FFA Week

The official name of the organization is the National FFA Organization.

The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America. These letters are a part of our history and our heritage that will never change. But FFA is not just for students who want to be production farmers; FFA also welcomes members who aspire to careers as teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more. For this reason, the name of the organization was updated in 1988 after a vote of national convention delegates to reflect the growing diversity and new opportunities in the industry of agriculture.

Today, the National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet those challenges by helping its members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of agricultural career pathways. So today, we are still the Future Farmers of America. But, we are the Future Biologists, Future Chemists, Future Veterinarians, Future Engineers and Future Entrepreneurs of America, too.

The Wisconsin Association of FFA has been around for 90 years and also has 250 Wisconsin chapters! So obviously they're doing something right because that adds up to be over 20,000 members....and that is JUST in Wisconsin. FFA is a really cool organization that helps to educate youth about agriculture, but that isn't the only thing they do.

FFA is similar to 4-H because they do educate about agriculture and are very involved in the industry, but they also teach youth how to become leaders. The leadership skills that you can gain from an organization like FFA will stick with you the rest of your life. That's why it's such a great organization.

I also think that people sometimes assume that the only way you can be in FFA is if you have this big agriculture background or work on a farm. That is the biggest myth, anyone is welcome.

For example, take a look at Shea Booster, the Western Region Vice President of FFA....he had no agriculture background. Recording courtesy of WHBL, Tuesday, February 05, 2019 10 a.m. by Travis Cleven