On the Morner family farm, a new corn variety unexpectedly dropped their ears right before harvest. Alex Morner, with the help of his brother, gathered the fallen ears, curious if the lost crop would be worth something. They connected with the owner of a birdseed store in a nearby town who agreed to buy the corn to sell as squirrel corn. This experience sparked Morner's interest and laid the foundation for his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project.
A senior from the McCool Junction FFA Chapter, Morner turned this unexpected opportunity into a successful business. In 2023, Morner knew it was time to scale his operation. With the help of a Nebraska FFA Foundation SAE Grant, he purchased a corn picker, going all in on producing for the local birdseed store.
Now, it’s hooked up to a John Deere 3020 Tractor for harvest where they use gravity wagons to catch the corn as it’s picked. Once harvested, Morner enters the processing stage where it is bagged and placed into storage, ready to be delivered when inventory at the store runs low. Morner finds the work enjoyable and nostalgic, as harvesting his crop brings back happy memories of working on this equipment with his grandpa, who helped him adjust the settings on the corn picker the first time they used it.
For Morner, supplying for a local business has been a major success allowing him to focus on production rather than individual sales. Selling squirrel chow one bag at a time was too time-consuming, so having a reliable buyer made the business more efficient and sustainable. Looking to the future, Morner hopes to land more distributors as returning customers to expand his operation further.
Morner credits his involvement in FFA as the biggest impact to his development. He served as the treasurer of the McCool Junction FFA Chapter and earned his Chapter Degree. Morner is grateful for the support he’s received along the way. He thanks his FFA teacher, Dana Hall, for her constant support and assistance with paperwork. He also expresses appreciation to the Nebraska FFA Foundation for awarding him the grant, which was essential for the growth of his business. A special thanks go to Dave from Wild Bird Habitat for taking a chance on him and being a consistent customer. Finally, Morner is thankful for his dad, who has been a constant source of help and knowledge.
Morner’s story shows how the Nebraska FFA Foundation SAE Grant can help students turn a simple idea into a successful business. His journey inspires other young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and make a difference in their communities.
