might smell like pigs in here!’ I love the smell of pigs though. I started going to the barn when I was in fifth grade. They didn’t have any clothes that fit me, so I had to bring my own jeans and shirt. I remember the first time I was there, they were getting new pigs on trial, so I was in there for about seven hours. It was so much fun.”
Not exactly words from a stereotypical “girly girl,” but ones that tell a story of a young woman whose passion for animal science runs as deep as her love of farm animals, in this case, pigs. And she has taken her pig proclivity (and even that distinctive smell) to the next level as she pursues an FFA Star in Agriscience. She was recently selected as a finalist in Star in Agriscience (top two in the state) and will compete at State FFA on April 28 against another student from Region 2. “Over the course of Marin’s FFA career, she has been actively involved in her agriscience project,” said TAHS ag teacher and FFA advisor Elizabeth Rupp. “She has competed at the state level for the last four years and at the national level. I have gotten compliments about her Agriscience projects over the years from University of Minnesota staff and other ag teachers in our state. Marin has a true passion that you can see through her research trials. She has been the state winner in her category for the last three years and we will find out at state convention this year how she places.”
That passion, which has been brewing since the fifth grade, has served Knott well in her FFA days. Rupp said she has developed into a solid leader in FFA, much like an athlete taking a leadership role on the field.
“Marin is and always has been a strong leader in our FFA program and officer team,” Rupp said. “This year, she is the vice president. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and helps with many different community service events. We wish Marin the best of luck.”
In order to be selected for a Region Star in Agriscience students need to meet the state degree qualifications: 25 hours of community service, 10 FFA events at the region, state, national level, and made or invested at least $2,500 in an ag-related Supervised Agricultural Experience. When members go above and beyond the state degree requirements are they are chosen as a Star.
There are four different star categories: Star Farmer, Star Production Placement, Star in Agribusiness and Star in Agriscience. FFA Members have one chance to run for Star and are put under the Star category depending on their Supervised Agricultural Experience. Knott does swine research trials at Ideal, her father Jeff’s Animal Nutrition business.
Winners from each region go against each other and choose the top FFA members. Knott will find out if she is the state winner at the State Convention.
“I do a project every year, but I also take records — how many hours I’m spending in the barn, stuff like that,” Knott said. “I also filled out a Star application this year because I’ve been doing this for so long and have so many hours.”
At the regional level, Knott was interviewed by six different people — two at each judges’ table. One table questioned her about the financial piece of her project, one about her general knowledge, and one that focused on her experiences.
“They want to know that I’ve done everything myself, not that somebody did the research project and I’m just writing about it and pretending it’s my own,” she said. “I love the science behind it all.”
That doesn’t mean she hasn’t gotten some major support from her father, who helps her formulate diets for her pigs among other things. He watches over what Marin does in the barn and is always there when she is.
“He’s always like, ‘Oh, I’ll go to the barn with you,’” she said. “It’s really nice to spend that time together. We weigh pigs together, we take turns chasing the pig onto the scale and chasing them back.”
Marin will attend Augustana College in the fall and major in biology (prephysician’s assistant).
“I love pigs, but I don’t think it’s something I could do every day like my dad does,” she said.
