National FFA Organization
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The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. The organization, founded in 1928 as Future Farmers of America, now claims 495,046 members in 7,242 chapters.
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[edit] About FFA
FFA was the acronym for Future Farmers of America but the association, in an effort to broaden its potential membership beyond youth working in traditional "production" agriculture, changed the official name of the organization from Future Farmers of America to the National FFA Organization in 1988; it is still commonly referred to as FFA. High school students compete in various events, in several major areas including Career Development Events (CDE's), Supervised Agricultural Experience programs (SAE's), and Leadership Development Events (LDEs). Students are supervised by agricultural education teachers in cooperation with parents, employers and other adults who assist them in the development and achievement of their educational and career goals.
[edit] Prominent Dates in FFA History
- 1917: The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act establishes vocational agriculture classes.
- 1925: Henry Groseclose, an agriculture teacher trainer and former agricultural education instructor, helps organize the Future Farmers of Virginia for boys in agriculture classes. Soon similar groups are established across the country. The FFV would be used as a model for creation of the FFA in 1928.
- 1928: During the National Livestock Judging Contests, 33 students from 18 states establish the Future Farmers of America to provide leadership training for high school students of vocational agriculture. During this first annual convention, Leslie Applegate of Freehold, N.J., is elected president and dues are set at 10 cents annually. The national convention was held in Kansas City 1928-1998.
- 1929: FFA adopts national blue and corn gold as their official colors.
- 1930: The official FFA Creed, written by E.M. Tiffany, was adopted.
- 1930:The first public speaking event was held. Edward Drace of Missouri won.
- 1933: A band from Fredericktown, Ohio, attends a convention wearing blue corduroy jackets with the FFA emblem on back. The jackets are adopted as official dress.
- 1935: When the organization's membership exceeded 100,000 for the first time.
- 1952: The Code of Ethics is adopted at National Convention. First issue of Future Farmer Magazine is published.
- 1965: The New Farmers of America merge with the Future Farmers of America.
- 1969: Delegates at the National FFA Convention vote to allow girls into FFA at the national level, previously girls have only been allowed to be members at the local and/or state levels.
- 1971: The National FFA Alumni Association is founded, providing opportunities for former FFA members and other supporters to become involved with their local student chapters. Today, the Alumni Association has 42,000 members.
- 1988: Delegates at the National FFA Convention vote to change the name from "Future Farmers of America" to the "National FFA Organization."
- 1998: The National FFA Organization holds its last Kansas City convention.
- 1999: National FFA Convention moves to Louisville, Kentucky.
- 1999: The first National Creed Speaking event is held, Michael Von Winkle wins.
- 2000: Trent McKnight of Texas serves as National FFA President.
- 2002: Last revision of Official Dress Standards
- 2003: Javier Moreno became the first Puerto Rican— and the first individual with a native language other than English—elected as National FFA President.
- 2005: Jackie Mundt serves as National FFA President.
- 2006: National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana for the first time . Travis Jett is elected to serve as National FFA President.
[edit] Levels of FFA
The FFA is represented at several different levels across the nation, changing from state to state. The basic levels are the national level, serving all of the United States of America; the state level, serving an individual state; and the chapter level, serving a school or set of schools in an area. Other levels include names such as districts, sections, regions, etc.
Originally created to serve high school students, the FFA has recently moved into middle schools, allowing members to become active earlier and stay active for longer. Each chapter is chartered as part of the state association and national organization. Collegiate chapter now exist, as well.
The higher levels of FFA hold conventions at least once a year, where members get together to be inspired, renew their faith in agriculture, compete in contests, and do much more. The National FFA Convention is held once a year, and was originally held in Kansas City, Missouri, but moved to Louisville, Kentucky, for seven years, and is currently held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 2006 to 2012. [1]
[edit] Degrees
Many levels of the FFA can award degrees of membership to that level, signifying an individual member's accomplishments. The recognized Degrees of Membership are:
- Discovery FFA Degree, awarded to Middle School students with an understanding of FFA knowledge.
- Greenhand FFA Degree, awarded to new high school FFA members who can recite the FFA Creed and have formed a SAE plan.
- Chapter FFA Degree (formerly Chapter Farmer), awarded by each Chapter on the basis of hours worked and/or money earned in a SAE..
- State FFA Degree (formerly State Farmer), awarded by each state based on hours worked and/or money earned in a SAE.
- American FFA Degree (formerly American Farmer), awarded by the National FFA Organization, and the highest degree that a member may attain.
[edit] Officers of the FFA
As the FFA is a member-led organization intended to serve youth around the Nation, it elects officers from its own diverse membership to certain levels of the FFA. At the Chapter level, and many other levels, officers elected are usually:
- President
- Vice-President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Reporter
- Sentinel
Other officers may include:
- Parliamentarian
- Chaplain
- Historian
- Jr. Advisor
Each officer is an agricultural student and holds responsibilities needed to serve, and are elected each year by members at the respective levels.
At the National level, officers elected are:
- President
- Secretary
- Eastern Region Vice-President
- Southern Region Vice-President
- Central Region Vice-President
- Western Region Vice-President
This allows officers to be elected to one of the four national regions of the FFA, as well as a President and a Secretary.
[edit] Official FFA Dress
The most recognizable symbol of the organization is the blue jacket that is worn by current FFA members. Originally created to be worn by the Fredericktown Band of the Fredericktown FFA Chapter by Dr. Gus Lintner, the Official FFA Jacket was adopted in 1933 as the Organization's Official Dress. Official Dress for members is as follows:
Males:
- Black Slacks (Dark Blue or Black jeans are permissible for livestock events)
- White Collared Button-Up Shirt (Tucked in)
- Official FFA Tie
- Black leather Shoes (Preferably dress shoes)
- Official FFA Jacket, zipped to the top
- Black Socks
Females:
- Black Skirt or Black Slacks (Dark blue or Black jeans are permissible for livestock events)
- White Collared Blouse (Tucked in)
- Official FFA Blue Scarf
- Black closed toe and heel pumps (Preferably dress shoes)
- Official FFA Jacket, zipped to the top
- Black Nylon Hosiery (Nude Nylon in California)
Over the years, FFA Jackets have come in many forms and colors. Changing suppliers and newer design specifications allowed the jacket to fit awkwardly and the color to turn a deep purple. Efforts by the National FFA, under the campaign "Only Blue Will Do", redesigned the FFA Jacket to its original crisp blue color. In addition, the cost of the jacket was lowered, and original design elements were restored, such as specialized stitching. All new jackets now are produced to strict standards of quality.
[edit] FFA Trademarks
As an organization, the FFA has many traditions and trademarks, identifying it as an agricultural education organization:
The FFA Motto:
- Learning to Do
- Doing to Learn
- Earning to Live
- Living to Serve.
The FFA Mission: The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
The Official FFA Colors: National Blue and Corn Gold. (Reflected in the Official FFA Jackets worn by members)
[edit] The FFA Creed
The FFA creed was written by Erwin Milton "E.M." Tiffany of Wisconsin, and adopted at the 3rd National Convention of the FFA. It was revised at the 38th Convention and the 63rd Convention. It is recited by new members to the organization, to reflect their growing belief in agriculture and agricultural education:
I believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturalists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us through the struggles of former years.
I believe that to live and work on a good farm or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement I can not deny.
I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly with such knowledge and skill as I can secure and in the ability of progressive agriculturalists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.
I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so-for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.
I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.
[edit] Career Development Events
FFA Career Development Event, or CDE's, are contests that members compete in to test their skills learned through agricultural education instruction. They vary at the different levels of the FFA, and some are competed in only at certain levels.
At the National level, there are 24 CDE's:
- Ag Communications
- Ag Issues
- Ag Mechanics
- Ag Sales
- Agronomy
- Creed Speaking
- Dairy Cattle
- Dairy Foods
- Dairy Handlers Activity
- Environmental & Natural Resources
- Extemporaneous Public Speaking
- Farm Business Management
- Floriculture
- Food Science & Technology
- Forestry
- Horse Evaluation
- Job Interview
- Livestock Evaluation
- Marketing Plan
- Meats Evaluation & Technology
- Nursery/Landscape
- Parliamentary Procedure
- Poultry Evaluation
- Prepared Public Speaking
[edit] Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs
To be an active member in the National FFA Organization, a member must have an SAE project. They involve hands-on application of concepts and principles learned in the agricultural education classroom. The particular guidelines for the SAE projects are governed by the state FFA delegation.
SAE programs fall into four different areas:
- Exploratory (learning about the 'big picture' of agriculture and its many related careers)
- Research/Experimentation and Analysis (conducting research or analyze information to discover new knowledge)
- Ownership/Entrepreneurship (planning and operate an agriculture-related business)
- Placement (working for someone else either for pay or for the experience).
[edit] External links
- Official FFA Website
- National FFA Organization Archives
- Virginia Historical Marker Future Farmers of America
- Agricultural Mainstay Gets a New, Urban Face October 2006 annual convention in Indianapolis
