Texas Student Jose Yepez Wins National FFA's 2026 American Star in Agribusiness

Texas student Jose Yepez won the 2026 American Star in Agribusiness award from the National FFA Organization on Friday for a landscaping company that grew to serve more than 100 clients and employ four full-time workers. The Times of India reported that Yepez, a member of Greenville FFA in Texas, received the honour at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.

How Yepez Built Yepez Signature Landscape

Yepez started Yepez Signature Landscape to fund his college tuition, and the business now takes on landscape design, hardscape construction and property maintenance work, according to the National FFA Organization's release. The company has received more than 160 five-star reviews. Yepez remains closely involved in daily management, from speaking with customers to handling payments, marketing and work schedules.

"One of the most impactful opportunities that this project has been able to provide me is the ability to support my family financially," Yepez said. He said the earnings helped his mother renovate her home and his sister attend college, while his father secured a job and Yepez covered his own education. "As the son of immigrant parents who have known nothing but to work their entire lives tirelessly, I take pride in being able to utilize my business in a meaningful way to assist my family," he said.

The American Star in Agribusiness is one of the National FFA Organization's highest honours for students in agricultural education. Candidates must first earn the American FFA Degree, and judges interviewed four finalists in each category before announcing winners at Lucas Oil Stadium.

National FFA's Scale And Partnerships

According to akta.pro company records, the National FFA Organization reported 1,042,245 student members across more than 9,000 chapters, and 9,407 local chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The same records list a March 2024 grant of $3.9 million led by the John Deere Foundation, and a February 2026 partnership with the National Auction Association to introduce the International Junior Auctioneer Championship.

Earlier Honours At The Indianapolis Convention

On October 22, 2026, Yahoo reported that seven winners of the 2026 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards were named at the convention in Indianapolis. Yahoo also reported that Owen Ott, an 18-year-old from St. Mary's High School, was named a national FFA proficiency finalist for fiber and oil crop production, with a straw-baling business that grew nearly 75% from 2024 to 2025. Farm Progress reported on October 22, 2026 that Jenna Brixey, a Missouri teen, was named a national finalist for the FFA Agricultural Proficiency Award in dairy production.

Other 2026 American Star Winners

Tessa Tauke of Beckman Catholic FFA in Iowa won the American Star in Agriscience award, with five projects covering agricultural equipment safety, black walnut toxicity, welding exposure and treatments for bovine ringworm. Jaron Black of Streator FFA in Illinois received the American Star in Agricultural Placement award. Cooper Kline of North Rock Creek FFA in Oklahoma won the American Star Farmer award after expanding his pig-breeding operation from two to 28 sows and establishing Kline Swine Sires.