Acme girl, 9, wears national Miss Agriculture USA crown

Brystoll Ament, 9, of Acme is the new 2020 National Petite Miss Agriculture USA.

After winning the Pennsylvania state title in March, she won the national title in her age division on June 27 at an event in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Founded in 2018, Miss Agriculture USA is a nonprofit organization that promotes agriculture through queen competitions that stress education and service. The competitions are held in age divisions ranging from 2 to adult.

A fourth grader at Ramsay Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant, Brystoll already is a veteran of both agricultural fairs and pageant competition.

At age 3, she began showing market animals at the Derry Township Agricultural Fair, said her mother, Samantha Ament, who is a member of the fair board. In 2019, she won the Westmoreland County Miss Agriculture USA Queen in the petite age division.

In Cuyahoga Falls, Brystoll competed with girls from across the country in the areas of Introduction, Photogenic, Essay, Speech, Formal Wear, Ag Wear and Impromptu Question.

The question she was asked was, “If you could choose a nonprofit to promote, which one would it be?”

“I chose Miss Agriculture USA because it represents everything I am interested in,” Brystoll said.‘“I just like everything about agriculture. I like being out in the barn, I don’t like being stuck in the house.”

Her future plans include becoming a veterinarian.

The duties of competition winners are “whatever you make of it,” Samantha Ament said. “You can pass out ribbons at your local fair, or you can travel to fairs all over the country.”

The Aments work a small family farm and have shown market animals at fairs all over the east coast and as far away as Arizona, Samantha said. Brystoll’s father Donald is a Pennsylvania state trooper and Samantha is a nurse. Brystoll’s siblings are Amelia, 6; Maci, 3; and Rowen, 1.

Maci is the 2020 Westmoreland County PA Tiny Miss Agriculture USA, an age division for ages 2-3.

Brystoll is a member of Westmoreland County 4H, the East Coast Livestock Association, Pennsylvania Livestock Association and the Pennsylvania Club Livestock Association.

“Being a part of (Miss Agriculture USA) has given my daughter so much confidence,” Samantha said. “Over the last year, her father and I have seen her blossom from a shy girl to a confident young woman.

“Being a part of this industry means always learning and growing your knowledge of agriculture constantly. Seeing her being confident enough to walk up to industry leaders and ask questions with absolutely no fear or reservation gives me so much pride,” she added.

The organization aims to promote, celebrate and educate on all aspects of the agricultural industry. Its aims for pageant participants include building confidence, promoting self-esteem, developing public speaking skills, shaping strong leaders, networking and forming lasting friendships.